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Competition Carriage Driving is the term for the three phase carriage driving competition, which is similar to Eventing, under saddle..... there are usually classes for all types of turnout - singles, pairs, tandems, 4-in-hand (teams), unicorns etc... but some competitions limit the classes, like at SICAB.... which limits them to singles, pairs and teams.

The 3 phases are dressage, cones and marathon, equivalent to the ridden dressage, show jumping and cross country.

Marathon - the course is generally at set paces - walk, normal trot and fast trot at set places, with some distances being covered at your own choice of pace, which can include canter. There are minimum and maximum times for each section, with penalties for being over the maximum or under the minimum.

Of course, the horse must also complete the course without being overly stressed, as it has to pass a vetting before going on to the cones on the following day..... at Sicab it is a little unusual,as there is not enough land, so the same section is repeated over and over again - presumably at different paces to comply with the normal rules..... the obstacles can be driven at any pace - while you are inside the markers for the obstacle and you get penalties for every second that you are within the obstacle - therefore, clearly, the fastest through the obstacle gains the least penalties..... but outside the obstacle, only trot is allowed, which is why you see them madly galloping over the marker at the end then putting on the brakes full force, as they have to be trotting within a certain number of paces....

These pictures were taken at SICAB 2009 in Sevilla (Seville), Andalucia, Spain between Tuesday 24th and Sunday 29th November.

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All pictures will be corrected for Colour, Contrast, Brightness, Sharpness and Cropped where necessary.

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