The Best Driving Horse Breeds for Pulling a Carriage

The American standardbred is a very popular driving horse breed for both harness racing and pleasure driving. These horses have excellent speed and stamina, and they’re typically friendly and calm. Because they're already accustomed to the harness and pulling a vehicle, former racing standardbreds can be retrained for pleasure driving.

Whether you have a 3-foot-tall "type A" Welsh pony (the smallest size category) pulling a tiny cart or a larger cob pulling a two-seater buggy, these equines make wonderful harness animals. They're generally hardy and easy to maintain. And the larger members of the family also are comfortable being saddle-ridden.

With their high-stepping gait and elegant head carriage, it's hard to believe hackneys are endangered in some countries. Hackneys were initially bred for riding and were crossed with driving breeds and thoroughbreds for added speed and style. In their heyday, hackneys were valued much like exotic sports cars are today.

Originating in England, the Cleveland bay is a light draft horse for driving and riding. It was primarily used for farm work and to pull carriages. Members of the royal family have used this breed for competitive driving. However, its numbers are dwindling as its usefulness in daily life fades.

Known for their speed in horse racing, thoroughbreds are also used in pleasure and competitive driving, especially for events that require swiftness. However, a former racehorse will need extensive retraining by an experienced equestrian for pleasure riding or driving, and sometimes its temperament might not be suitable for the role.

The Friesian is a Dutch horse that originated in Friesland, a northern section of the Netherlands. This European breed can trace its lineage to warhorses from the Middle Ages that carried armored knights. Comfortable being ridden or driven, this horse breed has a showy, high-stepping gait and powerful, elegant carriage.

The official horse breed of Vermont, the Morgan is a light workhorse that was popular in colonial New England. An all-purpose horse, Morgans could plow fields, be ridden during a hunt, and pull the family buggy. They are ideal beginner horses and great family horses under saddle and in harness.

The athletic French trotter was developed in the 19th century to compete in trotting races. It’s a mix of several breeds that contributed their speed, power, and balanced strides. French trotters tend to be calm, gentle, and easy to work with. They’re popular for racing under saddle and in harness.

As one of Russia’s most popular horse breeds, the Orlov trotter originated during the 18th century as a hardy harness horse with speed and stamina. These horses are generally powerful and agile, yet they’re also gentle and trainable. They’re often used in harness racing, as well as to pull carriages.

Despite their small size, Shetland ponies are quite powerful and hardy. They were used to pull carts and work in mines throughout the 19th century. They also gained popularity as driving ponies, as well as companions for children. They are generally very gentle, yet they can be a bit headstrong.