Carriage Driver For Tours

If you"ve ever ridden in a horse-drawn carriage that takes tourists through a site

of interest for a fee, you"ve seen the most visible aspects of the carriage-driver business. Customers pay to relax and enjoy an old-fashioned carriage ride, usually in the midst of modern vehicular traffic, while the driver points out various points of interest and relates intriguing local facts. It seems like a simple job, but there is more to being a carriage driver than meets the eye.

Drivers of tour carriages need to know how to handle a horse under any circumstances that may arise as any number of factors, including road conditions, weather changes, and automobile movement, can cause a horse to react unpredictably. Like the mailman, the carriage driver is often at the mercy of the weather. Extremes in temperatures tend to drive away customers and in many places there are strict laws preventing the use of carriage horses in dangerously hot or icy conditions. For this reason, the trade may be a seasonal one in some geographic regions.

Some drivers own their own horses and carriages and are self-employed, while others work as employees of a tour-guide company or horse stable. In either case, the driver is generally responsible for the care and maintenance of the horse, carriage, and equipment. A clean driving record and a special license to operate carriages may be required. Because drivers must interact with passengers, good communication and interpersonal skills are also essential. As much of the tour industry"s revenue in North American and the UK comes from gratuities, a carriage driver"s income often depends upon being personable and helpful to the customers. Good horse-handling skills, an enjoyment of the outdoors, and the ability to memorize a "script" are also essential.

Pros

Close daily contact with horses

Outdoor work

Social interaction with many different people

Cons

Work may be seasonal

Work restricted to tourist areas

Income may be based largely on gratuities

by: Joanne McInnes

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