Tandem Driving Fools

"I always look upon a man who drives tandem as a fool; he makes two horses do the work of one and most likely breaks his silly neck." ~Major General Sir C. Teesdale, R.A., V.C., K.C.M.G. remembering the birth of the Tandem Club

But when two women drive tandem...

Theresa Burns came to the barn to play today and we hitched Don Pecos and Ace as a tandem. I might add that it took three attempts to actually get to the barn as a torrential downpour was working its way towards washing out all roads leading there. Which meant we were stuck in the small indoor arena with a tandem, not enjoying the open air. Still, driving tandem at all is an impossible, intoxicating treat, and after the first harrowing few minutes, things were going rather well.

I was driving with one hand and as Ace tends to get a bit too heavy on the bit when I drive in this manner and I was tiring, I passed the ribbons over to Theresa, who adopts a two handed method that I absolutely must learn, because Ace settled right into her hands softly. We ventured out into the sloppy, saturated driveway when the rain subsided and both horses made great strides through the naturally occurring water hazards [enormous puddles] and stepped out like a seasoned tandem.

"Oh. Gosh!" Theresa pronounced. "They have power steering!" Quite unlike their performance in the pair configuration, where they are way too strong and way too forward. "This is Great!' Said the beaming Theresa. "This is just Great!"

"There is no reason, however, why a tandem should be a particularly dangerous or useless mode of conveyance...Nothing could well be more pleasant than for two great friends who do not quarrel more than three times a day to make a tour through a hilly district...and all the elements of open air enjoyment." ~Major General Sir C. Teesdale, R.A., V.C., K.C.M.G.

I should like it said that Theresa and I are great friends in the making and on no account would either of us see fit to argue more than three times a day, if at all.

"If there be a small degree of danger connected with the pastime, and a man must needs be a fool for liking it, long may there be many such fools in England to keep up all its sports and exercises as well as tandem-driving." ~Major General Sir C. Teesdale, R.A., V.C., K.C.M.G.

Suffice it to say we spent a damp, humid morning smiling like fools, driving darling Morgan horses tandem in a cornfield that is Iowa: a long, long way from England and a long time since the Major General's words first gave credence to the sport. If you have the nerve and a good instructor, you should try it sometime.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

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