To Encourage and Assist those interested in Equine Driving
Patron: H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh K.G. K.T.

Welcome to the world of
CARRIAGE DRIVING

Whatever your interest - pleasure driving or competing, singles, pairs or multiples - The British Driving Society is here to help and encourage you. Local Area Commissioners are on hand to give you guidance and the BDS has a panel of qualified instructors throughout the country and we run a proficiency test programme, which is respected world-wide as a basis for safe driving.Look at your local area website, below, for further details.

The Sanders Watney Trust

Registered Charity No 327023

Sanders Watney Trust scholarships

The closing date for applications is 31 March 2012 .....
read more here

Brian Sims Junior Driving Scolarship 2011
Results -

New to Driving and need some help?

We now have a Directory of all our Support Officers who are prepared to help new and or inexperienced members with advise and support, with queries about harness fitting, vehicle balancing etc. They will also advise about where to go for training and what is on offer in their area.

Area websites	Many BDS Areas have their own websites. Click the links below to see them. The BDS operates a scheme to assist Areas with setting up their own websites. to find out more.
Beds, Bucks & Herts Berkshire Cambridgeshire Cornwall Derbys & Staffs Devon Dorset Essex Gloucestershire Hampshire Hereford & Worcester Huntingdon Isle of Wight Kent Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Mid & S. Glamorgan	Mid-East Wales Norfolk North East Wales North London Notts & S. Yorks Oxfordshire Scotland Shropshire Somerset Suffolk Surrey Sussex East Sussex West Wales West Glamorgan Wiltshire Yorkshire & Cleveland

Information

WHAT DOES THE BDS DO FOR ME ?
This section on our website has documents explaining the BDS involvement in government consultations about carriage driving.

BDS Affiliated Shows in 2012
Check out the diary dates for this year

BDS Area Events in 2012

BDS TRECs in 2012

Thank you for visiting the BDS website.

Please sign our

Due to increasing levels of spam all entries are checked by the website moderator before inclusion.

Stolen Items Register
New item added 6/07/11

Website updated on Tuesday 31 January 2012

A new Insurance Company for the BDS

The BDS Council have announced a change to the Insurers. The new insurance policy is with KBIS and the full policy document is available here.

The Key Facts have been reproduced here

Please note that recently updated membership cards, were issued prior to our insurance change to KBIS. New cards will be issued in early course."

New Education programme
for Carriage Drivers and Grooms.

The New BDS Education and Training programme as announced at the AGM is now on the website. This is work in progress and will be added to during the next few weeks.
EDUCATION PAGES

BDS REGISTER OF COMMERCIAL HARNESS HORSE OPERATORS

Due to the concerns of a number of BDS member’s contacting the BDS Office, Council have recommended that the British Driving Society start a register of Commercial Horse Operators.

to read the full details of Registration and to download an application form for the commercial register.

SIR JOHN MILLER’S CARRIAGE COLLECTION

The late Sir John Miller served as President of our Society from April 1982 right up to his death in May 2006 and as one might expect, the BDS was never far from his thoughts during such a distinguished term of office. When making arrangements for his Estate in the eventuality of his passing, he continued to provide for his beloved Society and made specific provision for his carriage collection to be bequeathed to the British Driving Society, with his express wish that they be loaned out to Members for their use and enjoyment.
Update: There are only 4 Carriages left available for loan to members
For more information on the individual carriages, pictures and the leasing agreement please follow this link.

VOSA
from John Parker, BDS President
Updated June 11th

Please read the latest letter from Mr John Parker and watch this website for further details and Information.

To read the letter click here

PDF File version

We would ask you all to continue to lobby your MP regarding VOSA's interpretation of the driving regulations. Please use the latest sample letter -

For further information please read the article on page 4 of the Horse and Hound 2nd April 2009 edition or go on their web site www.horseandhound.co.uk.

If you have been stopped by a VOSA inspector the BDS and Horse & Hound would like to hear about it. Email abigail_butcher@ipcmedia.com and email@britishdrivingsociety.co.uk with brief details of the incident.

Welfare in Animal (Transport) Order 2006
Welfare of Animals During Transport Regulations - Equine related case studies
INFORMATION and QUESTIONS ANSWERED

The BDS Sponsors 200 Club

The BDS Sponsors 200 Club was launched at the BDS AGM to raise money by way of sponsorship for the Annual BDS Show at Smith’s Lawn and Driving Towerlands to secure the future of both Shows. It will be administered by Mrs Jo Halnan-Blackwell, who will be directly responsible to the BDS Finance Committee.
read more..........

© British Driving Society 2012
No part of this website may be copied or reproduced without permission. Click here to email us.