traditional driving competitions bring horse-drawn carriages back to life

On the banks of the Loire, horse-drawn carriage enthusiasts gather for a traditional driving competition. A former retired midwife presents a horse-drawn carriage that was used to bring meals to the pickers. The first stage of the competition is the presentation, during which the crews are carefully examined. “We are graded on the safety of the horses, on the safety of the harnesses, the condition of the car”says a participant.

All crews can compete, even donkeys. These traditional competitions take us back two centuries to the golden age of the horse-drawn carriage. At the end of the 19th century, Paris had 85,000 horses. The collective cabs and omnibuses then disappeared in favor of the car. In his workshop, a man restores the horse-drawn carriages of yesteryear, using materials of the time. With paint, body and trim, the craftsman has more than 300 hours of work ahead of him.