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Background Information 
The Driving Survey, composed in 2005 by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) Driving Committee, was implemented to discover norms of practice utilized in American and International therapeutic driving communities. Survey statistics will assist in guiding research in therapeutic driving and may provide helpful information for those wishing to start a driving program.  The survey was not intended to reveal guidelines for safety or “best practice”, as already established, for example, by NARHA in the Driving Specialty Standards. The survey answers do reflect the current choice of equipment, equines, and protocol employed by recognized programs giving therapeutic driving lessons.

The survey was disseminated electronically during a 7-week period January 11, 2005 through February 28, 2005 via the NARHA website, the driving and therapeutic riding Yahoo listserv groups, and directly through e-mail.  There were 62 e-mail requests for the survey.  59 total survey responses were received through the post office and e-mail representing 8 countries:  USA, Canada, UK (England, Ireland, Scotland), Belgium, Italy, and Austria.  Out of the 59 responses received, one center from the USA had a multiple response to the survey and the duplicate was eliminated with statistics being gathered from the remaining 58 surveys. 

Program affiliations from survey respondents included:  NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association), RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association), FRDI (Federation of Riding for the Disabled International), Driving for the Disabled, Special Olympics, CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association), and “None” (no program affiliation).  In 2003, 45 out of a total of 692 NARHA Centers indicated they completed therapeutic driving.  18 NARHA driving programs answered the 2005 driving survey, representing roughly 40% of the NARHA Centers that drive.

The survey outlined the following definitions for both “driving” and “disabilities”:  “Horse Driving Activities may include long lining, practicing on a rein board, harnessing, and driving an equine in a cart, carriage, or similar vehicle”; and “Disabilities may include physical, psychological, cognitive, sensory, or behavioral”.  Respondents were then asked to answer “yes” or “no” to the following question: “Do you participate in any form of driving activities with people with disabilities?”  Those who answered “yes” were invited to complete the survey questions. 

33 respondents checked "YES” they do complete driving activities with people with disabilities and 25 answered "NO".

Besides survey statistics, the various program’s additional written comments provide useful information as well.  For example one respondent wrote, “After looking at your survey, I realized it was for therapeutic programs, which our center is not. Although we have employed people with behavioral and psychological problems, our main thrust is the training of Harness Horses.  There are no equipment changes to protect or teach our employees, per se.  Sorry we couldn't take the survey but none of the questions applied to this facility.  Please do send me a brochure when you complete it! I'm interested in anything NARHA is doing to further therapeutic driving.” 

CHA had no driving respondents but a committee member sent the following:  “I am chairing a committee for Certified Horsemanship Assoc. to develop a certification program for drivers of horses and mules. I would be very interested in the findings of your survey and wonder if you could pass those findings on to me?  Thank you and I hope you have an overwhelming response!”  One person representing Special Olympics noted they are interested in beginning a driving program and asked, “Is there any way to get the results of this survey to potentially give us some guidance in starting a program?”

Two responses, one from the United Kingdom and the other from Italy, reflected information regarding several centers rather than just one program. In addition to three individual survey responses from RDA programs in England and Scotland, the RDA Carriage Driving Committee Secretary sent data representative of all 100 RDA driving Groups in the UK (England, Scotland, and Ireland): “Please find attached answers to your recent survey. Unfortunately it is not possible to send it to all of our Groups of carriage drivers, so I have completed it as best I can, on behalf of all our Groups.  We would also be very interested in the results of the survey.  Many thanks.”  And the survey from Italy came with the message, “Unfortunately in Italy we don't complete driving for the disabled.  Many regards.”

Approximately four years ago NARHA implemented new requirements for programs utilizing driving.  This process resulted in “growth pains” evidenced by five respondents from NARHA who noted they had an active driving program but due to changes regarding driving instructor certification they have put driving on hold; 1 respondent left NARHA and is driving on their own; 2 respondents are working toward their NARHA driving certification; and 2 respondents not currently driving under NARHA chose to answer the survey with answers placed under the “no program affiliation” category. Concern from NARHA centers was expressed with the implementation of new requirements for certification of driving instructors and the resulting time and expense incurred with certification, as well as with the availability of certification clinics.
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Survey Statistics

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# Of “YES” Survey Respondents and their Program Affiliations

18  NARHA (USA and Canada) – North American Riding for the Handicapped Assoc.

4    RDA (UK) – Riding for the Disabled Association

1    FRDI (Europe) – Federation of Riding for the Disabled International

2   (USA) Driving for the Disabled + 2 (UK which are also RDA programs) 

0    CHA (USA) – Certified Horsemanship Association

0    Other – Special Olympics (USA)

8    None – No program affiliation (USA)
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                                                Harness Information