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United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. believes the lives of individuals who are physically, emotionally and developmentally challenged can be improved through experiencing the art of driving horses in a safe and challenging environment.

 Our vision is to provide the extraordinary benefit of therapeutic driving to as many people as possible.  Through sharing knowledge, innovation and experience, we provide help and inspiration to programs offering carriage driving for the disabled throughout the United States.

We will foster opportunities for individual disabled drivers to compete in national and international amateur sports competition.  United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. will select, train, develop and provide support for Team USA to compete in international championship events. 

The founder and first president, Sybil Dukehart was instrumental in developing the concept of driving for the disabled in America.  Her program and innovations served to set the standards for driving programs used by NARHA organizations (North American Riding for the Handicapped) throughout the United States.

Today the national headquarters of United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. are located at the beautifully appointed Gayla Driving Center in the heart of the Bluegrass of Kentucky.  This organization provides guidance and support for individual drivers and instructors, as well as assistance in developing new programs offering driving to the disabled throughout the United States.

We maintain a stable of suitable driving horses and a variety of accessible carriages, offering training from the beginning level to the peak of international competition.  United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. supports, selects and trains the elite drivers of Team USA that compete in the World Championships for Drivers with Disabilities.  Our design innovations strive to bring the joy, art and skill of horsemanship within reach of those challenged by disability

EDUCATION

United States Driving for the Disabled prides itself on educational opportunities.  We participate in learning seminars on the local and national levels to inform others about the wonderful aspects of US Driving for the Disabled.  One of our main goals is to initiate disabled driving programs across the United States.  We organize and host clinics designed to certify instructors and sites for disabled driving centers.  Education and safety are the main focus of our organization.

USDFD Clinic Report 2005

As usual, the folks at the Gayla Driving Center were fine hosts and clinicians for Therapeutic Instructors hailing from various regions of the United States.

The weekend was beautiful and brisk when the group gathered for intense learning.  This year's clinic provided more hands-on experience than last years with each attended driving Freddie the Fjord twice in the weekend.  The lessons in driven dressage were given by Debbie Banfield. This year the clinician’s studied a successful driving program in Europe.  The clinic attendees gained new perspective, acting out the parts of driver, groom, loader, and helper in group activities.  The clinic addressed horse care, specifically for older horses. Many of the horses donated for therapy are elderly and the guest speaker Walker Brown from Hagyard Equine Medical in Lexington, KY addressed many concerns from the audience.  Linda Word, clinic and USDFD volunteer addressed the needs of cognitively challenged individuals.  She runs the equine program at Stewart Home School in Frankfort, KY.  Guest speaker April Marcum from Shriner’s Hospital for Children discussed a variety of topics, including illness recognition.  Perhaps the most interesting part of the weekend was discussion with Mrs. Banfield regarding various drivers and safety equipment. Each person attending could contribute to conversation.  The group left feeling encouraged and educated.  Everyone looks forward to another learning weekend in 2006. 

USDFD Clinic Report 2004

In 2004, USDFD hosted the first Therapeutic Driving Instructors Clinic in many years.  Held at our National Headquarters, The Gayla Driving Center, the Clinic boasted more than 40 participants.  The interest was overwhelming with participants coming from as far as Iowa and as close as Ohio.  A full schedule was planned for the weekend, with guest speakers and applied learning.

Saturday and Sunday were full days of learning. Dana Banfield and Jerry Garner offered a presentation of innovative and newly designed carriages, as well as vehicles that have been proved time and time again. They featured the New Outlook Wheelchair Cart, the Thornlea Carriage, as well as designs featuring a Nascar seat.

The Gayla Driving Center employees presented an introduction to properly fitting an equine to carts and carriages. They covered size and proportion to carriage as well as weight of cart to weight that particular equines will be able to pull. This hands-on seminar also involved the proper hitching process.

Guest speakers from Shriner’s Hospital for Children and Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital discussed proper care and precautions for various physically challenged drivers as well as how driving is therapeutic physically, mentally, and recreationally. These therapists have worked with driving in the past through camps and field days with the Gayla Driving Center as well as USDFD.

Debbie Banfield and Leslie Hernandez presented a practical seminar about learning different harnesses, uses for each harness, and how to fit a harness to an equine. This session covered all facets of care and accessories for the driving harness. Breast collars, full collars, variety of materials, and proper fitting of a harness were focused on including a large variety of driving bits and their uses.

 Debbie Banfield discussed acquiring and keeping volunteers. Special guest speakers shared why they volunteer, what makes it important, and why they keep coming back.

Jose Hernandez, trainer at the Gayla Driving Center, along with Leslie Hernandez, demonstrated the “Gayla training technique.” They took a step by step approach to starting a horse in harness, how to determine if the temperament is suitable, and what to look for in a Therapeutic driving equine.

Debbie, with the help of the rein board, discussed different teaching techniques and different styles of handling the reins. She concentrated on handling different personalities and disabilities during instruction.

All registered clinic participants worked in groups to learn harnessing, hitching, and driving with Gayla personal assisting. 
 

Please contact the office for information about future clinics and to inform us of your interest. Education of Therapeutic Driving Instructors is a vital part of United States Driving for the Disabled. Our mission is to provide driving to challenged people all over the United States. This educational process is just one step in that direction. We need more qualified and passionate instructors to encourage and enable students all over the country. To be involved either monetarily or personally, please contact Debbie Banfield at the main headquarters.
 

USDFD is looking for a few good men...or women.  We are currently scheduling a series of Gold Medal Clinics, Gayla Driving Center-USDFD Instructors Clinics, and Gayla Driving Center-USDFD Advanced Instructors Clinics. 

Gold Medal Clinics: Designed to build driver’s skill levels, a Gold Medal Clinic would be hosted by a club or individual.  This host would bring in a local or any ADS member Clinician to hold a driving lesson-styled clinic.  Through continuing education, we hope to increase the skill level of many drivers, challenged or able-bodied

Instructors Clinic:  Following the success of our first Driving Instructors Clinic last November, we are planning an annual weekend for this event at the Gayla Driving Center.  The staff at the Gayla, several guest speakers, and 44 participants enjoyed a beautiful three days of education.  The weekend was spent on basics such as harnessing, hitching, and equipment care as well as topics like innovative carriages, safety precautions, and new support equipment for disabled driving.  This weekend is open to current instructors as well as those hoping to become a Disabled Driving Instructor.   

Advanced Therapeutic Instructors Clinic: This clinic is intended for Instructors who need to further their knowledge of driving.  The clinic would focus on dressage, obstacle driving, cones driving, and pleasure driving.  The clinic would be limited to a small amount of participants, and only those with previous driving experience. 

If you would like any information regarding these clinics, please call our National office.  We are in need of hosts and clinicians for the Gold Medal Clinics.  We would like to have a GM Clinic in every region so that all of our disabled drivers may participate.  Please contact our office if you would be willing to host or serve as a clinician for these clinics.