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HILARY
DAY
Hilary Day and her husband Dennis live near Wintergreen
Resort in Nellysford, VA. She owns a team of Percherons
and has a dream that she can start a carriage servive
to serve the resort community. We think that's a great
idea, but we encouraged her to come to the July 2001 school,
which lasted three days.
She offers this critique of the class: "Thank you
Fred, for your hospitality, your help, encouragement,
and sense of humor. You've been wonderful from the moment
I first spoke to you on the phone.
"The class was great. It was a difficult decision
for me to spend the money to attend the class. But I'm
glad I did, and so is my husband. It's naive to think
it's OK to to go out, hitch a horse to anything, and start
driving without some formal training and lots of practice.
No question - that would be a disaster in the making.
I'm a "jump in the deep end kind of gal", and
your class prevented me from from doing something really
stupid.
"I appreciate the emphasis on safety throughout the
course. My horses will be dragging a lot of tires around
the riding ring before I or anyone else puts a vehicle
behind them.
 "The
other students in the class were great. It was an interesting
and fun bunch.
(Shown here, Ann Sutherland
on the left, and our two instructors are playing dress-up
after the class ended. Hilary is second from the right.
Rebecca Terrill - also a classmate
- helped harness and hitch.)
"They were all good sports, quick to jump in and
do the work, and just all around good people. We still
enjoyed each others company after the class. I got phone
numbers and E-mail addresses of several of the students
(and the instructors), and hope to stay in touch over
the years.
"The instructors were all just wonderful. Pam
Umberger was excellent at presenting lots of information
and a clear and organized manner. Lynn
Tuckwiller was great source of encouragement helped me to
believe in my ability to attain what I want. Of course you,
Fred, made the whole thing fun and exciting.
"I have one suggestion about what would have made
the course a little easier for me. I would have liked
to go through a short talk on safety rules (do's and don'ts),
general driving techniques and what to expect from the
horses, before actually holding the lines. That way the
instructors all know who’s heard what before we start."
Actually, we agree. Our curriculum
starts with this briefing, but somehow Hilary was late
arriving. She said that her horses ate her schedule, so
we did not spank her.
Until later. For something else.
Hilary concludes: "Thanks again for you hospitality,
and for sharing the beauty of your farm, your home, and
all the lovely horse-drawn vehicles. Sorry about the pitman
rod on your horse mower - it really is the first one I
ever broke."
What the heck. It's probably the first horsemower she
ever drove, too!
Questions? Ask Hilary
Day about the Bundoran Driving school.
Our quiet gentle giants will help us teach you how to
drive, and you will
never be the same again.
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