How do I select the right horse for driving and what qualities are most important?

Selecting a horse for driving requires evaluating qualities that overlap with those valued in riding horses but with some specific driving-relevant priorities. Temperament is more critical in driving than in most riding disciplines because the driver has significantly less physical control over a horse in harness than a rider has over a mounted horse — a driver cannot use seat and leg to influence or contain the horse's movement, and a seriously alarmed driving horse can create a runaway situation that a rider in a comparable situation would have more tools to address. A calm, sensible temperament that accepts new and unusual stimuli without dramatic reactive behavior is the foundational quality in a driving horse. The harness itself, the vehicle following behind and making sounds during movement, the close proximity of the vehicle shafts to the horse's sides, and the various environments and stimuli of driving all present novelty that the horse must process without extreme reactivity. Movement quality matters for the type of driving being pursued. A horse with naturally elevated, expressive gaits is a candidate for pleasure driving and combined driving dressage, where movement quality contributes to the impression. A horse with strong, sustainable forward movement and physical stamina is a candidate for marathon driving. A draft horse with power and willingness to pull is appropriate for hitch driving and heavy vehicle work. Physical conformation appropriate for the intended hitch type — single, pair, or team — and the intended use is also relevant, because the specific physical demands of different driving disciplines suit different types of horses.