A buggy carriage is a light, two-person vehicle usually pulled by one or sometimes two horses. It was very popular during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries because it was fast and easy to manoeuvre. In America it was usually called a Roadster but what differed it from its British counterpart was the American buggy had four wheels while the British buggy had two. Buggies were the primary mode of transport for people because they usually had sprung suspension, making them far more comfortable across rough roads and tracks.

Because of their ease of use, untrained drivers could easily drive buggies. As riding on horseback was largely the preserve of men the buggy carriage gave women a certain degree of freedom as they could drive the carriage themselves without relying on a driver. They were also inexpensive and so it was not unusual for poorer families to have a small buggy or to share the use of one with neighbours or extended family.

A popular buggy in Britain was the large two-wheeled London Tilbury carriage with its two seats and small luggage rack. It had a hood protecting the passengers from the worst of the British weather but its flaw lay in the fact it was unstable at high speeds and caused accidents. The London Tilbury carriage company also made the Stanhope gig, a buggy carriage that was very popular and unlike the Tilbury, far more stable.

A buggy carriage could be very sparse in design allowing room for barely two passengers. These carriages are called Sulky’s and are still in use to day for harness racing and trotting racing. They derived their name due to the fact the driver should prefer to be alone; hence ‘sulk’ since the carriages were so small a passenger was usually impractical. The Sulky carriage today usually is designed for a single occupant specifically for racing. The carriages themselves have undergone a variety of designs and engineering to make them light, stable and above all, fast. Materials such as steel and aluminium are replacing the traditional wood due to their durability.

The flexibility and design of the buggy carriage means it is ideally suited to carriage driving lessons. A pony buggy is often a budding driver’s first taste of carriage driving since it offers the ease of use of a small carriage while allowing room for an instructor to sit alongside. This can be a really fun and relaxing sport to enjoy and ‘pleasure driving’ is one of the many competitive equestrian events around the world. Ponies are driven at the walk and two paces of trot and emphasis in the event is placed on the manners of the horse and overall turnout.

Hiring a buggy carriage for days out or as a special treat for a loved one is a good way of introducing anyone to this pastime. Relaxing at a leisurely pace through the countryside as you ride in your buggy carriage can be an alternative birthday gift, anniversary present or treat for anyone in the family.