No, really, falling off is not an option.

This is driving, not riding.

Fall off riding and you have a bruised butt: come out of the saddle driving, and you will likely be run over by the following teams, not to mention your own limber and piece (or caisson).

Even more important than the likely grave injury, or even death involved with a driver executing an unscheduled dismount, is the fact that you will leave the rest of your team in a bit of a pickle.

If you are lead, the team will not be able to steer without you; if you are wheel your team will have lost its brakes. If you are ejected from the saddle in swing, a good team will probably overcome your absence, and manage a fairly controlled emergency halt. Worst case is the swing team will try to pass the lead horses.

If you survive your fall, then your problems really start, because your fellow drivers you let down are going to come after for you!

Remember that many ACW drivers were killed by their own teams. Driving is every bit as dangerous now as it was then, minus the people shooting at you and the death from disease.

Enough said on rule number one…but keep in mind, coming out of the saddle just isn’t an option.

Rule number two is "take care of your horses". We choose to take the risks, and sweat our way through events, but the horses are along for the ride. Most of them will give us their best without fail. We owe them the highest standards of care we can deliver in the circumstances.

Driving a team postillion, as is done in light artillery driving is best equated to horse ballet, with everyone and everything chained together. One misstep and the grace of the teams’ movements becomes a goat-roping, cat-herding mess.