It’s a simple mantra, but for Jessica “Jess” Tanglao, it’s the cornerstone of a career built on deep horsemanship, patient development, and safety.
Based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Jess leads a multi-faceted operation serving both the equestrian world and the local community. Through Tanglao Carriage Driving, she offers comprehensive instruction—ranging from private lessons, horse starting, and competition prep to virtual coaching through The Virtual Box Seat and clinics nationwide. Through Easton Carriage Tours, she brings the beauty and tradition of carriage driving directly to the public, operating historic town tours and special-event services like weddings and baraats.
Whether she’s shaping her third four-in-hand team, guiding a student from their first hitch, or helping a nervous driver find their confidence, Jess is dedicated to preserving the rich art of driving while making high-quality education accessible to all. Read on as Jess shares her insights, her favorite milestones in the carriage, and the horses that have taught her along the way.
- Name, Business Name, Location
- I’m Jessica “Jess” Tanglao, owner and trainer of Tanglao Carriage Driving and owner of Easton Carriage Tours. I’m based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where I train horses and drivers, teach both in person and virtually, and operate horse-drawn carriage tours and special-event services.
- Discipline
- My main discipline is carriage driving, with a focus on combined driving, pleasure driving, commercial carriage work, and helping both horses and drivers build strong, safe foundations. I work with everything from miniature horses to full-sized horses, and with everyone from complete beginners to competitive drivers.
- What is your “Best Yet” moment—so far?
- This may be the hardest question because I don’t think my best moment has happened yet! One of the most meaningful, though, has been watching my daughter, Millie, become an international combined driving competitor at such a young age. Seeing her compete at Live Oak International with her pony—and knowing how much work, courage, and heart went into getting there—was incredibly special.
- I’m also developing my third four-in-hand team. Every team has taught me more, humbled me more, and made me fall even more in love with this sport.
- What are your program offerings, and what do you feel sets you apart from other local programs?
- Tanglao Carriage Driving offers private driving lessons, horse training, combined-driving instruction, virtual coaching, clinics, school horses, and structured programs for drivers who want more consistent support. I work with horses and drivers at every stage, from learning the very first basics to preparing for competition.
- I think what sets my program apart is that I teach the entire picture. I don’t just teach someone how to steer a horse around an arena. We work on safety, harnessing, horse care, correct contact, balance, turnout, confidence, and understanding why the horse is responding the way he is.
- I’m not interested in forcing a horse through a problem just to get a quick result. Sometimes getting tougher isn’t the answer. Sometimes we need to slow down, listen better, figure out what the horse is trying to tell us, and make the right answer easier for him to find.
- Through The Virtual Box Seat, I’m also able to provide professional driving education to people who don’t have a knowledgeable instructor nearby or who cannot haul their horse out for regular lessons.
- Who are your current horses?
- Our farm is home to a wonderfully varied group of horses and ponies, all with different jobs, personalities, and levels of experience.
- Hostil is my white Andalusian stallion, whom I first worked with at Medieval Times about ten years ago. Having him in my life again feels very full-circle, and I’m excited to develop him as a driving horse.
- Mando is my Dutch Harness Horse stallion and part of my continuing journey with driving horses and teams. Jammie is my daughter Millie’s driving pony and her international competition partner that I developed with her. Our horses range from experienced teachers to young horses who are still developing, and every one of them contributes something different to our program.
- What is your ultimate goal?
- My ultimate goal is to make high-quality carriage-driving education more accessible while continuing to develop horses and drivers correctly, safely, and kindly.
- I want to grow a program where people can learn the whole art of driving—not just how to get around the ring. I also want to help preserve the knowledge, horsemanship, and traditions behind carriage driving while making the sport feel welcoming to the next generation.
- On a personal level, I want to continue developing my four-in-hand teams, compete at a higher level, and create opportunities for my children and students that I never imagined when I first started.
- Are there any special credentials you’d like to share?
- My experience stretches across several different parts of the carriage-driving world. I began as a rider, moved into commercial carriage driving, and developed into a professional carriage-driving trainer, instructor, and competitor.
- I have trained horses and drivers from their earliest groundwork and first hitch through competitive driving. My work also includes weddings and baraats, historic carriage tours, clinics, virtual instruction, and helping drivers choose, fit, and safely use proper equipment.
- That combination of real-world commercial experience, competition experience, and years of teaching has given me a perspective that is both practical and detail-oriented.
- What is your motto or mantra?
- “Slow down and listen to the horse.”
- Getting tougher is not always the answer—but neither is avoiding the problem. Good training should shape behavior in a clear, positive way. My job is to understand why something is happening, communicate what I’m asking fairly and consistently, and make the correct response easy for the horse to understand.
- To me, good training builds confidence, trust, and accountability. The horse should understand the expectations without losing his willingness to try.
- What is your favorite part of your work?
- My favorite part is the moment something clicks—for the horse, the driver, or both.
- Sometimes it’s a horse taking soft, confident contact for the first time. Sometimes it’s a nervous beginner realizing they can do this. Sometimes it’s watching a student accomplish something they once thought was completely beyond them.
- I love helping people discover how much depth there is to carriage driving. It isn’t simply sitting in a carriage and holding the reins. It is a relationship, a skill, a tradition, and a thousand small pieces finally coming together.
- Who do you feel has had the biggest influence on your training, and why?
- The horses themselves have had the biggest influence on my training.
- Every horse has challenged something I thought I knew. They have taught me that one method will never fit every horse, that confidence cannot be rushed, and that listening is often more valuable than insisting. The difficult horses, sensitive horses, talented horses, and wonderfully patient schoolmasters have all helped shape the trainer I am.
- I’ve also been influenced by the many horsemen, instructors, competitors, and professionals I’ve learned from throughout my career. I try to take the most valuable lesson from each person and horse while continuing to develop a program and philosophy that are genuinely my own.
Website: www.Tcarriage.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/tanglaocarriagedriving
Email: Jess@Tcarriage.com