Horse driving is the practice of guiding a horse in harness to pull a load such as a horse-drawn vehicle, a farm implement, or other load. Horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, and other animals can be driven. Typical horse-drawn vehicles are wagons, carriages, carts, and sleighs. Driving activities include pleasure driving, racing, farm work, showing horses, and other competitions.

For horse training purposes, "driving" may also include the practice of long-lining (long reining), wherein a horse is driven without a cart by a handler walking behind or behind and to the side of the animal. This technique is used in the early stages of training horses for riding as well as for driving.

Horses, mules and donkeys are driven in harness in many different ways. For working purposes, they can pull a plow or other farm equipment designed to be pulled by animals. In many parts of the world they still pull carts, wagons, horse-drawn boats or logs for basic hauling and transportation. They may draw carriages at ceremonies, such as when the British monarch is Trooping the Colour, as well as in parades or for tourist rides.

Harness racing is a speed sport at racetracks where horses pull a lightweight one-person two-wheeled cart known as a sulky.

Chuckwagon racing involves several teams racing to the finish. Each team consists of a driver, four horses pulling a covered wagon, and several outriders. Each team starts by loading the wagon (breaking camp), and then all must race together and cross the finish line.

Combined driving is an internationally recognized FEI competition where horses compete in one, two, and four-horse teams, pulling appropriately designed light carriages or carts. They are expected to perform an arena-based dressage test where precision and control are emphasized, a cross-country "marathon" section that emphasizes fitness and endurance, and an arena obstacle course.

Scurry driving is a speed competition in which competitors drive ponies around a course of cones, usually at a gallop. The cones are set up in pairs spaced 170 cm apart, with balls on top of each cone, and 10 to 18 pairs per course. Competitors run the course one at a time and must be accurate to navigate between the cones and avoid knocking off any balls, which incurs a time penalty. The fastest time wins. Scurry driving was developed in the UK in the 1960s as a modification of chuckwagon racing. The sport was first administered by the British Horse Society, then the British Horse Driving Trials Association, and in 2001 the Scurry Driving Association was formed and took over the organisation of events.

In horse show competition, the following arena classes are seen: