About Us

Welcome to IVC Carriage! In September 2015, Iowa Valley Carriage was purchased by Chad and Myrna Rhinehart of Wisconsin.  Since we don't live in Iowa, it was logical to now refer to the business as IVC Carriage...Integrity, Value, Class!

Chad and Myrna have a long history with competitive carriage driving. Chad has shown in American Driving Society Pleasure Driving shows since 2003, winning numerous championships with horses, ponies, pairs, and tandems. Chad enjoys the objectivity, challenge, and thrill of Combined Driving Events most of all, where he has driven, groomed, and also navigated to the FEI (international) level for Jennifer Thompson, who was selected for the 2020 US Singles Team. Chad has a Bachelor's degree in Broad Area Agriculture with a minor in Agronomy and additional Animal Science classes. He left his corporate position of Technical Agronomist with Bayer CropScience to share in the responsibilities of IVC Carriage and handle the majority of our sister business, Midwest Custom Carriages.  While he has extensive experience in all aspects of carriage driving, he specializes in the mechanics of carriage building and maintenance, as well as working with drivers for competition strategies.

Myrna handles the majority of the business for IVC Carriage. She has a Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture and a Master's in Human and Community Resources. Myrna started riding at the age of 6 mo., and her family bought their first horse when she was nine. Over the years, she has shown Western, Saddle Seat, Hunt Seat, Jumping, Trail, and speed events. She started driving in 1990, showing horses, ponies, and VSEs in local open and breed shows. She started competing in ADS carriage shows in 2000. She has also driven pairs and tandems. She enjoys the elegance and varied classes of Pleasure Driving shows, but has shown, groomed, and navigated for CDEs as well. Myrna has shown successfully at not only carriage shows in the Midwest, but also at renowned shows such as the Walnut Hill Carriage Driving Competition in NY, the CAA Carriage Festival in KY and has won numerous championships at the Villa Louis Carriage Classic, as well as other shows.  In 2011, she earned an ADS Pleasure Driving Achievement Award. She was elected to the ADS Board of Directors in 2011 as the Midwest Regional Director. She has also served on the ADS Bylaws and Governance Committee, and was the Chair of the ADS Education Committee on which she still serves.  Many of her educational articles have been adopted by the ADS for use on the website and in The Whip publication. 

Myrna specializes in teaching safe carriage driving practices, bitting the driving horse, competition strategies, equipment care, and harness ergonomics.  She has a full library of educational articles and presentations on this website.  She has spoken on topics such as The Ergonomics of Harness Fit, Harness Fit & Selection, and Bitting the Driving Horse at the Midwest Horse Fair, the Minnesota Horse Expo, The National Drive, and the ADS Annual Meeting.  She is also a moderator for the Beginning Carriage Driving Facebook page.

Chad and Myrna also enjoy taking their horses out on the trail with friends. The people are what make the carriage industry the best horse community in the United States!  These experiences allow Chad and Myrna to be of help to drivers who want to compete in pleasure shows, CDEs, and as well as recreational driving. They enjoy helping people get started, develop skills, and be competitively successful in carriage driving.  Many of their students have gone on to win their own division championships.  They enjoy being able to share information they have gained from lessons and clinics with such notables as Jacob Arnold, Bram Chardon, Lisa Singer, Suzy Stafford, Joe Yoder, and Thorsten Zarembowicz.  

Iowa Valley Carriage was started as a single proprietor business by Sandee McKee in 1993.  What started out as a folding table full of brass appointments at one of the early Villa Louis Carriage Classics has grown to a full time business that is one of the oldest and most respected carriage businesses in the United States.

Personal service is a top priority. We will always attempt to ship the same or next day (unless we are at an event.  Then we will usually ship the next week.). We will work hard to ensure that customers have a good experience with IVC Carriage and are suited with what they purchase.  

"WOW on your customer service!  Not only did I receive excellent advice, but my order arrived in two days!  Thank you!"  Laura, WI