[drivingpairs] Troikas

Hi Nancy, 

There was an aricle fairly recently (within a year?),
about the only Troika hitch in the USA.  Great
pictures.  Hitch has appeared at Walnut Hill and other
places.  Went into extensive detail about the harness,
horses used, arch on middle horse and the way they got
into the hands of the present owner.  Could have been
Carriage Journal or Driving Digest.

It is correct that the two side horses heads are
turned out at all times.  Can't lay my hands on
magazine at the moment, but I think the center horse
always trots, while the outer horses gallop.  They are
schooled very carefully on this, and some secret
methods are used.  Owner commented on it, during
article.  His horses are older, and will not be
replaced.  Quite an art to the rein handling too.  He
worked with trainers quite a while to master it. 
Horses came trained from Russia.  Russia is the home
of the Troika and the horses used are Orlov Trotters
for their speed.  Orlovs were the fastest trotters in
the world until Standardbreds were developed. 
  
  The wolves chasing sleighs or sledges, are a
truthful event of Russian winter travel.  Many
writers, travlers of the past, noted the danger of
travel in Russia, the need for fast horses and guns on
the sledges to protect oneself.  Usually the sledges
traveled in groups for protection.  Wolves were
starving in the terrible cold, would attack anything. 
Perhaps native horses did originally watch for wolves,
reacted to seeing them, gave drivers a few moments
warning to prepare.  Who would want to be a dinner?!! 
Such things then got into traditional hitching.
  I myself, would consider the eye to eye looking,of
hitched horses, and them thinking, "Wanna REALLY GO
FAST??"  I don't think the Russians used blinkers. 
Even riding horses walking will try to stay a hair
ahead of each other!!
  Guess I should find that magazine, my details are
kind of shaky.

Kathy Robertson
 
 I've been reading a bit about the troika hitch;But
> have a little trouble
> trying to sort out where fact & legend might
> blend....three horses pulling,
> with the outer most horses turned outward to 'look
> out for wolves.' Now, is
> it at all likely , that three horses pulling humans
> were really likely to be
> attacked by wolves?  Or is that just kind of the , i
> don't know, the myth
> about the developement of that particular hitch?  I
> think the information I
> have found on the style is all from the 19th
> Century, but don't have any
> real idea of when that particular style/method of
> hitch might have been
> employed/how it evolved.  (not that I want to try
> it- just interested in
> origin....  )



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