[drivingpairs] Re: chariot racing tv story
- From: "Don Hayes family" <djthayes@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 12:05:45 -0600
Being a pair driver, and having considered this question before, I have a
couple of ideas (which may well be way off base). Not having been around
when the original Chariots were used (in spite of what some people will tell
you <G>), this is all speculation.
The pictures I remember seeing show a sort of yoke which seemed to be
solidly affixed to the end of the pole. This appears to have been fastened
on top of the horses necks, or possibly on their backs about where a driving
saddle would go. This seems to be the only attachment to the animal (no
harness).
In more modern times, we have the Curricle, which is a type of 2 wheeled
vehicle with a pole for a pair. On these, there was used a bar which
attached the horses to each other on top of the harness saddles. Some of
these bars were fixed in length, and some were allowed to slide through the
attachment at the saddles. This would allow the horses to move laterally
without jerking each other sideways. The pole was held up by a strap from
this bar down to the pole. It seems that the pole was still long enough to
reach past the horses' shoulders.
If I was to try this, I would approach it somewhat like hitching a 4
wheeler. The vehicle should be well balanced, as with any 2 wheeled vehicle.
The pole is there for guidance, not to carry the weight of the front of the
vehicle. I'd start with a well fitted neck collar harness. The traces should
run unimpeded from the collar to the axle. The pole would have a suitable
sized neck yoke fastened to it so that it could move in all directions, but
NOT come off. The yoke would be fastened very close to the bottom of the
collar on each horse. The britching (for backing & brakes) would be similar
to a draft harness, with quarter straps running under the horse to a strap
attached to the neck yoke. This may or may not need to be held up and guided
by something on the bottom of the collar. I would think that you would want
the horses to be somewhat more restricted in movement than with a 4 wheeler.
(Less slack in the hitching.) The reins should run as they would with any
pair driving.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: "Laura Crews" <barnrats@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> The show's narrator explained that the positioning of the driver is vital,
> since if he steps too far forward in the chariot, the pole will hit the
> ground, and if he steps to far to the rear, it'll flip the horses up....
> hello..... what's wrong with this picture? I ask again: how do you hitch
> them, exactly?
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