The Wagon and Cart Primer
by
Udi G
If equestrian recreation is an entirely new world in which you are taking your first steps, it is important that you know the history of everything that is
horse drawn
cart and horse drawn wagon related.
Horses are strong and have been used to pull wagons, carts, and carriages long before the automobile was invented. Today, horse drawn
cart and horse drawn wagons are still used for sport and recreational use, as well as in the transport of goods. The Amish is a society that still uses the horse and buggy as their primary means of transportation, the transport of goods, and to pull plows in their fields.
But what’s the difference between a cart and a wagon? Well, a cart is the name used for a two-wheeled horse drawn vehicle and its primary function is the transport of goods. As for the wagon, it is also a horse drawn vehicle that is pulled by two or more horses and has four wheels. The world “wagon” has Dutch roots because it is derived from the word “wagen.” It is also called “wagen” in German and “vagn” in Swedish. All of these words are derived from the Latin word “vago” or “vagare,” which means “to wander.” The animals most frequently used to pull cats and wagons were ponies and horses, but water buffalo, oxen, donkeys, or smaller animals such as large dogs or goats were used to do the job as well. Vehicles pulled by a single horse, or more than one horse in single file, have two shafts that attach to each side of the rear horse. The driving horse was called the “wheeler” or “wheel horse.” The vehicles drawn by two driving horses or a team of horses consisting of several horse-pairs would have a pole that would attach to each of the wheel horses. There have been other arrangements implemented on wagons. For instance, a single horse would be the lead animal, while a pair of ponies or wheel horses would follow. It would also be possible for there to be three animals leading, especially if the load being transported was heavy. The ponies or other horses would sometimes be placed behind the heavy load to slow down the cart or wagon when taking on steep hills. An amazing feature of wagons, however, is the brilliant wheels. Wagon wheels, to survive the loads and distances they would sometimes have to travel, consisted and still consist of four parts: The hub, spokes, rim, and felloes. There can be anywhere from 6 to 14 spokes, the number of hubs can vary, and the materials that the wheels are made out of can vary as well. The traditional material is wood, but modern wheels may be made of aluminum or steel. horse-drawn-carriage.com
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