dug 1850 house site

[keithinvestigations]

I dug this today in the back yard of an 1850 era house. I want to say I've seen this somewhere but I can't put my finger on it. Anyone got a clue?

 

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[slowreaper]

Actually, some driving harness have hames also but they are much thinner. Back east, they often used what is called a boston buggy harness that has a breast collar that the horses pushes against rather than tugs that go to the hames. A standard harness with hames, usually called a western britchen, is a bit more particular in getting them put on properly and tightened just right whereas a breast collar harness is faster on and off but less comfortable for the horse on a long day.

Learn something every day... I have never seen a driving harness with hames. I am curious about pulling harness being named for something that goes around the butt of a horse. Oh well, not dissagreeing, just have never heard it called that.
While the general configuration of harnesses can be divided into a couple catagories there are litterally hundreds of different harnesses in those catagories. But, I still don't think the item in the photo is connected to any of them.

Brad

 

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[traderoftreasures]

it appears to be a piece of wrought iron from a door or trellis. or fence maybe

 

[horsepower]

Actually, some driving harness have hames also but they are much thinner. Back east, they often used what is called a boston buggy harness that has a breast collar that the horses pushes against rather than tugs that go to the hames. A standard harness with hames, usually called a western britchen, is a bit more particular in getting them put on properly and tightened just right whereas a breast collar harness is faster on and off but less comfortable for the horse on a long day.

Learn something every day... I have never seen a driving harness with hames. I am curious about pulling harness being named for something that goes around the butt of a horse. Oh well, not dissagreeing, just have never heard it called that.
While the general configuration of harnesses can be divided into a couple catagories there are litterally hundreds of different harnesses in those catagories. But, I still don't think the item in the photo is connected to any of them.

Brad

That is exactly why it is called a western britchen harness. It has a britchen that allows the team to back a load by pushing against the britchen with the backs of their thighs--usually used with teams to pull wagons. Remove the britchen and the drops that go from the tops of the hips to hold the britchen in place and you have what is called a plow harness that was obviously used for plowing and also for logging because there is no need to be able to back a walking plow or logs and it makes the harness a bit lighter. Up until 3 years ago, I farmed (as a hobby, not a living) with a team of belgians. We mowed, raked and hauled hay, hauled water and fire wood and disced the garden. Also did some logging but I had modern, lightweight nylon harness and never bothered to remove the britchen for tasks it wasn't needed for. A heavy duty leather harness can easily top 75 pounds so if you are putting it on and taking it off every day, it would be worthwhile to shave weight whereever you could. Buggy harnesses usually have britchens also for making backing easier but on lightweight buggies, it is sometimes omitted because they can back the buggy by putting tension on the breast collar and through holdback straps that come off the harness near the horses shoulder and loop through a slot on the chaves. A good friend of mine has a surrey that he pulls in parades and such. His buggy harness has very thin hames, finger thick or so and made of lightweight metal and has a britchen made of thin shiny black plastic that looks like patent leather. My hames were steel and quite thick and the tugs and britchen were triple layered nylon sewn together. With strong hames and tugs, you can move a tremendous amount of weight with a willing team of horses. Nylon is lighter and cheaper than leather but will not break in a panic situation whereas leather is traditional, heavier and usually has someplace that will give in event of a problem. If I do it again and I hope to, it will be with leather for that very reason.

 

[horsepower]

And all that needless info aside, I agree that whatever those are, they aren't part of a harness. I'd not have something pointed like that on the collar of one of my horses. Would be asking for trouble.

 

[travel]

hey guys, to me it looks like the design on the frame of the old singer peddle sewing machines.

 

[bradyboy]

Im thinking -
If you turn the item in such a way, it might be a foot
perhaps for a pot holder due to its size
Brady

 

[bradyboy]

a foot for a bar rail?
brady

 

[BuckleBoy]

And all that needless info aside, I agree that whatever those are, they aren't part of a harness. I'd not have something pointed like that on the collar of one of my horses. Would be asking for trouble.

I feel certain that others have found these same items. Once I find two of something, I start to figure that others have found them too. These items of mine (in the photo above) were attached to something made of iron. They still have rusty discoloration on the non-curved-ends.


-Buckles