Direct pull sleigh

[LStone]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here but I know that If I can get help with this situation it will be here that I can get it. I hope all is well with everyone. This last storm in the North East has brought back Sleigh Season for me and with the reletively dry snow with not much slide, It has become notable for me that driving a sleigh is really becomming an exploitation of my inexperience in driving. For example I drive a direct pull sleigh where a single tree is hitched to each runner. My problems are basically keeping the team evenly invested in the effort of forward motion. Given that the tugs are the same length, and taught, how does a driver know if both his horses are pulling evenly? I am taking constructive critism that I am letting them get away with hanging back on eachother and I want / have to correct it. Does anyone have any pointers that may help me out? Thanks a lot for any suggestions.

Larry

[Donn Hewes]

I am not familiar with a direct pull sleigh. Is this a standard set up or something local? Most things have horses hooked to an evener, as they don’t get that sudden release from slowing a step. With two well matched horses that were both head up and eager this might work, other slower or lazier animals would need a lot of coaching. I am assuming I under stand how the animals are hitched. If all the tugs are taught you must be pretty close to right. I think a picture would be very interesting. Donn

[carl ny]

I’ve never seen this done either.Doesn’t sound like a very good set up to me.I would put an evener in there. JMHO

carl ny

[Big Horses]

I agree with both above…do yourself and both horses a favor and get an evener in there.

[Mark Cowdrey]

Larry,
I saw one of those over at Bill Gales’s in Boscawen before he moved north. As the draw-back to that set-up was obvious I wondered about an advantage. It would be quick & simple to unhook one for a twitch horse and then team them up again on the sled. I have no idea whether the folks who used this setup ever did that.
Also, I suspect, though again, I am guessing, that back when the teams were used so much more regularly that they might have gone along together better than some of our (my) weekend teams do these days. Don’t know, just guessing.
Hope you are having a good winter.
Mark

[LStone]

Hey Mark, long time no see. I understand that the optimal set up is with an evener on the pole. Although it is my preference it is not my equipment. I think, or it was mentioned to me that another advantage of this set up is that it gives very positive lift to the front of the sled to enable better starting. I just have to read the effort of the individual horses from the boot better I guess.

[LStone]

I’ll try to remember to snap a picture and post.

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