Three Horse Hitches(Unicorn or Abreast?)

[Grandad]

I started out to buy a team (Two) of Belgian cross horses. I wound up buying a third horse so now am wondering which is the best way to hitch three horses to a wagon. I have seen some pictures and videos of a “Unicorn” hitch but it seemed those hitches were all in some sort of showring. It also seemed that a lot of faith was being placed on the lead horse in the unicorn hitches. Any of the photos of horses at work were all three abreast. Am I right in assuming that three abreast is is a more practical way of working a three horse hitch?
Thanks in advance…

[blue80]

From history I’ve read the unicorn was most often used when the going got tough or a team got stuck…I’ve never tried it, I don’t think it’s for the faint of heart. A local guy had a wagon flip on top of him this summer when the lead horse jacknifed the rig….

Three abreast is most practical, one can run a green horse in between two shafts in the center, or run an offset single shaft. Their are several options on how to set up the lines.

Do you by chance have any of the
“Farming with Horses” by Bowers and Steward,
“Draft Horses and Mules” by Damerow and Rice, or the many
Lynn Millers books? They are, in my opinion, priceless for their knowledge and options. And I’m a “picture” kind of guy 😀 and Farming with Horses is in colour; and please notice I used the Canadian spelling of color for you. 😀

Kevin

[jac]

In the UK a unicorn hitch was used a lot by the brewery companies. The lead horse could be unhitched easily to maneuver big barrels of beer. I agree with Kevin. It takes a really good horse up front to keep the unicorn hitch from going wrong…having said that a lot will depend on the kind of work you plan to do.. heavy hot work will heat the middle horse up quicker than if they are strung out….
John

[grey]

The unicorn is for applications where you want a narrower profile. The unicorn isn’t physically as efficient a use of three horses’ worth of muscle as hitching them abreast. Lines are more complicated with the unicorn, too. Three abreast you just have two lines. Unicorn you need four lines. And as mentioned, unicorn isn’t as safe; that fellow out on point had better be your top horse and have steady nerve.

[karl t pfister]

3 across I find easier with a double pole set up . One can use a single pole with an offset hitch point for your triple tree , the horse that works the long end of the tree ought be be the most honest , quicker stepping to keep things tight , especially when going downhills ,with wagons etc.
If you use 2 poles it helps keep all 3 honest and all 3 can help hold back on hills . I find the horses like it when they do the math it’s 33.3% easier I think ? There is a lot of power there ,if things get sticky the middle horse’s harness is always on the other side of a horse,traces ,reins caught between horses etc
The reins are another discussion , good luck

[J-L]

Go with 3 abreast. I use it quite a little and it’s surprising how much horse power it gives you. Once your stub lines are set up it’s a piece of cake and when your horses get used to it they can become almost as handy as a pair in tight spots.
I have a 3 horse tongue evener and a 3 horse field evener. The field evener is what I use on my forecart and the tongue evener on a wagon (could use on a sleigh too) but it’s longer and you have to drill another hole for it.

[Grandad]

Now is when I have to admit to not knowing the basic meaning of some (some=most:o) of the terms used in the replies to my question. I don’t know the difference between a tongue evener and a field evener. I have seen photos of a double pole setup as well as pictures of an offset pole. The double pole setup had a neck yoke that tied all three horses together. The offset tongue appeared to be the same as two horses hitched to a regular tongue (offset of course) with the third horse hooked to the end of the triple tree. In this case the third horse had no hold back or backup capabilities. I also saw a picture of an offset tongue hitch with the third horse hooked to the end of the triple tree but hooked to a three across neck yoke. I suppose the triple neck yoke has the advantage of of keeping all the horses together? What would be the disadvantages of the triple neck yoke? What would be the approximate distance in inches to offset a tongue for these horses of mine? They are “medium sized” horses weighing in at 1500/1700 pounds. With double poles I’m guessing the middle horse would be backed in first in order to start hooking up? There will be times when three abreast will be no problem but other times when three abreast are too wide (on the trail into the mountains). That said, I am a reasonably good fabricator and envision building a hitch for my wagon where I could have the pole offset left, right or centered. I think it would be easy enough to have the same hitch capable of having a double pole (shafts) attached. ???
blue80 I do have”Draft Horses and Mules” by Damerow and Rice and find the pictures to be worth a thousand words. I am going to attach a photo of what I hope to be doing next August.
Thanks All…

[J-L]

Grandad I saw a set up as you’re describing. A friend of mine fab’d it for his sleigh ride business at the ski resorts in Utah. It is handy for him to use as it will let all three head hold back loads on the slopes. I think he used a three wide neck yoke as well.
For what I use 3 for it isn’t worth the effort. Two can back and hold what I need them to.
I go on a trip like the one you have pictured most every year in the mountains by me. Just a lot of fun. You can pack a nice camp in on a wagon and only use two (or three) head to do it vs. 6 or more pack horses/mules. We take some saddle horses with and do some fishing.

[Big Horses]

A unicorn really isn’t any more “dangerous” than 4 up, or 6 up for that matter. It just takes a good lead horse and you gotta pay attention. A 3 abreast hitch of good horses will pull more than a 4 up… but it’s a bit wide, so look the gates over before you go. I like a 3 abreast…they all have good angle of draft, and are all right there easy to watch. If it’s hot, just make sure to keep them spread out enough to cool…it gets pretty toasty for that center horse.
John

[grey]

I dunno, Big Horses, I might have to argue that a unicorn is a little more risky than a four.

That one horse out on point is more nimble than having a lead team in front of your wheelers. A team of horses – in general – is less apt to turn around on you than a single, if only because it requires that two minds get the same idea at the same time.

Also, most horses are more comfortable with a partner by their side, rather than being alone out front. So the lead horse in a unicorn hitch is more apt to get nervous out there. A guy tries to make up for that tendency by putting his best horse out there.

[HeeHawHaven]

Thanks for bringing up the great discussion. We are working towards doing 3 abreast and/or unicorn.

We have a Fjord gelding and 2 Fjord molly mule sisters. The sisters are green broke to drive and we’ll be working them hard single for the next several months. Eventually, we plan on teaming them up with the very experienced fjord horse one at a time to give them exposure in a team. Then, we’ll probably work on 3 abreast and/or unicorn.

We’re actually thinking that we can work the mule/horse relationship to our advantage. I’m even wondering if having the really experience horse out front will be great for the girls. I think they’ll follow him anywhere.

We won’t try any of this all by ourselves. We have a driving mentor who showed a 12 mini mule hitch at Bishop Mule Days last year. (Here’s a link to a video from the show!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtrps1WV6w

They’re actually large minis or small pony mules! Pretty awesome!

I would think that a really experienced calm lead horse in a unicorn would work great.

Thoughts???

Dave

[Donn Hewes]

A lot of good stuff has been said already, and I am probably a little foggy as I got up early on account of a back ache. No offense intended to anyone, but I like to ask my self what is simple? what do I need?

Tomorrow, or the next day I will go out and move the tongue on a fore cart from center to left side. (ten minutes with a jack and a pair of wrenches) Now I can plow snow with a three abreast hitch for the rest of the winter.

A unicorn hitch sounds like fun, just remember it won’t get you the power of a three abreast, the horses need to be well trained and experienced, and it is a whole higher skill level, and completely different to drive than driving two, three, or four abreast.

Sorry for the crouchy tone, still with the back ache!

[Big Horses]

You’re right Don, 3 abreast is definately easier.
More than one of my mentors told me that a good lead horse is born, not made. Our job is just to “shine them up” and make them even better, and I totally agree. I’ve seen people try and try to throw a horse in the lead, that just didn’t belong there, yet a horse they have in the body would do exactly what they want… total frustration. Good lead horses will take most of the “worries” out of stretching out a hitch… but they’re not always the one (s) that everyone wants to see out there, conformation wise or for some other reason. It’s not a matter of “best” horse…it’s a matter of “best lead” horse…..sometimes no difference, but sometimes a huge difference. It boils down to paying attention to the horses and what they “shine” at.
John

[Grandad]

Thank you all for the input. Three abreast sounds as though it is the way to go. Some internet searching leads me to believe that the idea of being able to move the tongue to the center for two horses or to be offset for three horses has merit. I am quite intrigued by one photo I saw, where the center horse had a pole on each side and all three horses were hooked to a common neck yoke. I think with a cross piece perpendicular to the tongue a person could mount (weld or bolt) recievers that would allow for a pole to be fastened on the left, right or centered on the wagon. Such a setup would even allow two poles (shafts) to be used.
Thanks again.

J-L. Round bales. 5×5 made with a John Deere 556 and probably weghing 1000 pounds. I did weigh some second cut alfalfa last year and they came in at 1210 pounds.

[Big Horses]

@Grandad 22640 wrote:

5×5 made with a John Deere 556 and probably weghing 1000 pounds. I did weigh some second cut alfalfa last year and they came in at 1210 pounds.

Grandad, hate to pull the thread off topic, but are you having any sort of luck with your 556 JD? I’ve had a heckuva time with mine… not impressed… just wondering if it’s just me?
John

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