Bucharest Jack , S.A.S.S. #60581 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Hey All, This might be a silly question, but I hope you'll bear with me. I was discussing stagecoaches with a coworker of mine after watching Hateful Eight. The scene where the woman prisoner was discussing how the Sheriff would get all the corpses off the mountain, in particular. She mentions that she doubts that he could drive a six horse team. So I'm wondering, what does that entail, exactly? If a person can drive a one horse buggy, two or four horse team, why would six be so much more difficult? Again, I apologize if this is obvious to others, but I've never tried to do it. Any clarification would be appreciated. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Has to do with the training of the horses, especially the lead horses. You don't just round up a bunch of horses and hitch'em to a 6-up. Very good friend of mine is a stage coach driver for Wells Fargo(been in lots of their commercials)and it's impressive to watch him 'work' a team. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Has to do with the training of the horses, especially the lead horses. You don't just round up a bunch of horses and hitch'em to a 6-up. Very good friend of mine is a stage coach driver for Wells Fargo(been in lots of their commercials)and it's impressive to watch him 'work' a team. OLG That was my first thought...6 horses that get a long with each other... Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Something lumpy forgot to say is you have to teach a horse to hitch and pull a buggy, wagon or stagecoach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucharest Jack , S.A.S.S. #60581 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 Great information! Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Something lumpy forgot to say is you have to teach a horse to hitch and pull a buggy, wagon or stagecoach I guess that is why I can't get the wife to pull my wagon at range.... TL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Each horse is trained for that spot in the team. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucharest Jack , S.A.S.S. #60581 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 What about the driver? Is there a high level of skill to driving a team, or is it relatively simple to figure out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 My guess is it takes a lot of skill. Here's one of the greatest scenes of all time with a 6-horse team; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 What about the driver? Is there a high level of skill to driving a team, or is it relatively simple to figure out? Yes-you have to know and 'read' the horses, and it's a high level of horsemanship. My deepest respect and admiration to those that do it. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 My guess is it takes a lot of skill. Here's one of the greatest scenes of all time with a 6-horse team; That scene was filmed in Lucerne Vly, next to what is now the Double R Bar Regulators range. It's very popular for RC aircraft. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Each horse in a 6 has to be individually controlled. Watch how the driver arranges the reins between the fingers of his hands. Not an easy skill to learn and hard work to do well. When I was very young the threshing machines were hauled from farm to farm with 6 horse hitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucharest Jack , S.A.S.S. #60581 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 I watched the video and I never noticed before how the reins were between the fingers of the driver. That's impressive, and I bet it makes for a heck of a good grip. I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't seen the rest of the movie before. I'll have to go do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 As I recall, a license was required of those who drove multi- horse teams on movie sets. I don't know who would test drivers and issue such a license though, other than an insurance company maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Andy Devine got the role of the driver in Stagecoach, because he knew how to drive a six-horse hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I love that guy at 3:30. Riding wide open, fires a trapdoor carbine, lowers it, opens it, gets another shell from his pocket, loadd it, raises it for another shot, all at s full gallop. And it looks like it's as difficult for him as me sitting in my Lazyboy picking up the remote to change the channel. There's another one doing that about 6:25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I musta watched that movie a couple dozen times, and watching that clip is the first time I saw where Hatfield got the gun. I'd always wondered. That little tip-up - that made perfect sense for a dandy like that. But that SAA? He wasn't wearing a gun. That's the first time I noticed Curly take his gun off and pass it down to the passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Andy Devine and Slim Pickens were both top teamsters!! There were a couple more that I can't recall. I'm not sure about Ben Johnson. He was an all around top cowboy who rodeoed until the day he died, literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tascosa, SASS# 24838 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I drive a 4 up once in my younger days for a half hour. Never got faster than trotting the horses and they were well trained or Clyde wouldn't have let me near his team. I have great respect for anyone that can drive a 4 up or a 6 up for any length of time. My arms were wore out after just a half hour. Glad I got the chance to do it but I dang sure wouldn't want to do it for a living!! PS. That half hour in no way even makes me close to being a capable team driver!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
German Jim Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I'm surprised no one has said that they could handle a 300-up. All you had to do to make 'em go faster was to step on the peddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Might could be that the route couldn't accommodate a 6 horse team. Maybe only a 4 or 2 horse team could get through some sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Which brings up the questions: Is a 20 mule team entirely different? And teams of oxen appear to be easier (Wikipedia has some good info about oxen, including techniques for shoeing.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Old Man Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 20 mule team is driven with a jerk line instead of lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marionmedic Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I think a 20 mule team would be more in the size of the load. 2 "small" mules can just about jerk yhe frame out ftom under a pickup. 2 draft horses pulled my 1995 freightliner tractor and 48' flatbed out of a muddy field. 29 mules can about pull a house off the foundation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I used to watch the horse pulling contests at the local fairs. In the finals, the heaviest horses, screaming with their bellies on the ground, would give up on a fully loaded sled. (the sleds were loaded with sacks of cement) After the awards were given out a guy would come into the arena with a team of Holstein bulls, hook onto the sled and easily pull it out the door. Their strength is amazing. The big mule teams, 20 mules, were as stated above run with a jerk line that I don't not know how that worked. I do know that the individual horses and mules would respond to commands given by name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 A horse will often pull against to heavy a load until it literally drops dead. A mule or a Jack will try, and if the load is too big, they'll quit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramblin Gambler Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 The fellow riding shotgun kept throwing something at the horses. What the heck was he doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Throwing rocks at their butts to make 'em run faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc McCoy, SASS #8381 Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Have you watched a 6 horse team go around a tight corner? They have to turn as 3 separate pairs, each turning at the right time. It's not just two additional horses, the complexity multiplies as you go from 2 to 4 to 6 horses. I have only driven a single horse, never had the opportunity for teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Andy Devine got the role of the driver in Stagecoach, because he knew how to drive a six-horse hitch. led to a much more famous career for him, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 One story a local ol'curmudgeon tells is when they got a truckload of feed delivered to the farm. The truck got stuck in the barnlot. The farmer hitched a mule team to the truck. The driver was skeptical that the mules could pull the truck out. By accident or intentionally, the horn was blown. The mules not only pulled the truck out but drug it a good bit with the driver locking the brakes. The mules headed around a pond bank and stopped just before pulling the truck into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litl Red Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 All this explains why Civil War artillery teams were controlled by a rider. Most everybody knew how to ride. Teams would have constantly been shuffled. Less complicated hitching etc. And of course, the rider didn't take up space on the caisson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grass Range #51406 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Holding the ribbons between the fingers enables one to give different pressure to the different teams. Remember to swing wide on the corners. Do not hitch one horse unbroken to harness to a horse that is broken is unless you start them out on a heavy duty wagon. I found this out when I tried it and ruined a buggy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Slight tangent: Lots of Amish families in this area. Last week I saw a farmer plowing his field with 5 draft horses hitched side by side, shoulder to shoulder. He was standing on a skid behind the plow. I think that must have required some skill and horse sense too. Kind of a neat picture. And now back to stagecoaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 In John Waynes "Winds of the Wasteland," they used express ponies for the stage coach route to/from Crescent City, and ultimately won the stage coach race for the mail contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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