Horses in the 17th Century

                                                          

                                   


                                         Carriages
 In the sixteenth century the roads,especially in London, were little more than tracks. As we went on into the 17th century the roads were improved with paving and were able to have horse drawn carriages on them. In 1605 carriages were available for hire in the streets of London. One the of the first types of carriages was called the Hackney. A Hackney was drawn by two horses but did not have a roof or suspension. Samual Pepys was a well known and wealthy man who said , '' It is an embarrasment to be seen in a Hackney carriage, as for anyone can hire''. 

The Berlin carriage was created in 1660 by the Germans and was a more common design and was made to be  more comfortable. It acquired a roof which was not found on the previous carriages. The  Berlin also could seat four, in pairs facing each other and had a door on either side. In 1680 the Berlin acquired glass windows and a suspension, which made it a more comfortable ride then a Hackney carriage. The addition of these features came at a price making the Berlin the choice of the middle class.
                                                              a gig with the driver at back
The Gig was introduced in the 1700's by Paris. This carriage was lighter than the previous carriages. The Gig had two wheels which made it very easy to overturn. The Gig was especially interesting because the driver was positioned at in the front instead of the back. The Gig was also  fancier than the Hackney even though it was pulled by one horse. This made the Gig a very enjoyable activity for the average family who could only afford one horse. The Gig also had features that came at a price so like the Berlin it was more middle class.
                                                            Stage Coach
The stage coach was introduced in the 17th and 18th century and was used to go between citys. The Stagecoach was alot more cumbersome than the other carriages and was slower because it was heavier.  The stage coach could fit eight people  comfortably in the cab, usually these were the middle class people. The poor sat on the top of the carriage with their luggage and a hand rail. The top of the stage coach could fit five people. There was also a private section in the back for the most privileged. This carriage would come down the dirt roads at four miles per hour. The carriage was pulled by either four or six horses depending on how heavy it was and how many passengers it had. Even now we still have carriages. There fancier than what we had in the 16th 17th and 18th century. Today there are trot carriages and chariot pony carriages. My horse was a chariot pony intill i bought him. Today we race on racing tracks instead of roads.