More on the Horse and Buggy

by Shaun Ann Eddy

I've been reading over my article on the horse and buggy in MOTHER NO. 30 and would like to offer a few additional hints since I find that I've assumed knowledge of some points which might prove disastrous to a novice starting out with a rig.

[1] A horse driven on ice in the winter and hot asphalt in the summer needs borium dripped on the bottoms of his shoes. This treatment prevents slipping (and possible leg damage) and saves wear on the metal. Ask your blacksmith about this precaution not all of them apply the borium routinely.

[2] I mentioned that harness should be dipped twice a year to preserve it. Actually, the process is more than a dip, it's an overnight soaking of the leather in warm oil. Cut open a large drum, place it over a burner, partly fill the container with oil, heat the contents gently, and add the harness (be sure all straps are submerged). Brush the collar with the same lubricant and resign yourself to getting your hands greasy every time you use the gear for the next month.

[3] The only regular maintenance a buggy should need (apart from an annual repainting) is the spring chore of tightening the metal rim that protects the wooden wheel. This band-called the tire-expands and contracts with changes of temperature and moisture and when the weather warms up I can expect to hear the clacking sound of a loose rim. The noise warns me that stones and moisture will soon work into the gap between metal and wood and damage the wheel enough to warrant replacement (an expensive business, and one that can be avoided by prompt action).

To correct a loose rim, the tire is taken off, the wood joints of the wheel driven together, and any shaky bolts or screws tightened or replaced. Then the metal band is heated in a fire, replaced, pounded down firmly, and finally dipped in cold water. A blacksmith needs a full day to do a set of wheels and, around here, charges $20.00. (The front and rear pairs generally seem to need attention in alternate years.)

The cost of tightening the wheels, and $3.00 worth of buggy paint every spring, are the only maintenance expenses you're likely to have. That's a far cry from what you'd spend to keep up an auto for a year!