More on the Horse and Buggy
Author invited audience to re-think the advantages of horse-and-buggy transportation.
by Shaun Ann Eddy
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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!
