Glossary of carriage and driving terminology

This glossary of carriage and driving terminology provides definitions of historical and contemporary terms used in the design, construction, operation, and cultural use of carriages and related horse-drawn vehicles. It includes vocabulary associated with vehicle types, carriage parts, driving techniques, occupations, harnesses, and equipment used in traditional and modern horse driving practices.^[1][2][3]

For French carriage terminology, see the section French-to-English terminology below.

A

apron

A drape worn by a carriage driver and tied around the waist, or attached to the vehicle. The purpose is to keep the driver warm and dry, and keep the reins, leather grease, and other dirt off the driver's clothes.^{[3]: 7–8 [1]: 309} Compare lap robe.

axle tree

Original name for an axle.^[3]: 13

B

back strap

A strap running from the crupper to the saddle. It also holds the breeching support straps in position, or trace hangers in lieu of breeching.^{[3]: 14–15, 20}

bearing rein

An optional piece of harness to prevent a horse from lowering its head beyond a certain point. A bearing rein runs from the harness saddle, splits and runs on each side of the neck, then through metal loops on the bridle beside its ears, then down the side of the face to connect to the bit. Bearing reins are fairly common in modern carriage driving styles.^[3]: 20 Compare overcheck.

bit

Metal in the horse's mouth to control or steer a horse. See driving bit.^[4]: 120

boot

A wooden box on a carriage or coach. It might be under a seat or in the front or rear. Shape and location depend on the carriage style.^[3]: 32

box seat, box

The "box seat" is a raised and forward seat structure for a coachman plus one passenger to sit on when driving a carriage or coach. The "box" is the seat designated for the driver, usually on the right, and is often slightly raised or angled so the driver is more upright than a sitting position.^{[5]: 64–65 [3]: 33}

break, brake

Originally a heavy, bodiless carriage frame used for training and breaking horses to harness; later applied to various large, open passenger vehicles built along similar lines.^[2]: 20

breeching

Part of a harness with the purpose of keeping a wheeled-vehicle from bumping the rear of the horse. The purpose is so the horse can slow or stop a vehicle, and to "hold back" a vehicle on a downward slope. May also be pronounced britchin.^{[3]: 42–44, 48}

C

carriage

A two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, and used for carrying people.^[6]: 38

carriage dog, coach dog

A Dalmatian dog was traditionally used to accompany a under a coach, running under the carriage between the wheels and guard parcels.^[3]: 103

carriage house (USA), coach house (UK)

A building used to keep carriages and harness.^{[3]: 58–60}

carriage trade

1.  Equivalent to "carriage industry" during the horse-drawn era, encompassing the trades of coachbuilders, wheelwrights, painters, trimmers, blacksmiths, suppliers, and other integral specialties.^[1][7]

2.  (slang) Affluent clientele; a holdover from the time when only the wealthy had their own carriages.^[8]

cart

A two-wheeled vehicle pulled by one or more horses.^[5]: 91

cee-spring, c-spring

A metal spring for carriage suspension shaped like the letter "C".^[4]: 121

chariot

1.  A cut-down coach, a four-wheeled vehicle seating two passengers facing forward. Pulled by a pair of horses, driven from a front driver's seat with a hammercloth, and with two footmen on a rear dummy board.^{[2]: 43–4} See Chariot (carriage).

2.  (antiquity) A fast and light open two-wheeled vehicle drawn by two or more horses hitched side by side; no seats, the driver and passengers remain standing. An early form of horse-drawn vehicle, developed in antiquity. Today seen in reenactments and some niche racing.^[3]: 66ff See Chariot.

coach

An enclosed carriage, usually drawn by two or more horses.^[2]: 46ff

coach horse, coacher

A strong horse, heavier than a riding horse and lighter than a heavy draft horse, bred for drawing coaches, sometimes stylish.^[9]: 71-74

coach house

See carriage house.

coaching

The sport or practice of driving a four-horse coach for pleasure or competition, using traditional vehicles, harness, and turnout styles derived from 18th-19th-century road coaching. Modern coaching emphasizes skilled handling of a four-in-hand of horses, correct presentation, and adherence to historical standards.^{[2]: 48–49}

coachman

A professional driver responsible for operating a carriage or coach, and driving the horses.^[5]: 110

cockhorse, cock horse

An extra horse used to assist a team in pulling a heavy load up a hill. The cockhorse was outfitted in a harness and a riding saddle, and was always ridden when put to service. Its traces were run to a bar, and thence a rope ran between the leaders of the team and attached to the front of the pole to help pull the load.^{[3]: 75–76}

combined driving

A driving competition that goes up to the international level. Individual events are offered for single horses, pairs, and teams. The competition incorporates three phases: dressage, cross-country marathon, and obstacle cone driving.^[6]: 48

crupper

A padded strap fitted high under the horse's tail with straps running along the back to the saddle. It helps keep the harness saddle from slipping forward.^[3]: 98

D

dashboard, dash

An upright board or panel at the front of a carriage to block dirt flung up from the horse's hooves; made of wood or leather on an iron frame.^[3]: 103

draft horse (US), draught horse (UK)

Type of large muscular horse developed as heavy-pulling work horses.^[5]: 151

driving

Guiding and controlling one or more horses from behind, such as from a wheeled vehicle, agricultural implement, or when pulling logs, boats or other loads. Guidance is by long reins and voice, often using traditional or regional voice commands.^[6]: 66

E

elliptic spring

A metal leaf spring used as support and suspension in carriages, coaches, carts, and wagons.^[3]: 116

equipage

A term used to indicate the entirety of horses, vehicle, attendants, and other accoutrements all together. Usually used for aristocratic or royal retinues. Contemporarily, and more commonly, called a turnout.^[1]: 141

F

false martingale

A strap in harness passing from the collar, through the horse's legs to the belly band, to hold the collar down into position.^[3]: 119

fifth wheel

A single or pair of metal discs laying horizontal, located between the body of a four-wheeled vehicle and the front axle, through which the king bolt runs and allows the front axle to turn. ^[1]: 343

footman

A liveried servant who attended a carriage, often riding on a rear seat (rumble) or platform. Duties included assisting passengers, opening doors, and managing safety in traffic.^[4]: 121

four-in-hand

A team of four horses.^{[6]: 83 [5]: 198}

G

groom

A person, often liveried, responsible for caring for horses, assisting the driver, and managing harnessing and turnout. In contemporary sport driving, a person or persons accompanying the driver whose primary purpose is to handle the horses; usually one groom for a pair and two grooms for a team of four.^[4]: 122

ground driving

Driving a horse while walking behind or to the side of it. Also called long-reining, long-lining, and line driving.^{[5]: 304 [6]: 130}

H

hammercloth

A decorative cloth covering the box seat on a carriage or coach, often richly fringed or embroidered.^{[5]: 228 [4]: 122}

hames

The rigid curved pieces that lay in the groove on a harness collar and provide attachment points for the traces.

hame-plate

A hame-plate is a decorative item, usually brass, which attaches to the hame strap.^[10]

hame strap

A strap used to fasten the tops of the hames together over the collar.

harness

1.  Straps, padding, and hardware placed on a horse in order to hitch it to a vehicle or load.^[6]: 101

2.  To harness a horse is to put the harness on the horse.

hitch

1.   To attach a horse or horses, already harnessed, to a vehicle.^[6]: 105 Mainly US; compare putting to (UK).

2.  A hitch is US term for a turnout.

horsecar, omnibus

A large vehicle for multiple passengers.^[2]: 28

horsecar

A horse-drawn rail vehicle operating on fixed tracks, used for urban passenger transport.^[5]: 250

horse-drawn

Describes any vehicle or implement pulled by horses, including passenger carriages, wagons, carts, rail cars, boats, farm equipment, and sleighs.^[2] See also Horse-drawn vehicle.

horse logging

See Horse logging.

hub

See nave.

I

imperial

A light luggage rack or platform mounted on the roof of a coach, used for carrying baggage.

J

jerk line

A single line when driving multiple freight horses. The jerk line runs past all the horses to the lead horse's left bit ring. A single pull means to turn left; a series of light jerks means to turn right. In some cases, each [left] horse in line has its own jerk line.^{[1]: 446 [3]: 164 [11]}

K

kicking strap

For a single horse in shafts, a strap running over the horse's croup and attaching to the shafts on each side. When the horse attempts to kick or lift its hindquarters, the strap tightens and lifts the shafts, preventing the horse from getting a leg over the shafts or traces. It also limits upward movement of the quarters because of the weight of the shafts, discouraging kicking or bucking and reducing the risk of a wreck. Usually only used for horses inclined to kick or buck in harness.^[3]: 167

king bolt, king pin, perch bolt

The bolt which runs through the fifth wheel in the front axle assembly, and which is the pivot point for the front axle in a four-wheeled vehicle.^{[3]: 167, 210 [1]: 355}

L

lamp

A carriage lantern to illuminate the road at night. Early lamps were oil-burning, but candles were cleaner and easier to handle, and so became the norm. They were commonly made of brass or a white metal, glass panes, and a reflective surface behind the candle.^{[1]: 357 [3]: 171-172}

lap robe, lap rug, lap blanket

A blanket or covering used by carriage passengers to protect the legs and feet from cold, wind, or dirt. Should reach from the waist to the floor.^{[1]: 358 [3]: 231–232} Compare apron.

leader

Each horse in the front pair of horses in a driving team, positioned ahead of the pole or shafts. Leaders pull the vehicle through their traces but cannot slow or hold it back; that function belongs to the wheelers.^{[5]: 294–295}

livery

Distinctive clothing worn by coachmen, footmen, grooms or other servants, often in the colors of the household they served.^[4]: 122

livery stable

A commercial stable that boarded horses, rented horses and vehicles, and provided services such as feeding, grooming, and harnessing.^[4]: 122

M

mews

A row or courtyard of stables or coach houses, usually with living quarters for staff.^[5]: 319

N

nave

The central hub of a wooden wheel into which the spokes are fitted.

nose bag

A small feed bag placed over a horse's muzzle so it can eat grain while standing harnessed or tied.

O

outrider

A mounted attendant who rode alongside or ahead of a carriage or coach to clear the way, provide security, or assist in emergencies.

overcheck

An optional piece of harness to prevent a horse from lowering its head beyond a fixed point and usually to keep the head raised higher than natural. An overcheck runs from the harness saddle, passes over the horse's head between its ears, down the front of the face, and connects to the bit. Overchecks are common in harness racing, and for certain driving classes at American breed shows.^[3]: 204 Compare bearing rein.

P

pair

Two horses harnessed side-by-side as a unit. A pair may pull a vehicle alone or form part of a larger team.^{[4]: 123 [6]: 157} Compare team.

perch

The central longitudinal beam connecting the front and rear axles of a four-wheeled carriage, forming part of the undercarriage structure. Also called a reach.

peirameter

A device used by coachbuilders to evaluate forces needed to move various horse-drawn vehicles over different surfaces.^[12]

pick axe

A driving arrangement with three horses in front of two horses.^[5]: 368

pole

A single rigid bar extending from the front of a horse-drawn vehicle, positioned between a pair of horses, and harnessed to them. Allows the horses to steer and slow the vehicle; pulling is done through the traces.^[5]: 375 Compare shafts.

porte cochère

A covered entrance on a building, large enough for a carriage to pass through, and allowing passengers to alight under shelter.

postboy

See postilion.^[4]: 123

postilion

A rider who mounted one of the horses in a pair or team, and guided the carriage from horseback rather than from a box seat. Common on royal or ceremonial coaches and on early long distance posting routes. Sometimes called a postboy.^[4]: 123

posting

A form of long-distance travel in which a traveler hired fresh horses and a post-boy from post-houses along the road. Posting was more expensive than stagecoach travel but offered privacy, since the traveler rode in a hired post-chaise or in their own carriage while only the horses and post-boys were supplied by the post-house.^[3]: 217

putting to

Attaching a horse or horses, already harnessed, to a vehicle.^{[3]: 219–20} Mainly UK; compare hitch (US).

Q

quarter panel

A side panel of a carriage body, typically between the door and the corner pillar.

R

randem

A driving arrangement with three horses in single file: leader in front, wheeler in back, and a horse between them.^[5]: 398 Compare tandem.

reach

Same as a perch.

rein rail

A rail or bar on the dashboard used to rest the reins or organize them when the vehicle is stopped.

rumble

A seat behind the main body of the carriage for a guard, groom or footman.^[4]: 123

S

saddle

The part of a driving harness that sits on the horse's back, supporting the shafts through the tugs and providing attachment points for other harness components.^{[3]: 233–4}

shafts

A pair of rigid bars extending from the front of a horse-drawn vehicle, one on each side of a single horse.^[5]: 433 Shafts allow the horse to steer and slow a vehicle. In a two-wheeled vehicle, shafts hold the vehicle level. Used for a single horse, for the rearmost horse in a tandem, or occasionally as side-poles in a troika). Compare pole.

sleigh

A horse‑drawn vehicle mounted on runners instead of wheels, used on snow or ice.

splinter bar

A crossbar at the front of a carriage's undercarriage to which the traces are attached.

stagecoach

A large horse-drawn public transport coach, typically pulled by four or more horses and changed for fresh teams at regular "stages" along the route.^[5]: 456

state chariot

An elaborately decorated ceremonial chariot-style vehicle, often with a glass front panel or windscreen. Used for formal occasions and also called a gala chariot or dress chariot.^{[2]: 44, 154}

state coach, state carriage

A highly ornate ceremonial coach used by a monarch or head of state, drawn at a walk by multiple matched horses, and driven by postilions (riders) or a coachman (driver). The term may also refer to a formal town coach used by nobility for important occasions.^[2]: 154

sulky

A very lightweight two-wheeled cart for one person and pulled by a single horse. Now primarily associated with harness racing and built with extremely light materials.^{[6]: 206–207}

T

Tally-Ho

1.  Name used on several fast stagecoach services between London and Birmingham, England in the 1800s.^[13][14]

2.  Name of an 1875 coach owned and driven by DeLancey Astor Kane and now in a New York carriage museum.^[13]

3.  Colloquial term for "a fast coach".^[13]

tandem

A harness arrangement with two or more horses in single file, the rearmost horse (the wheeler) working in shafts.^[5]: 481

team

1.  (US) A pair of horses hitched abreast to a vehicle.^[3]: 268

2.  (UK) Four horses hitched to a vehicle in two pairs; leaders in front and wheelers behind. Also called a four-in-hand.^[3]: 268

teamster

An older term for a person who drove a team of horses, especially for freight or heavy hauling.^[15]

troika

A traditional Russian driving arrangement of three horses abreast pulling a sleigh or wheeled vehicle. The center horse is between shafts, and the outboard horses are to each side with their heads turned further outward.^[3]: 281

turnout

A general term for the complete presentation of horses, vehicle, harness, and equipment; essentially the same as an equipage.^[3]: 283

U

undercarriage

The structural framework beneath a carriage body, including axles, springs, perch, and running gear.^[4]: 124

unicorn

A driving arrangement with three horses: a pair behind and a single leader in front.^[5]: 510

V

vehicle

Any two- or four-wheeled vehicle or sled-runner vehicle pulled by a horse. See horse-drawn vehicle.

W

wagon, waggon (UK)

A four-wheeled vehicle pulled by one or more horses. Usually used for carrying loads.^[5]: 521

wheeler

One of the pair of horses closest to the vehicle.^[3]: 292 Wheelers are the only horses in a team able to slow or hold back the vehicle by pulling back on the pole. In a tandem, the wheeler is the rearmost horse working in shafts. Compare leader.

whip

1.  The driver of a coach or carriage.

2.  A long, flexible implement used to signal and guide the horses without striking them.

X

Y

yoke

A wooden or metal crosspiece used to connect a pair of horses at the pole, keeping them aligned and distributing the load.

Z

Summarize Fact Check

This section lists French carriage and coachbuilding terms including rare, archaic, and specialist terms commonly seen in period catalogs, museum inventories, coachbuilder archives, and technical literature.

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Additional glossaries of carriage and driving terminology appear in the following published works.

• Felton, William (1996) [1796]. "Glossary and Index". A Treatise on Carriages (Reprint of both volumes). Astragal Press. pp. Volume II, pages 181-200. ISBN 1879335700. OL 21753408M. (18th century terms)
• Ryder, Tom (1983) [1969]. "Glossary". On the Box Seat: A Manual of Driving (4th ed.). Salem, New Jersey: The Carriage Journal. pp. 176–178. OCLC 10886033. OL 58654121M.
• Smith, D.J.M. (1988). "Glossary of Parts and Gears". A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles. J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. pp. 183–189. ISBN 0851314686. OL 11597864M.

In addition, several works formatted alphabetically in dictionary or encyclopedia style include Berkebile (1978),^[1] Smith (1988),^[2] and Walrond (1979).^[3]