| Did the horse trailer -- often called a "horsebox" in | | | | the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. |
| Europe -- play any role in the Old West? Were | | | | But what about the horsebox or trailer? Such |
| horses often transported rather than ridden, and | | | | vehicles range today in form and function from |
| if so, what was the most common way? | | | | simple wagons to elaborate stables-on-wheels, |
| I suspect that transporting a herd of horses or | | | | often built to accommodate more than one horse |
| any group of horses without riders was generally | | | | as well as having "living quarters" of a sort for |
| done by railroad, once the railroad had moved into | | | | people who tend the horses. It almost seems silly |
| the West to any extent. And I also suspect that, | | | | to call such rolling homes boxes or trailers, doesn't |
| prior to widespread presence and use of the | | | | it? |
| railroad, most horses were simply herded by | | | | However, did such horse transport methods play |
| riders on horseback as were cattle. (They called | | | | a role in life in the Old West? It would be hard to |
| them "cowboys," but obviously, they road | | | | think of a vehicle from the 1800s and early 1900s |
| horses.) | | | | that would have pulled anything equivalent to |
| But in doing some research for a different article | | | | these trailers -- except, perhaps, for the fire |
| horse transports or horseboxes, and I actually | | | | ambulances suggested above. |
| couldn't find any definitive information about when | | | | Whatever term you use for horse transportation, |
| the horse trailer (or horsebox) was "invented" or | | | | certainly today's horse owners, whether they |
| first came into wide use. | | | | own horses as pets, for show, or for work, find a |
| One article in Wikipedia suggested the horsebox | | | | good horsebox or horse trailer indispensable. |
| or horse trailer was developed during the 1800s | | | | Would it be legitimate to call various forms of |
| by town and village fire departments who would | | | | railroad boxcars of the Old West the forerunners |
| use horse drawn ambulance wagons to actually | | | | of today's horse transports crowding the |
| transport injured but "salvageable" horses back | | | | highways and roads of today's modern West (and |
| from fire scenes to get them to the town | | | | East, too, for that matter)? |
| veterinarian for speedy care. | | | | If you have information about the invention and |
| I also discovered that "mass transport" of horses | | | | development of the horse trailer or horsebox, I |
| in Europe via boat can be traced in artwork back | | | | invite you to leave a comment at my website |
| to the Romans and in tapestries of scenes from | | | | listed below and enlighten other readers! |