Transportation in the 18th and 19th century was especially interesting and I have always loved the idea of carriages, I think it is a hangover from wanting to be a princess. One of the reasons that I watch royal events is because of the carriages. As a Jane Austen fan I first became acquainted with the Barouche in Sense and Sensibility, Mrs. Gatewood, boasts that her brother owns his own barouche, and Mrs. Elton in Emma drops the fact that her brother owns a barouche into every conversation. I love the word Barouche, it curls off the tongue.
It was a carriage for the man of means. The barouche was a large, four passenger carriage pulled by four horses. It had a folding hood that could be raised to cover two of the passengers. This feature made it popular as a summer carriage. http://www.likesbooks.com/carriages.html
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It was the race-car of the regency. A curricle was a two wheeled carriage with a folding hood for protection from the elements. It was light and speedy, it was drawn by two horses and quickly became the carriage of choice for the fashionable young man about town. The curricle was a good vehicle for showing off your driving skills, and showing off your perfectly matched pair of horses. http://www.likesbooks.com/carriages.html
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ReplyDeleteOops, typed a little too fast and left a bunch of typos above!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I enjoy carriages as well and would love to race around in a curricle. It seems like such fun! (:
Happy AZ blogging!
A-Z participant blogging from Elise Fallson
How cool is that! I've never been on a carriage ride. I can imagine that to us they look so romantic but in reality it was bumpy and open to the elements.
ReplyDeleteThe horses were so beautiful. In the movie with Colin Firth, Pride and Prejudice--the horses were works of art (and God). I have to think, however, that the ride was always bumpy.
ReplyDeleteSo cool! Where do I get me a barouche? This is my first time visiting your blog. Please visit us at http://citymusecountrymuse2012.blogspot.com/ and please become a member if you like what you see!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I love this post and look forward to seeing what you write about for the rest of the challenge.
ReplyDeleteI wish carriages were still a common means of transport :(
ReplyDeleteI only travelled in a horse and carriage once and it was pouring with rain. I got drenched. Think I'll stick to my car in future.
ReplyDeleteRosalind Adam is Writing in the Rain
Ah, nothing like bouncing along in a carriage. Such fun, not like those covered wagons Americans traveled in. Good times!
ReplyDeleteThe horse and carriage is such a class act. In the ol' days they had it all figured out.
ReplyDeleteThose look fun. Sometimes I wish we still rode in carriages. Then I realize they'd just keep raising the price of horse feed just like they do gas. Ha!
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Fascinating tidbits! I grew up in the "olden days" when my Dad still had work horses, but we never had a fancy carriage, just hay rides on the wagon.
ReplyDeleteThe carriage rides in Chicago come with diapers for the horses. No, the horses really don't wear them, but their, er, poop falls down into a bag that is somehow attached to the horse.
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