My Grandfather, Darwin Morse and my Grandmother, Kate Winthrop, eloped in 1924 along with my Grandmother's sister, Emily Winthrop, and her husband, Corey Miles. Darwin was working on Grenville Winthrop's estate, Groton Place, as an electrician and caretaker of the birds. Corey Miles was the family's chauffeur. They stole their father's car, got married in the near by Interlaken section of Stockbridge, Massachusetts and drove up to Montreal the same day. Shortly thereafter, they all drove to California in 1924. I believe that is Darwin at the wheel.
Joshua Morse rides The Wee One, a Welsh stallion.
Quoted from http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/entertainment/Prince-shows-garden/article-1176387-detail/article.html:
Alan asks Prince Philip about the dangers of the sport: "If you're playing billiards you can stick a cue in your eye. There's a bit of luck in it but it's not all that serious."
Jeff Morse Clinic ~ September 12-13
Absolute Morgan Farm ~ 139 Schoolhouse Road -Waltham, VT 05491
One hour sessions on carriage driving for $60
Contact:
Janet Yager Absolute Morgans 802.545.2457 morgans@madriver.com
CANCELED: Jeff Morse Clinic ~ July 18 and 19
Unfortunately this clinic had to be canceled due to so many participants having last minute things come up that caused them to be unable to attend.
Absolute Morgan Farm ~ 139 Schoolhouse Road -Waltham, VT 05491
One hour sessions on carriage driving for $60
Contact:
Janet Yager Absolute Morgans 802.545.2457 morgans@madriver.com
Prince Philip's carriage comeback
Britain's Prince Philip has gone carriage driving for the first time since he injured his back doing it in January.
The 87-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth harnessed two horses and drove through the grounds of Windsor Castle, the queen's residence in Berkshire, south east England, yesterday (23.02.09).
The prince was in high spirits and appeared to be in good health, chatting and laughing with a female groom as they drove around the chilly grounds.
Philip has missed a string of royal engagements since pulling a muscle in his back while carriage racing at the queen's Norfolk estate Sandringham in January.
Fears for his health increased when he was seen with two black eyes.
The prince was reportedly ordered to "take it easy", and was even forced to miss three of his beloved royal shooting parties.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman has said: "A lot of engagements involve standing for quite a long time and they can often last anything up to an hour.
"He's making a decision on a day-to-day basis about whether he's going to attend engagements. His advice has been to rest his back for a period of time and he's doing that each day. He's been advised to rest as long as possible and avoid standing for too long."
As good a reason to go carriage driving as any:...."to avoid standing for too long"... thereby missing out on some bloody boring engagements. No wonder he was laughing with his female groom. Good thinking, Phil!
Trevithicks steam carriage, world’s first vehicle designed for carrying passengers.
"A steam carriage intended for passengers was built in England in 1803 by Richard Trevithick. A replica of it was built recently and has been touring Europe. It was basically a carriage stuck on top of a crude steam tractor, the passengers were a good height above the ground. It was also a commercial failure but had the distinction of being the first self powered land vehicle in the world designed to carry passengers." source
Note the steering mechanism. Pre-steering wheel!
Copy of a postcard found at the New Lebanon , NY Flea Market, Sunday Oct 27, 2002
A 3 Wheeler designed by Eliphalet Nott
1773-1866, American educator, inventor, and clergyman, b. Ashford, Conn. In 1804, Nott became president of Union College, a post he held for 62 years; he initiated an extensive building program and introduced a scientific course as an alternative to the traditional classical curriculum. He published a number of pamphlets on slavery, temperance, and education and contributed to science by his experiments with heat. Nott was granted over 30 patents and was the inventor of the first anthracite coal base-burner stove. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001)
Recently I conducted a clinic in New Mexico and my host, Tom Phillips, had been in a motorcycle accident and broken his leg. He was wheel chair bound and got lots of kidding about still being able to drive and maybe he should hook his minis up to his chair.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria
The Parked Horse with kicking strap and mud guard on the wheel
The horse in this illustration has been asked to assume a "Parked" stance, making it less likely that it will move at the halt. It was important that the horse not take a step as the Lady dismounted from the carriage. Not only would her clothing be soiled, she could have been knocked to the ground which would have been a terrible social event for both her and her gentleman friend. Note the wicker wheel cover on the rear wheel used to protect her clothing.
Today's carriage drivers are taught to *always* be the first to mount and last to dismount from a vehicle so as to remain in the best position to control the horse(s). This driver is on the ground assisting his Lady friend and has left a passenger seated in the carriage, yet another reason to have the horse assume the "Parked" stance and be less likely to step forward. It is interesting that there was so much care taken to protect the Lady while mounting and dismounting yet the other lady passenger (perhaps she's even a child) has been left in a situation considered unsafe by today's standards.
Many of today's drivers assume the "Parked" stance is not traditional and should not be used by today's carriage horses, particularly in those in competitions. Carriage drivers will train their horses who have learned this "Parked" stance to never assume that position when asked to halt. The acceptability of the stance is more a matter of when it would be useful. Halting at X in a dressage test or standing in a line up in a carriage ring class in the "Parked" stance would not be appropriate since it is expected in those situations that the horse be capable of moving off in any direction immediately by instruction of the driver! It is a disobedience for the horse who knows how to stand in the "Parked" position to assume the stance without being instructed by the driver to do so. However, if a driver had a Lady passenger entering or exiting a vehicle, it might be quite appropriate - and traditional - to ask their horse(s) to stand in a "Parked" stance. This action is not seen with much frequency today in carriage driving because it is not called for in competition. Passengers and drivers are not usually called on to mount and dismount in a ring class or any of the other tests used in carriage competition.
Note the use of the kicking strap which is very ornately shaped and decorated by the harness maker!
©Jeff Morse ~ 2009
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