Veterinary Past

Animal traction: a short review

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Abstract

A short description is given of different ways of using oxen, dogs, draught- and cart horses for traction, mainly in agriculture, in Western Europe in recent centuries. The primitive way of hauling with one animal evolved to complex systems with up to six horses for one carriage. The art attained a state of perfection around 1940-1950, before disappearing rapidly and completely, except for recreative use and in royal celebrations.