Bet that was an “exciting” drive…
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I am not a driver, but stumbled across this thread.
See attached. Anyone know what this object is? Have had it over 50 years, was given to my father, a real estate appraiser, by the owner of a farm he appraised. Don’t know why.
Looks like it attaches to a collar or piece of harness?
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Might be some sort of saddle bell? It would have attached to the back saddle of the harness, usually in between or using the terrets (rings) for the lines. Maybe?
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They go by “saddle bells” or terret bells as a specific name. They are the one I mentioned .that fit on the saddle part of the harness. The “legs” at the bottom have holes to put the screw part of the rein ring (terrets) thru and tighten down again. The arch of bells rises up over the horse’s back.
Most have a very light chiming ring, compared to the long strings of graduated bells that have a more “robust” ring. The sound carries well!
Probably a lot of “dashing”
There was a spoof of the Sleigh Ride song with a really funny cartoon that ran in (maybe?) the Morgan Horse magazine. It was framed in our friend’s house. This was probably the 1970s. I tried to search for it, but with no luck. I vaguely remember the horse in a sitting position between the shafts with eyes bugging out of his head.
I remember this line: “Wrassling with the colt, cussing cold and mad”
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Many years ago, for our Christmas Day rides, someone always showed up with a full string of bells on their riding horse as we assembled getting ready to hit the trails. Everyone would sigh and say “oh I looooooove bells!”, but by the end of the 3 hour ride, we were all sick to death of them.
A few years ago, I was seeking a less obnoxious bell and found a neat thing called a saddle chime. It was similar to the terret bells but it was a small cluster of three chimes that screwed in, and replaced the waterhook. It was small, brass, a little tinny sounding, but much easier on the ears for the duration of a drive.
It had a cute horse motif as well.
A dear friend admired it, so I gave them to her thinking I’d just buy another one for myself when the mood struck me. I can’t for the life of me figure out where I got them, and never saw them again — though I haven’t hunted hard.
I love having jingle bells on my cart when we drive! All year round!
I’ve put a strap of bells around horses necks, a strap with bells hanging off the carts, had individual “bear bells” on the harnesses, and tied individual jingle bells to tails. The horses definitely have to get used to the noise of bells BEFORE you put them on the cart! I’ve never had the “official” sleigh bells or tree saddle chimes, but they are beautiful too I’m sure.
Driving Bells make alotta noise, so be prepared for that!
J
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I remember one Christmas I went trail riding with my horse sporting new sleigh bells I had purchased.
After an hour I couldn’t take the noise anymore. Never used them again.
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Cool. Seems similar to a troika.
I love your bells. How do you fasten them to your horse-brass straps?
Lovely sound!
As soon as I started the audio track, my cat (in my lap) started looking all around, ears pricked – Here Comes Santa Claws? 
