Terret
Encyclopedia
A terret is a metal loop on horse harness
, guiding the rein
s and preventing them from becoming tangled or snagged on the harness.
The reins run from the hands of the driver, through the terrets, and then attach to the horse
's bit
to guide the horse. Most harness has two pairs of terrets, one on the harness saddle
, and one on the hame
s of the collar
(or on the neck-strap of a breast collar). Terrets are commonly made of brass
or steel
, and they may stand up stiffly, or they may consist of a hinged ring. They are usually circular, but may be U-shaped or square.
Where a horse is driven behind another (such as in a team of four or more, or in tandem
), each terret on the rear animal's harness may be divided into two, allowing the reins for the forward and rear animals to be kept separate. There may also be an additional pair of head terrets on the rear animal's bridle, taking the reins for the forward animal.
The word terret may also be used for other metal loops for attaching ropes or chains, such as the ring on a dog collar
. The word derives from the Old French toret or touret, meaning small and round.
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
, guiding the rein
Rein
Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.-Use for riding:...
s and preventing them from becoming tangled or snagged on the harness.
The reins run from the hands of the driver, through the terrets, and then attach to the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
's bit
Bit (horse)
A bit is a type of horse tack used in equestrian activities, usually made of metal or a synthetic material, and is placed in the mouth of a horse or other equid and assists a rider in communicating with the animal. It rests on the bars of the mouth in an interdental region where there are no teeth...
to guide the horse. Most harness has two pairs of terrets, one on the harness saddle
Harness saddle
A harness saddle is an element of horse harness which supports the weight of shafts or poles attaching a vehicle to a horse. Like other types of saddle, it lies on the horse's back directly behind the withers, often has an internal supportive framework, often called a saddle tree, and usually is...
, and one on the hame
Hame
Hame or hames may refer to:*Häme, a province of Finland*Hames, a pair of curved metal pieces lying on the horse collar of a horse harness, taking the pull from the traces...
s of the collar
Horse collar
A horse collar is a part of a horse harness device used to distribute load around a horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plow. The collar often supports and pads a pair of curved metal or wood pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached...
(or on the neck-strap of a breast collar). Terrets are commonly made of brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
or steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, and they may stand up stiffly, or they may consist of a hinged ring. They are usually circular, but may be U-shaped or square.
Where a horse is driven behind another (such as in a team of four or more, or in tandem
Tandem
Tandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
), each terret on the rear animal's harness may be divided into two, allowing the reins for the forward and rear animals to be kept separate. There may also be an additional pair of head terrets on the rear animal's bridle, taking the reins for the forward animal.
The word terret may also be used for other metal loops for attaching ropes or chains, such as the ring on a dog collar
Dog collar
A dog collar is a is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar might be used for control, identification, fashion, or other purposes. Identification tags and medical information is often placed on dog collars. Collars are also useful for controlling a dog manually, as they provide...
. The word derives from the Old French toret or touret, meaning small and round.
See also
- Horse tackHorse tackTack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack...
- Horse harnessHorse harnessA horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
- Draught horse
- Horse-drawn vehicleHorse-drawn vehicleA horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...