Description: Long, rounded and narrow wooden piece with three metal rings. Marked "3831."
Whippletrees were used to balance the pulls on draught animals, or working animals when transporting a plough or log, for example. Singletrees were a special kind of whippletree but the term also referred to whippletrees in general. For two animals working side by side, a double-tree was the term used. A whippletree consisted of a wooden or metal bar behind the animal with traces, or straps attached to the ends.
REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whippletree_%28draught%29 |