I discovered that my strange piece of metal is known amongst the ploughing fraternity in this locality as a "hack" (There is some dispute as to the correct spelling), and Bertie showed me the one he was using. As "Ganaway" said - it links the horse, or horses, to the plough, or any other farm implement. The holes allow adjustments to be made to the geometry of how, and in what direction, the animals pull the device. We saw a pair of horses in the competition which were unequal in size and the ploughman confirmed he had altered the hack to account for their uneven pull.
But hold on - it's not the same as mine.
The "hack" used for ploughing.My version.
The Judge
Time to bring in a judge. Samuel McKee was one of the three judges for the horse ploughing class that day. A breeder of Clydesdales (he has seven at the moment) he is keen and knowledgeable about the history of the horse plough and, according to his wife Irene, has "dozens of them" . I described my hack to him. He explained that those we saw in use that day had two degrees of adjustment - horizontally, from side to side along the curved row of holes and also vertically, so the chain (The "swingle") could be hung from a series of barbs. This was the version all the ploughmen were using at the match. The heads were cast iron whereas mine was forged - probably by the local blacksmith.
Samuel explained that mine was not used for ploughing but for making potato drills. I asked him to date it. Apparently alterations were regularly made to horse ploughs about every 25 years or so and a device like mine appeared about 1850. My own copy he thought dated from around 1900. So now I know.
George Robertson and Marcus reunitedGeorge Robertson.We can't finish this article without a mention of the camp followers of horse ploughing. Yes these competitions have their own "groupies". One was George Robertson who had come over from Kilwinning in Ayrshire Scotland to watch Bertie in action. Or more importantly to watch Marcus the Clydesdale in action, for George sold Marcus to Mr Hanna about four years ago and now paid an annual visit to watch them working. Bertie reciprocated and regularly visits Scotland to see his old friend George horse ploughing over there.
Hook for horses hooves
Hey here's an interesting thing. Remember when we were boy scouts/girl guides, how we used to have penknives with prod things that were supposedly for digging stones out of horses hooves. We never used it. Well here's George's and yes he actually regularly uses the hook to get stones from his horses hooves. And here was me thinking it was just a rural myth.
Followers
And finally, especially of interest to you "Ganaway", we met three local ladies, the Lyons sisters, Dolly (McRoberts), Netta (Tullogh) and Isabel Lyons. They were there especially to watch the Hanna team. During a lull they brought out mugs and flasks for us all (Thelwell Ponies on the mugs of course) and over tea and sandwiches they told us they were born and brought up in the home farm at nearby Ganaway. This is now a caravan park, but a nearby house has taken on the name of their old farmhouse and is called "Ganaway House".
So I guess you come from that part of the world "Ganaway". You don't happen to be the policeman who caught me speeding through Portavogie that afternoon do you?
Your responses to this article
"I read with interest this article about ploughing and the different 'hacks' used. In the explanation of differences between two examples it was stated that 'the connecting chain (the Swingle) could be attached to various barbs. Can anyone offer any information about the naming of the chain 'the SWINGLE'? Did the name originate in Ireland, England or perhaps Scotland? Any idea when the term may have first been used?
I have heard of a Swingle Bar (a wooden instrument for beating flax), and a Swingletree (a crossbar pivoted in the middle, to which the traces are attached in a cart, plough, etc.) but this is the first time I have encountered the name used for a chain.
My family name is SWINGLE - hence my interest.
Kind regards from Australia"
If you think you can provide some answers click on 'Swingle (chain)' link at the bottom of the page.
© MMIX