Vintage Horse & Tack Barns | Carriage Houses
These were also called carriage houses. They were built as a simple post and beam barn, or as elaborate as a home.
In fact many of them were converted to homes and sold off separate of the main house after the industrial revolution revolved into affordable automobile transportation.
Historical carriage houses are wonderful photographic icons, as they are beautiful and represent so much of our nostalgic heritage.
Some carriage houses were built with living quarters for upper class households that could afford staff to tend to the horses and chauffeur the homeowners around.
The horse and tack barn allowed the convenience to house horses, the tack and carriages all in one barn.
Today we walk out into the garage, jump in the car and go. On return we drive in shut off the ignition and we are done.
In early times horse and carriage barns took the place of the garage. Many new garages still reflect the theme of the old carriage house.
Many historical homes with a garage still in use probably once also served as the horse and carriage barn.
Horses were fed and housed ready to hitch to a carriage or buggy for the outing.
On return the carriage would need to be unhitched and the horses watered and feed before the trip was concluded.
Those who could afford well built carriage houses were able to keep everything inside and out of the elements.
The barn part of the carriage shed included a stable and feeding area for both horses and other livestock. Hay would be stored in a loft and then dropped down into the feeding troughs when needed.
The large vented cupola helped cool the downstairs by allowing hot heated air in the attic to escape through convection pulling in cooler air from the ground.
The barn would also include an area to hang up the tack, saddles, harnesses and bridles as well as a work area to take care of the horses including shoeing them.
Pictures are Courtesy of Cottage Craft Works .com old time country store.