Sleigh bells
Posted by Mike in MI at 2014-11-14 08:04:10
Talking with the kids last night about sleigh bells. Anyone know why they came to be? We thought maybe it was to alert others that a team was coming?
Response by Jenny at 2014-11-14 10:48:22
Safety thing. Roads were narrow, snow is quiet. Curves were sharp. There were lots more pedestrians in those days and they weren't too keen about getting run over.
Response by grey at 2014-11-14 11:33:21
Yes, sleigh bells announce your presence in an otherwise silent or muffled setting.
Response by CIW at 2014-11-14 19:22:31
Bells were a form of calling card. Everyone had thier own combination of chimes and bells. The mailman had his. The peddler had a signature with his also as well as many others.
It was a way of communicating.
A team and harness would come and go but the harness bells and chimes were and are something that is passed through the generations.
Response by M. Burley at 2014-11-14 20:37:39
Some say it's still a law in N.Y.S. Don't know for sure. We like to use them.
Response by Mike in MI at 2014-11-15 19:15:31
Thanks all. I've got 3 sets, so maybe I ought to choose one as my signature.
Response by Dave Schulz at 2014-11-16 12:00:29
When I pull sleigh loads of tourists in the dark, I often talk to them about how quiet the sleigh really is and how bells had practical purpose as a saftey device. When we do run with with bells I kind of get sick of hearing people sing JINGLE BELLS
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