John Bortz-37 -- A 19th Century Pay It Forward Tale

I became acquainted with John Bortz, several years ago when I discovered that my great-great grandfather James William Whipkey was living with him on his farm in 1870. I speak about him as if I knew him personally, because, through my research, I feel like I have begun to know him as well as anyone can, nearly a century after his death. Genealogical research, as anyone who pursues it can tell you (or their friends and family who have to endure hearing about their latest discoveries) is an obsession. One fact, or person, leads to a desire to discover the truth about another fact or person hinted at through the research. Such was the case with John Bortz-37. (I began to call him that as he was born in 1837 as a type of short-hand to differentiate him from the other men living in his area with the name John Bortz.)

My ancestor James Whipkey had endured hardship as a young boy when his father, William Wipke, who had gone off to fight the Civil War for three years, returned to his family briefly, before disappearing. His absence put the family in severe financial distress, and by 1870, Sarah, (James’ mother) was desperate to provide for her children. She had two of her youngest children with her but Emma had died of Scarlet fever; her son Joseph was in the Poorhouse; her other son, Henry, had been in the Poorhouse but was signed out once indentured to George Roth; and James was fostered to John Bortz. Seven years later, Sarah tragically took her own life. The Coroner’s Report stated that she had been ill and despondent for many years following the disappearance of her husband, and had been struggling to feed her family. Just prior to her death, she was selling what little property remained to her in order to qualify her family for admittance to the Poorhouse again. 

In better times, when the family was all together
 and prior to William Wipke's leaving for the Civil War.

Due to these circumstances, James Whipkey never had the benefit of the presence of a father in his life. It would seem that John Bortz filled that role for some time. The records only tell that James was living with the Bortz family at the time of the census, so there is no way to tell how long he lived there. But it would seem that John Bortz remained in his life as they both are buried in the same churchyard. James lived for quite some time in the vicinity of John Bortz’ farm, according to family lore. It is my belief that John Bortz filled the role of father for James Whipkey.

One can fairly assume that John Bortz might have taken in the young boy of twelve in order to assist in the work on his large farm. Certainly James was put to work on the farm, as all young boys were at the time and there were several other people living on the farm at the time. This includes an elderly retired farmer, a young lady working as a domestic servant, and another 18 year old man. Neither of the young men are identified as farm labor. It would seem that John Bortz-37 had a habit of taking in strays and this led me to discover more about him and his motives for fostering my ancestor.

In an effort to understand more about this man, I needed to know about his origins, so I began to research his early years. During these times, it was not uncommon for family members to take in and raise the children of their kin. I wondered if perhaps James was somehow related to John Bortz through his mother’s line. James Whipkey’s ancestry on his mother’s side includes such names as Seip, Miller, Kemmerer, and Zellner. I was aware that there was some Bortz family who inter-married with the Kemmerers, so I pursued this lead by researching church records for Sarah, James’ mother.

Sarah (Seip) Whipkey was raised in South Whitehall Township and this is where she is found in 1860, shortly after marrying William Wipke. Her baptismal record is found in the Jordan Lutheran Evangelical Church records. This church was established in 1734 and was the church which most of Sarah’s family attended for several generations.

Like many of these early churches, the Lutheran and Reformed congregations shared the use and expense of the church, and the churches were called “Union” churches. (Many of these churches and the Reformed churches are now part of the United Church of Christ.) This arrangement continued for numerous years until 1752, when the Reformed members broke away and constructed their own church about a mile away. The Lutheran church is located in Orefield, South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania and was originally called “The Lutheran Congregation at Macungie, Bucks County.” (The county and township names and lines have changed since those days.) The Reformed church is also located in South Whitehall Township at the edge of Allentown at 1837 Church Road, Allentown, PA 18104.

A search of the baptismal records for John Bortz-37 revealed that he was from the same area as James’ mother. John Bortz’s birth date is known from his burial records at Zionsville. Using this I was able to locate his birth and baptismal in the Records of Jordan Reformed Congregation, South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, 1765-1858. (This record is available at the Lehigh County Historical Society Library in Allentown, PA as well as for paying subscribers to Ancestry.com.) The record reveals that John Henry Bortz was born on September 18, 1837 and baptized on November 5, 1837. His father is noted as John Bortz, his mother is Mary Reinhard, and there is a notation that the child was illegitimate.

John Bortz-37 Baptismal record

This information led me to look for John Bortz-37’s father, who likely lived in the same area. While there were several men with the name John Bortz in the area, the only one who looked to be of the correct age was John Bortz, who was born in 1815. His birth record is found in the Jordan Lutheran Evangelical Church records. He is the son of Johannes Bortz who was born in 1772 and Anna Maria Kemmerer. The elder Johannes was baptized and is buried in the Jordan Lutheran churchyard. The fact that his wife was a Kemmerer, closely related to James Whipkey’s mother, intrigued me and helped to support the theory that James was placed with kin to raise in 1870. Still, this was not conclusive evidence that John Bortz-1815 was the father of John Bortz-37.

According to the genealogical standards set forth by the Board of Certification for Genealogists published in The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual, it would be incorrect to conclude that John-37 is the son of John-1815 without further proof. These standards recommend “an exhaustive search” of the evidence and it can be supported that I did conduct such a search by ruling out any male named John Bortz who lived in the area where John-37 was born. But in order to definitely make the statement that John-1815 was the correct person, I would need clear evidence. That evidence was found in the will papers for John-1815.

John Bortz, who was born in 1815, died on February 3, 1886 near Trexlertown in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He owned a large farm where he raised his family. The 1850 Federal Census shows that after fathering a child on Maria Reinhard, he relocated south to the Trexlertown area. His eldest child, a son named John, was nine years old at the time.  From this we can infer that he married his wife, Judith Steininger before 1841, or four years after the birth of John-37. By 1880, John is still living on the farm assisted by his son Theodore. On August 6, 1883, he wrote his will and designated his executor – his son-in-law Franklin Stephen (the husband of his daughter Ellen S.C. Bortz, who is identified in the will and census records as Elmina). In this document, he provides for his wife in her widowhood and leaves money to the son of his deceased son. Additionally, he orders that one share each of his estate be given to his son, Theodore and daughter Elmina. On the last page he includes a clause that states  that should his son Theodore and daughter Elmina die without heirs, that their shares should be assigned to “John Bortz (a son of Mary Reinhard) of Upper Milford, Lehigh County (near Buckhorn tavern)” and his heirs forever. This document provides conclusive evidence that John Bortz, born in 1815 and the son of Johannes Bortz is the father of Maria Reinhard's illegitimate son, John Bortz, born in 1837.

Portion of John Bortz-1815 will mentioning
his illegitimate son John Bortz-37

While Theodore did die with heirs, Elmina did not and there is no evidence in her husband’s will that he left anything to John Bortz-37. He was a wealthy man worth over $82,000 at the time of his death. He left one of his large estates to a man who helped him on that farm for many years. Records show he also owned the Bortz farm (of John 1815) consisting of 125 acres and worth over $21, 000. This and other properties were liquidated to settle the estate. Elmina, aka Ellen S.C. (Bortz) Stephen, did leave a will and in it she mentions a John Bortz, but this is likely the same child mentioned in her husband’s will who was the son of her deceased brother. Still, it is possible that she left provision for her half-brother for her will includes the words “"share that I owe him." One can only be hopeful that is the case and her father’s last acknowledgement of his bastard son was not forgotten.

It seemed that John Bortz-37 did well enough for himself, without the inheritance of his father. A search of census records reveals that in 1850 and 1860, John is living with the family of Israel Larosch near Dillingersville in Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. (This area is just south of where he was born.)  Research on this family reveals that Israel’s mother was a Bortz and his wife is a Reinhard. Both families connect directly to John Bortz. Also in the house are John George Reinhard and Joshua Reinhard. (Research at this time has not directly connected them to Israel’s wife or John Bortz.) It appears that kin took in and raised John Bortz.

John’s mother Maria is not found in these records with her son. A search for her reveals that a Mary Reinhard, 54, is living with J. Reinhard, 70 in South Whitehall Township. This could be John’s mother, but at this time, it has not been proven. At any rate, we know that John is not being raised by his mother. Like James Whipkey, he is being fostered by another family.

By July 1, 1863, John is married and living on his own, evidenced by the information he provided for his Civil War registration record. In the next year, he appears on tax rolls as owning a farm and in 1870, the census finds him farming near Shimersville in Lower Milford Township. By this time, he has started a family and has a son and two daughters. This is also the time period when he took in James Whipkey.



John Bortz-37 Tombstone
Zionsville, Lehigh Co, PA

By 1880, John was no longer caring for James, who was 20 years old and working on another farm, but he continued to take in strays. According to the 1880 and 1900 Federal Censuses, there is a young man listed as part of his household in both censuses. John remained in Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania until his death in 1921. At that time, he was still on his farm, but his daughter and son-in-law had taken over farming. He was 82 years old, and was buried in the Old Zionsville Cemetery (also known as the Upper Milford Reformed Church) in Zionsville, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. No will records have been found for him at this time, but judging from the size of his monument, he was well respected and affluent enough to warrant an impressive tombstone.

While there does seem to be a family connection between John Bortz and James Whipkey, it seems that John Bortz motive for taking in and raising a stranger’s child was motivated by his own life experiences and generosity. His life reflected a practice of helping others, and he himself came from a disadvantaged background. Though John was not familiar with the popular buzz-word/phrase “To pay it forward,” it certainly seems that this is exactly what he did in the case of James Whipkey. He must have seen himself in James as a young man – lacking a father to guide him and encourage him to rise above his condition. And he stepped into the role and helped my ggrandfather to be a successive man himself.

James Whipkey did not stay in the farming profession but went on to work for the Railroad. He stayed in that profession all his life. It seemed he followed in John Bortz-37 tradition of helping others.  The 1900 Federal Census  reveals that James and his wife Sarah opened their home to a boarder – a young woman by the name of Jeannie M Rader, 22. They continued to do this - the 1910 Federal census shows that they allowed David Slack, a widower, to stay with them. One might argue that they were simply collecting money from a boarder to help make ends meet, but their house was small and James was gainfully employed.  I would rather think that James was “paying forward” the generosity and support he received as a young child from John Bortz-37.

And so, the mystery of John Bortz-37 has been solved. One story is told, while others yet remain. It is ever that way – in Genealogy.

Tombstone and final resting place of
James William Whipkey and Sarah Gehman
Zionsville, PA

 

The Training of a WarHorse -Part One

Riding Danny to the win at Champs in 2013

This month, I attended the Æthelmearc Kingdom Equestrian Championship which was hosted by the Stormsport event – War Muster and Æthelmearc Academy. The event was held at Albion Fairgrounds west of Erie, Pennsylvania. I have entered this competition every year (except one) since the Kingdom started holding it and won it in 2013. At that time, the competition was also held at Albion and I was riding my buckskin horse Danny .For several years I had been letting my students ride Danny for this event as he had become an accomplished war horse and I wanted them to have a good experience. In 2013, I decided maybe it was a good idea to ride my own horse, who I had spent a great deal of time training, in the championship in a real effort to win. Until this time, I had been competing on greener horses that were still learning. Danny carried me to the win that day.

Rex, my champion mount in 2015

Two years later, I was eligible to compete again (Champions cannot compete in successive years). For the last few years I had been training one of my other horses - Rex, a half-Arabian gelding - and he was showing real promise, becoming a confident and skilled mount. Rex is the type of horse that you don’t bully or push around. He is intelligent, but sensitive. When he makes a mistake, a simple correction is usually enough to let him know he did wrong. A stern word usually suffices where another horse may need a smart smack on the neck. Rex doesn’t easily forgive rough treatment. Hence his training needed to progress slowly, allowing him the time to learn and figure things out himself, without being forced to accept the situation.  Slowly and methodically, he was introduced to the various tests of skill that we practice in the SCA such as the Quintain, Heads course, as well as Mounted Archery and Combat. This method of training for this horse was validated when Rex carried me to the win in this year’s Championship. That success was confirmation that Rex had what it takes to be a real champion.

In these competitions, the rider’s skills are certainly important, but the ability of the horse and its suitability for this work are paramount. A fait rider can turn in a respectable score on a trained warhorse, while the most skilled rider can score low on a newer or untrained horse. As in period, the success of the mounted warrior is dependent upon his/her mount. A well trained war horse is extremely valuable and the time it takes to properly train a war horse is time well spent.

In this blog I will attempt to chronicle the training of a warhorse from start to finish. Because Rex is already well into his training, as are most of my other horses, this series will focus on the mounts of two of my students. These horses are currently under training for use in the SCA. Both, interestingly enough, are mares. This is noteworthy because for the last decade I have kept geldings on the farm nearly to exclusion of the female sex of this species. This is not because I have any particular dislike for mares, but because in the past, my geldings have acted like idiots when I had mares on the farm. Distracted and behaving like pubescent teenagers, they were difficult to train and keep to a routine. Perhaps now that they are older, they don’t seem as interested and have been more tolerant of the mares. And so, for the first time in a decade, mares and geldings are sharing space on the Ravenstar farm, though in separate paddocks.

Mira is a ten year old Haflinger mare who came to the farm last year. She bears the typical sorrel Haflinger coloration with a lovely dark coloration and a bright flaxen mane. Mira is a small mare, sticking at 12.3 hands, but is stout, weighing about 700 pounds. She was purchased through a local horse dealer who picked her up at an auction in southern Ohio. When she came, she was sick, which is not uncommon with auction exposed horses, and was overweight and a bit cresty. Because she is prone to Insulin Resistance (IR), she now wears a grazing muzzle when out on the grass. She had been ridden but was completely unschooled. She did not know how to neck rein and had never been cantered under saddle. Like most members of her breed, she was pushy on the ground and needed to learn good manners and handling. The first few months of her training consisted of flat work in the ring and trail riding.

The second subject of this study is a nine year old draft cross, Luna. This mare is most likely a Percheron/Paint cross. This determination is based on her body shape, confirmation, markings and skin type. The mare is a rose grey with some pied marking; about 14.3 hands and weighs about 1150 pounds. She came to the farm this June from a farm in Maryland. Her prior owner had her several years, using her for trail riding. The mare hadn’t been ridden much and was generally on her own program. Hence she was willful and reluctant to work. Because of this, my student was having difficulties handling the mare and getting her to work. It was determined that it would be best for both the mare and him that she be transported to my farm for a summer’s worth of training. My student, Morien, is an incredibly motivated and enthusiastic rider, but having only begun to ride last year, he is still very green and not experienced enough to train a horse as green as Luna. Green horse – Green Rider, as the saying goes, is never a good combination.

Both these mares underwent similar ground training. This training covered basic obedience from the ground – how to walk next to the handler quietly and calmly, responsive to their cues. The most important thing both needed to learn was to stand patiently at the halt, and not to crowd or push the handler. Both mares had a tendency to do this, attempting to dominate the handler. Horses are herd animals and rank in the herd is an important aspect of their existence. Horses need and want to know where they stand in that hierarchy, and this includes their relationship with a human who they see as part of their herd. Just like in training dogs, who are also social animals, it is important that the horse see the human as being at the top of that hierarchy. This is not achieved though harsh physical domination but by consistent handling and establishing clear boundaries which the human will not tolerate the horse violating. Hence, when training both mares, I consistently rewarded appropriate behavior and corrected undesirable behavior. When the mares walked quietly, at a respectful distance from me, keeping pace with me, I rewarded them with a soft voice and pats to the neck. Willful or resistant behavior was met with a stern word, a sharp tug on the lead, or even a smack to the neck. Within a few short sessions, both mares responded well.

Mira is still working on patience as she tends to get restless when standing.  Like a hyper-active child, she fusses and moves around and has to be reminded to stand patiently. This is an on-going training for her which will have to be continued for some time. She will likely always have a tendency to be inpatient as this is part of her personality, but with consistent handling, she will do just fine. Luna, on the other hand, possesses the draft’s cooler temperament, and is content to stand for long periods of time, enjoying the occasional petting and soothing word from her handler.

This ground handling it critical to the training of a war horse. Obedience, patience, waiting for the rider’s commands – these are all important when handling a horse on the ground; and equally so when riding a horse. In riding a war horse, where the rider is handling weapons such as a long lance or sharpened spear, these qualities become critical. As a Classical Training, I relay on the principles of classical conditional and time-honored traditions and techniques. Rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior is the cornerstone of this training.

Reward comes in the form of a gentle soothing voice, a scratch in a favorite spot or a gentle pat on the neck. I do not believe in bribing horses with treats especially as I think that hand-feeding leads to nipping and lets the horse know that it is appropriate to mouth or put their teeth on a human. Therefore, I do not use treats as a reward. If students want to give their favorite mount a treat, I will allow them to place an apple in the horse’s manager after the ride, but not hand feed it. In this way the student feels good about how they thanked the horse for a good ride, and the horse gets the treat, but no bad behavior are reinforced.

Reward is just important as punishment, perhaps more so.
A gentle pat or caress goes a long way to reinforcing good behavior.

Punishment is immediate, short and clear, but humane. A stern word is sufficient for some horses, like Rex, to remind them that they have over-stepped a boundary or been forgetful. Some horses need a sharp smack to the side of the neck, while more sullen or spoiled horses may need a sharp rap with a crop or whip. None of this punishment should be delivered in anger, but only as reinforcement of a request by the rider or a reminder to the horse to stay obedient. This reward and punishment needs to be consistent.

I also follow the Rule of Three, or Progressive Stimuli. In other words, the first time I ask a horse to do something, such as to take the trot from the walk, I ask nicely, with the least amount of stimuli. In this example, I use a gentle pressure with my calf on the horse’s flank. If the horse responds appropriately and trots, the aid is stopped. The removal of the stimulus is a reward in itself. If the horse does not respond, I ask a second time, more forcibly. In this instance, I would apply a stronger leg aid. If the horse fails to respond a second time, the third stimuli is much more sharp and demanding. In this instance, I would strongly kick the horse, demanding the trot. The stimulus is sharp, quick and to the point. With consistent repetition, the horse learns to respond to the lighter cue or aid and the rider does not end up flailing the horse or constantly and annoyingly battering their horse’s sides with their legs.

Working the mares in the ring with their owners,
my students Rowena (Crystal) and Morien (Stephen).

Both mares were worked on the ground in this manner, taught to lead, stand quietly, tie and cross-tie. They learned to be patient during grooming, tolerate fly spray and learn trust. On the ground, I expose them to a variety of potentially scary objects, such a tarps, blankets, plastic, rattling things, etc. This starts their war horse training and reinforces good manners on the ground. I introduced these objects to the mares, reassuring them with my voice and hand, and expecting obedience in the form of them standing quietly and not fussing. The mares learned that I would not harm them or expect them to confront things that would harm them. This training on the ground carries over to work under saddle. This begins to establish a trust relationship with the horse so that when faced with a scary obstacle under saddle later, the mares would rely on that established relationship to confront new obstacles in the future.

The next installment will cover the beginning ring work with both mares. Like the ground work, this type of training would provide a foundation for the mares’ later war horse training.

Early Period Medieval Bridle

This is the documentation for a early period medieval bridle which was made to be used in SCA Equestrian activities. This project was also entered in the Ice Dragon Pent in 2010.

Background

The use of bridles to control and guide a horse by the rider has been documented back into ancient times. The first archeological proof of the existence of a bridle is an antler and rope bit found dating well into the ancient world. Bridle design has changed little over the centuries, generally consisting of a control device in the mouth (bit), a piece of rope, leather or cloth, to hold the bit in the horse's mouth and on its head (headstall), and lines that run from the bit to the rider's hands (reins).

Bridle parts

The focus of this study and project was to replicate a bridle from the early Middle Ages, specifically the 11th Century. Many of the sources include illuminated manuscripts, paintings from the period, and the Bayeux Tapestry. The latter provides an excellent view of life in the 11th Century and has been used by recreationists for many years as a source of research into life after the 1066 Norman conquest of England which is depicted in the Tapestry. (In the remainder of this article, the Bayeux Tapestry will be referred to as "the Tapestry" for brevity.) It includes numerous scenes depicting horses and their equipment. The bridle created in this project is meant to closely represent the bridles found in the Tapestry.

 

Because of the degrade-able nature of the materials, few extant bridles from the period are available for examination. In his book, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment, John Clark discusses bridle remains from the digs near London. These date into the early Middle Ages, and give us a glimpse of what bridles were made of during this period. Buckles, bits, bridle bosses (circular pieces of metal used to secure parts of the bridle and serve as decorations), and fragments of leather are pieces that were discovered during these digs. From this source, we know that buckles were used, and what types of bits were in use during this period. We also confirm the use of leather for headstall and reins pieces.

 

Bits consist of two main types, the snaffle bit and the curb bit. The common O-ring snaffle bit (as shown above in the bridle parts illustration) consists of a ring that attaches to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece can be jointed or solid. The reins attach to the rings which works directly on the horse's mouth. Snaffle bits can have different attachments for the reins and headstall, but essentially work the same despite these small differences. The second type of bit is the curb bit (shown on the right). This consists of a shank which attaches to the rings that connect to the mouthpiece. The reins are attached at the end of the shank, usually to smaller rings on the bottom. Again the mouthpiece can be jointed or solid. The example shows a common mouthpiece for a curb bit - the port. This raised portion of the bit acts upon the roof of the horse's mouth when activated, and also provides a space for the horse's tongue. This bit works on exerting leverage to the horse's mouth, and also acts on the top of the horse' head, called the poll, by pulling down on the headstall.  Usually this bit is used with a chain or piece of leather that passes under the horse's chin, called the chinstrap.

 

A third type of bit is really a combination of the two main styles and is called the Pelham bit. It has two sets of rein attachment rings. One activates direct pressure on the mouth as in the snaffle. A second set attaches to the lower rings, for leverage pressure on the mouth that is generated by the curb portion of the bit. 

 

Bit types have changed very little over the centuries. Evidence from archeological digs and paintings of the period reveals that snaffle, curb and pelham bits were in use throughout the Middle Ages. The Bayeux Tapestry reveals that the curb bit was used frequently by the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans, as it is the most common style found in the work.  

Snaffle bit recovered from London digs
 as documented in Clark's book, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment.^[1]

 

Pelham bit shown in 16^th century^[2]

The example of a curb bit on the left comes from the Bayeux Tapestry.

 

 



Pelham bit shown in
Gaston Phoebus'  "The Hunting Book"^[3]

The headstall consists of a simple strap that attaches to the bit and holds the bridle on the horse's head. Some have additional features, such as a nose band, which encircles the horse's muzzle area, and a brow band, which passes over the horse's forehead. (See illustration above.) Others include a throatlatch, which passes under the horse's neck in the throat area (hence the name), and aids in keeping the bridle on the horse's face. Some bridles have a bridle boss attachment which secures the brow band and/or throatlatch to the main part of the headstall.  

 

Throatlatches become very common throughout the middle of the period and are usually found on most modern bridles. (Note the presence of throatlatches in the pelham examples above.) But an examination of the Bayeux Tapestry reveals that throatlatches were not in use during the 11th century. There appears to be only one example of a throatlatch in the many bridles displayed in the Tapestry. (Note the depiction from the Bayeux Tapestry above which has no throatlatch.) Inversely, the use of nosebands in the Tapestry is very common, while later period sources usually show bridles without nosebands. Brow bands are common in most sources. This piece prevents the headstall from sliding back onto the horse's neck which would have created painful, unintended pressure on the bit, and rendered the horse uncontrollable. So rarely are bridles found without them. (All the examples above show the use of brow bands.) A variation of a browband is a design where the ears are encircled by leather, similar to eared headstalls in use in modern day western riding.

 

Bridle bosses which attach the browband and throatlatch, when used, are usually solid pieces of metal riveted or otherwise attached to the leather. (Examples can be seen in the bridles pictured above.)Sometimes, simple rings are used to which the leather is attached. Both methods are commonly found throughout the period.  

An example of what appears to be ring
 attachment from the Bayeux Tapestry -
 note the color of the horse's skin showing through the ring

 

The noseband can be similarly attached, using rings, but is more commonly found attached by sewing or riveting directly to the headstall. The reins are usually attached by sewing onto the bit rings, riveting or through the use, in later periods, of special bit/rein attachments. (See illustration below which depicts several types of these rein attachments that were used in later period.)

 

Illustrations showing elaborate rein attachments
 as well as rein chains in pic #7.^[4]

While cloth bridles were commonly found in China and Japan during the feudal period, and rope was used in more primitive times, the most common material for bridle construction in the Middle Ages was leather. In the later years of the period, reins were armored, i.e. covered in metal, to prevent being cut by an opponent. More commonly, the reins were made of leather which ended in chains which were attached to the bit. These rein chains were lighter than armored reins, and still afforded protection to the rein in the area most likely to be cut, where they directly attached to the bit. These chains were also more durable and resistant to rot or damage when the horse dipped its muzzle into the water to drink. Repeated dippings of leather rein ends can result in rotting and breaking of the reins where they attach to the bit. This style of rein chains survived into the common age, in western riding, though since the 1960's has been less commonly seen in use. Reins were also later decorated in the heraldic colors of the rider, matching the barding (cloth covering) on the horse's body.

 

The Project

 

The object of this project was to replicate a bridle that would have been used in the 11th century.   My research into medieval horse equipment has focused on the early period styles and methods.  Before exploring later styles, I felt it was important to understand how this equipment evolved through the period. Hence my focus on early period equipment. It was also my intent to make a complete set of equipment, as authentic as possible, to use on my horses in SCA equestrian activities. I hope to encourage more research into this area by others in the program, and hope that they, too, will make authentic reproductions for use, thereby enhancing the equestrian program in Æthelmearc.

 

The bridle I decided to make would be patterned as closely as possible to those depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, as this is the earliest reliable source for bridles of the period. Obviously, it would consist of a leather headstall. Research shows that a brow band was commonly used, as was a noseband.  Both snaffle and curb bits were depicted in the Tapestry. I choose to use the combination bit, the Pelham, as it would prove more versatile, being able to be used in a variety of horses. Some ride better in a snaffle, while others required a stronger bit such as the curb. I wanted to make a bridle that would be useable on more than one horse.

 

(Note:While I would have liked to use hand forged reproductions of the metal parts such as the buckles and bit, since I have yet to acquire that skill, I had to be satisfied with commercially made recycled pieces.  I tried to find pieces that were as close as possible to what would have been used in period.) 

 

Leather was attached in the bridle in several ways throughout the period. Sewing and riveting were common, and both methods were depicted in the Tapestry. I decided to sew the leather in my project. Thus the reins are attached to the rings and the headstall to the bit through sewing, using waxed linen thread, a commonly used item in modern horse equipment. In the medieval period, waxed linen thread or animal sinew was commonly used. I also sewed the single buckle of the project to the headstall.

 

This leads me to the subject of the option of changing the headstall size. An examination of depictions of bridles in the Tapestry and many illuminated manuscripts show that, unlike modern bridles, there were not adjustments by use of buckles along the sides of the headstall, at least not in early period bridles. Because of this, some researchers believed that the headstall had no adjustment and bridles must have been made specifically for each horse - in other words, fitted for individual horses. This is both impractical and too expensive to seem feasible. In modern days, a well supplied riding stable has separate bridles assigned to individual lesson horses. This is usually for the benefit of trainers and students, who have to ensure the right equipment is on the right horse, and prevent having to re-adjust bridles to fit each horse prior to use. A nicely designed tack room contains individually labeled bridle racks with the horse's name for easy identification of that horse's bridle.  Most "backyard" stables don't have this luxury, instead use a bridle for several horses, adjusting the fit as needed. 

Most likely, in the medieval period, bridles were not made exclusively for each horse as the cost would be too high. After considerable research, I found several examples from the Maciejowski Bible which reveal a buckle and strap adjustment at the top of the headstall, behind the horse's ears. The examples shown come from the source, Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons.
 

I decided to incorporate this design into my own project. I would also include a brow band and noseband. The noseband would be attached directly to the headstall in the fashion I had found in the sources and replicated by other researchers. The leather for the noseband passes through the looped attachment to the bit, and is stitched together. There is no adjustment so I measured several horses to ensure it would be large enough, but not too large as to be floppy, when used on a variety of horses. 

Noseband attachment shown in the source, Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons.  Note also the stitching clearly visible.

A common method of attaching the brow band to the headstall is by sewing it directly onto the headstall, or attaching it by means of a bridle boss or ring, as noted above. Because I was trying to make this bridle fully adjustable, I had to look deeper at the concept of browband attachment and design. If I affixed the browband permanently through the use of sewing or riveting, it would not allow for adjustment of the browband when the headstall was shortened or lengthened for use on different horses. I considered a design by another researcher for her conjectural medieval bridle, which incorporated a sliding design using a ring attachment (shown at the right).^[6]

This design uses a throatlatch, so I could not replicate it exactly as shown, but altered the design slightly to work on my throatlatch-less bridle. Once completed, it tested out to work on a variety of horses. The ring attachment is clearly visible in the Tapestry and therefore is a period application.

The final project not only looks like a period piece, but it functioned quite well when tried out on a real horse.

Author's horse Rex
wearing the bridle

---

Endnotes:
1. John Clark, ed.  The Medieval Horse and its Equipment 1150-1450. (Woodbridge: Museum of London, 1995).  49.
2. Clark, John, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment.  45.
3. Illuminated Manuscripts, Medieval Hunting Scenes (AThe Hunting Book@ by Gaston Phoebus), trans. J Peter Tallon. (Barcelona: Printer Industria Grafica, 1978).64.
4. Wagner, Drobna, and Durdik. Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons. Plate 28, Part IX.
5. Richard Barber  & Juliet Barker.  Tournaments, Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages.  (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2000) 174.
6. How to make bridles By Madonna Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari, http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/bridle.html

Sources:

Ayton,  Andrew. Knights and Warhorses: Military Service and the English Aristocracy under Edward III. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1994.

Barber , Richard & Juliet Barker.  Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages, Woodbridge: The Boydell Press,2000.

Clark,  John ed. The Medieval Horse and its Equipment, c. 1150‑c.1450. NY:Woodbridge: Museum of London, 1995.

Davis, R.H.C.  The Medieval Warhorse: Origin, Development and Redevelopment.  NY: Thames and Hudson,1989.

Dent,  Anthony Austen. The Horse Through Fifty Centuries of Civilization. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1974.

Illuminated Manuscripts, Medieval Hunting Scenes ("The Hunting Book" by Gaston Phoebus), trans. J Peter Tallon. Barcelona: Printer Industria Grafica, 1978.

Pyhrr, LaRocca, and Breiding.  The Armored Horse in Europe, 1480‑1620.  NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005.
Rud, Morgan.  The Bayeux Tapestry and the Battle of Hastings 1066. Copenhagen: Christian Eilers, 1992.
Wagner, Drobna, and Durdik.  Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc, 2000.
Wilson, David A. The Bayeux Tapestry.  London: Thames & Hudson, 1985.
Website: Atlantian MOAS site (links), Jan 2009, <http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=56>
Website on 13^th Century Horse Equipment, Jan 2010,  <http://www.mountedknights.com/conroi/13thCenturyMilitaryHorseEquipment.pdf>
Website - Article: How to make bridles By Madonna Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari, 2005, Jan 2010, <http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/bridle.html>
Website: The Bayeux Tapestry, March 2010,<http://hastings1066.com/>
Website: Britain=s Bayeux Tapestry at the Museum of Reading, March 2010, http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/

A Laurel's Appreciation

Because I believe it is important to thank those who have had an impact on our lives or played a major role in our life's events, I penned this thank you after the occasion of my Elevation to the Order of the Laurel. For those who are not members of the SCA, this Order is the highest level of award that can be received for one's participation in the Arts and Sciences in the SCA. There are many people who inspired me and helped me to achieve the level of skill for which I was recognized. But this posting was about the people who made this special day possible. They are the ones who made The Dream come alive! And so, they deserve my thanks.

After a week of crusading in the south, traveling great distances to get there and return and then journeying to the lands of much snow with a whirlwind of activity and surprise, my mind is still a bit addled. As has been noted on the wires, this past Saturday, I was honored with induction into the Order of the Laurel for my research and work in the equestrian arts and sciences. There are many people I would thank for their role in this. If I forget anyone, it is merely because my brain is still addled.

Thank You :

To the Order for deeming me worthy to be included in their ranks. There are many people in this Order who I hold in high regard - some of you are my role models while others I hold in such esteem that I could never hope to equal your nobility. To be regarded by the order's members as your Peer, is an honor beyond measuring.  To their Majesties, for Elevating me in their Court and for their kindness and support. And to Their Highnesses, for that same support and for fighting nicely with Their Majesties over the timing of my Elevation. I am honored by you all and proud to serve in your Courts. To those who orchestrated the whole affair and apparently knew about this for several months and managed to keep it secret.

For those who don't know, they set up a ruse that the Æthelmearc Equestrians  were doing an equestrian display at Ice Dragon so they got me to bring all my equestrian arts stuff. Several people commented to me how amusing it was that they got me to set up my own vigil. And then the plan was to get me in court to be served my writ by telling me that the Crown wanted to present me with my Pelican jacket in court. Due to a backlog in supplies for the embroidery, Mistress Tiercelin had been unable to finish it in time for my Pelican elevation, so she wanted to give it to me this past weekend in court. And of course, I agreed, because her work is exquisite and deserves to be seen and presented formally. So yes, I fell for that ruse too. So, when I went into court to receive my jacket she had already embroidered the laurel leaves on it. The King was to lay it upon my shoulders, but he carefully hid the back as he walked around behind me and showed it to the assembled populace. Oh yes, I heard their "ooos" and "ahhhhs" as they responded to seeing the laurel leaves, knowing I was to be served with my writ to consider elevation to the Laurel. But of course, I figured they were all just marveling at the beautiful work of Mistress Tiercelin. The Queen joined in on the deception as she engaged me in conversation to distract me from the fact that the King was silently assembling the Order of the Laurel at my back. When he urged me to turn around to look at the jacket, they were already there and the King taunted me with the jacket, telling me it was mine...but not yet! Very sneaky! The whole lot of them! But I love them all - for all the efforts they made to surprise me and make this special. Their efforts speak of their affection for me and I am so thankful for that!

Mistress Tiercelin at my Pelican Elevation

I cannot possibly thank Mistress Tiercelin enough. She orchestrated this mess. She made my jacket which now bears the emblems of the both Orders. The embroidery is unbelievable.  Her craftsmanship comes through anything that she makes, and this jacket is no exception. I have to thank Lady Hara for the incredible kumihimo cords that she wove for it as well. Thank you Tiercelin also, for opening your house to visitors attending events. Your hospitality is epic - you open your private residence to SCAdians all the time, giving freely of your larder and abode. Thank you for the soft bed and warm blankets that allowed me to get the rest I so desperately needed after my travels so that I could truly appreciate the day.

I want to thank the co-conspirators such as THL Meadhbh, Lady Aaliz and THL Morien, and Baron Tigernach who helped to make this all happen. That includes everyone who worked hard to set up my vigil and work it such as Lady Meave, THL Rhiannon, Baroness Morgan. And of course those dear friends who came to be with me on this day such as Debrogail and Michael, my dear house mates. They also gave me a gift of their own art. Debrogail and her daughter, Alexandra Aks performed during the procession. Alex played the harp and Debrogail sang a Sakura filk that Michael wrote for me.

I was touched and humbled by the words from the worthies who spoke on my behalf. Baron Tigernach for the Pelican, THL Rhiannon for the Golden Lance, Sir Bear from the Chivalry, Mistress Tiercelin from the Laurel, Prince Timothy  as a Royal Peer (how cool is it to have the sitting Heir speak on your behalf!), and our own Queen who quietly asked me if she could also speak for me as I knelt before her. Such a gracious and noble Queen - how could anyone deny her? Viscount Alexander also sent his words from far off Calontir, and the halls echoed with the presence of Rannveigr who was such an inspiration to me and many others.

Great thanks go out to the artists who produced my scroll. It is incredible! Baroness Una de Saint Luc completed the artwork, and Baroness Daedez of the Moritu did the calligraphy. It is a work of art that I shall treasure for all time.

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to all of you who have reached out to me, either in person or on the net, to share your kind words with me. I treasure you all! You are the reason that the SCA is a magical wonderful place and the reason I keep coming back each weekend!

An afterthought - As is common while sitting Vigil, some of my guests urged me to not stop working and researching, confident that I would not. I love the arts and I love making things and learning new skills. So there is no fear of that. As a service related peer as well, my thoughts turn to how this event can benefit the equestrian program which is such a large part of my SCA passion. I reflect - I am an Equestrian Laurel! There have been a few made in the SCA. Not many and none in our Kingdom that I know of at this time. (I hope that any Equestrian Laurels reading this blog will comment and identify themselves.) I also hope that this occasion will inspire others in the equestrian program, especially in Æthelmearc. Don't just rely on my research, but look deeper and delve in to the arts further so that we may advance our understanding of the equestrian arts in the medieval period. I hope to sit in court and witness many more elevations to the Peerage for Equestrian Laurels, as well as Equestrian Pelicans.

Court and the Ram

This is the kind of story only a farmer in the SCA can tell, or imagine.  "No sh..t, there I was.." (because so many good SCAdian stories start that way) waiting in the back of court at Ice Dragon in Buffalo, NY, when a phone rings. My friend sitting next to me says, "who's phone is that?" with some irritation in her voice as it is so impolite not to turn your phone off in court. Suddenly, I determine...oh heck, its my phone. I don't routinely turn mine off as most of my friends know that I don't talk on the phone when I am away at an event, so they don't call me. And I keep it on just in case the only person that matters at that point would call me...my farm sitter. Now, when you are a SCAdian farmer, it is no simple thing to leave your house and attend an event out of town. Someone needs to feed the stock, put the dogs out to pee and watch out for things while you are away. And if things go awry, that person needs to be able to get in touch with you. I have received a variety of calls while at an event. Some were over minor issues, like feed questions, while others are of a more serious nature. On this day, the call was of the latter type.

Upon seeing that this call was from my farm sitter, I bolted from the room, phone in hand. The news - the ram was out! The ram in question was bought last year for food production. Last fall, he appeared to be interested in breeding the ewe I bought at the same time so I decided not to butcher them at that time, but instead see if they produced a lamb. The plan was to butcher the ram in the spring after the ewe lambed, keep her until her lamb was old enough to be weaned, and fill the freezer with lamb meat. One of the first days I was away tis time, my farm sitter told me how gentle he was being with the lamb, so I decided to postpone his date even though he was getting increasingly ornery. Now he was loose - Oh heck! When you are 200 miles from home and the ram is loose, there isn't much you can do except offer some advice for your sitter and hope for the best. I gave her that advice and scurried back into court as I was due to be called up for an important affair. The last thing I did was ask her to text me as soon as the ram was secure. I rejoined my friends, who were of course curious about the nature of the emergency call, and related, "The Ram is Out!" I am sure that is not something most people hear everyday but my friends know that I operate a small farm, so understood my concern. For the next several minutes, I waited, checking the phone several times, worried that my sitter who is elderly may not be able to get the ram back in the fence, or that she would get hurt.  The other real fear is that the neighbor might try to catch, steal and butcher the ram for his own use, because he is like that. After several more minutes, the text came "He is In!"  With great relief I relayed to my friends, "The ram is secure!" This is not something most people hear while sitting in court waiting for their friend to be called into court to be elevated to the Order of the Laurel!  All in the life of a SCAdian farmer ........  By the way, said Ram was delivered to the butcher this morning, as his stay of execution was revoked.

Winnigas, or Leg Wrappings

The is the documentation for winnigas, or leg wrappings that I made to use in the SCA as part of my garb. These wrappings were entered in the 2010 Ice Dragon Pentathlon in the pre-1200 Clothing category. Winnigas are woolen bands that were wrapped around the lower legs. They are also known as strapulas, or "wickelbander" in German, and "puttees" by costume historians. These were worn by Anglo-Saxons, Germans, Danes, and Normans. The Bayeux Tapestry clearly shows the use of these leg wrappings.

 

Construction materials:

 

Almost all sources note that these were made of wool, and often were of a herringbone weave. One researcher theorized that this was the case because this type of weave makes the cloth stretchier thus helping to keep them in place. This same researcher noted that extant pieces, especially those found in or near London, were dyed purple, blue, red or yellow. Some were woven of two different colors -one for warp, the other for weft. Generally, they are 3-4 inches wide and 8-9 feet long. Most sources indicate that the cloth was woven to the width used, not cut to that size.

Function and Use:

Winnigas from the
Bayeux Tapestry

As noted, winnigas were wrapped in a spiral fashion around the leg, commonly over trousers. Mostly men wore them, but several Anglo-Saxon examples show them peeking out from under women's garments. In Lativia, they were also wrapped around the lower arm. In order to hold them in place, the ends were ordinarily tucked inside the top folds. In a Birka grave, small metal hooks were found that are believed to have been used to fasten leg wrappings. Similar hooks have been found in graves near Winchester, England. ^[1]

Another method of fastening was to start wrapping at the top of the leg, going down to the foot and then back up to the top of the leg. A piece of the wraps would be left exposed at the top, which would be tied off to the remainder of the fabric. This style is demonstrated in the depiction of the three Magi, from 'Benedictional of St. Aethelwold' (Anglo‑Saxon 971‑984AD) ^[2]

Winnigas depicted in the
'Benedictional of St. Aethelwold'

Ties below the knees with tassels are visible on manuscripts. It is also that believed tablet woven garters were used by Viking Age Finns. These had braided ends which were embellished with wrapped bronze wire at the ends. In Germany and Denmark, graves contained leather garters. These consisted of a leather strap, with a buckle, strap keeper (small loop of leather that holds down the end of the strap after it passes through the buckle), and a strap end. The metal pieces are made from bronze or iron.

Wrappings provided both warmth and protection to their wearer. They would have been especially valuable when riding a horse. (In modern days, a similar accessory is used by equestrians, called half-chaps or leggings. These are especially helpful in preventing chafe from the stirrup straps, and I believe winnigas served the same purpose for mounted people in medieval times.) Knives and tools were carried tucked inside these as well, which is evidenced by the finds in Anglo-Saxon graves.

While I am eager to learn and produce reproductions in a fashion as close as possible to the original, at this time, I have not learned how to weave ( a skill I hope to try in the future, having weavers in my own ancestry). Therefore, I used a commercially produced product. For this reason, I was not able to use a piece of wool that was woven to the required width as was done in period. I did use the width found in most extant examples, which is 3-4 inches wide. The length, about 9 feet, was obtained by sewing two strips from a standard bolt of fabric.

As noted above, some people also wore winingas on the lower arm, and since I wanted to make a set of these wrappings to use in the creation of a complete outfit of Anglo-Saxon/Norman "garb," I decided to make a second set for this purpose. Because it would be used on the arms, I felt a slightly narrower piece would work better, thus these were cut to about 2 1/ 2 to 3 inches in width.

 

Progress Notes:

 

While this project was much simpler than some of the other projects I made for this year's Ice Dragon event, I took the same care and time in its construction. The first stage was to measure and cut the fabric to the desired width. After doing this, I stitched the two lengths together, using a strong blanket stitch to ensure that the pieces did not separate. From my research and experience, I learned that this stitch is best when greater strength is desired.  

Detail of project -seam combining
 the two pieces to achieve the desired length
and stitching along edges.

Since I did not have a selvedge edge along the length as would have been the case in a piece woven to size, and as was found on extant pieces, I wanted to finish the edge to prevent fraying. I chose to use wool thread, so the cloth would still stretch (I did not want to risk that cotton thread would be too restrictive or would be subject to different shrinking during washing than the wool) and for aesthetics. I chose a thread of a contrasting color, again for aesthetics. I used a whip or overcast stitch for this edge. Both the blanket stitch and whip stitch are period stitches.                                     

 

 

Completed winnigas

After completing one piece, I moved on to finish the other three. The time to complete the project was about 6 hours. I found it to be a very rewarding endeavor. The stitching was relaxing, as I completed it in the evening hours after a long hard day at work. I can well imagine that women of the period would have also used the eveningtime to work on such tasks. It would have afforded them a little quiet time after a strenuous day.

It is interesting that these leggings resemble three items in use today: Ace wraps, Polo wraps and half-chaps. When rolled up, winingas look a bit like modern ace bandages. Both are wrapped in a similar fashion and commonly held by a small hooked fastener. As noted above, half-chaps are used by modern day equestrians to protect their lower leg from chaffing from stirrup leathers on an English style saddle. Modern English style saddles, like medieval saddles, have a looped strap that connects to the saddle and holds the stirrup. This double strap allows the leg to be pinched between the two layers. Half-chaps protect the leg from this painful and distracting injury. The last item, polo wraps look exactly like winingas, and in fact, I have seen SCAdians substitute a polo wrap for a hand-made winingas. Polo wraps are about the same size - 3-4 inches wide and about 10 feet long.   Today, they are made of a synthetic material which looks and feels like wool, and has the same stretchiness. These are used to wrap the lower legs of horses; especially and originally those horses used for polo and hence the name. This protects the horse's legs from injury from the polo stick as well as from the horse striking his own legs during the fast play of the game. They are also used to provide support to the leg, especially for horses used in the sport of Dressage. Like winingas, the material has considerable give. This is especially important to prevent tension-induced injury to the tendons of the horse's lower leg, which can be a crippling and debilitating injury. 

I look forward to testing their durability and to assess the degree of protection they afford while on horseback. I can well imagine that they would be quite comfortable and warm in the winter months, and I will probably make a few extra sets for use in the SCA.

[Note: Since making the winnigas, I have had the chance to test them on horseback, and found them to be quite comfortable and effective in protecting my leg. I have also learned some weaving and have acquired several looms since this project was completed. I am planning several weaving projects, including making winnigas.]

Endnotes:

1. A pair of silver hooks from the knee region of the burial in grave 67 (sex unknown) at Winchester, England mid‑late 9th century (from Biddle 1990) as noted on the website,  http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps3.htm
2. http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps3.htm

Sources:
Wilson, David A. The Bayeux Tapestry.  London: Thames & Hudson, 1985.
Website on Archaeological Sewing techniques, 5 Feb 2010, http://heatherrosejones.com/archaeologicalsewing/index.html
Website:  Bayeux Tapestry,  31 Jan 2010, http://hastings1066.com/
Website:  Bayeux Tapestry,  31 Jan 2010, http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bytype/textiles/bayeux/
Website: Britain's Bayeux Tapestry at the Museum of Reading, 31 Jan 2010, http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/
Website: "Clothing and Appearance of the Pagan Anglo‑Saxons," 24 Jan 2010, http://mahan.wonkwang.ac.kr/link/med/england/anglo‑saxon/culture/dress.html
Website:  Period stitches, Jan 2009,http://jauncourt.i8.com/stitches.htm( referenced information on running stitch, back stitch, and over‑stitched or over‑sewn, as well as Hem treatments including blanket, running, whip stitch)
Website: Legwraps, 24 Jan 2010, < http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps1.htm>
Website: Atlantian MOAS site (links), Jan 2009, http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid =56
Website, Sewing Stitches Used in Medieval Clothing, compiled by Jennifer L. Carlson, 5 Feb 2010, http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc‑carlson/cloth/stitches.htm.