the Origin and Description
Origin:
1835-45 Russian Troika Threesome, Troika, deriv. of Troe Three (collective) akin to Tri Three...
T
he Troika was developed centuries ago by thr Russian Empire to cover the wide area and rough roads at great speed.
A Russian carriage or sleigh pulled by three horses abreast, has become a revered symbol of Russia itself.
A Troika carriage is used in the summer and a sleigh in the winter, the sleigh is generally more popular even in the summer. The three horses used are typically Orlov Trotters, which are said to be the best troika breed, and are arranged with the center horse between the sleigh shafts and wears the duga, which is the semi-circular wooden bar that connects the main shafts over the centre horse. There are jingling bells suspended from the peak of the central horse's collar,and the outside horses guided by splinter bars attached to the sides of the sleigh. The center horse moves in an extended trot, the side horses gallop with their heads bent outward, driven with four reins...two for the center horse and one for each outer horse. Their way of going is very synchronized.
Troika's are elaborately decorated with leather tassels, chains, brushes, rosettes, and stars, among other things. The duga, (the semi-circular wooden bar) is often decorated in a light blue flower motif and tends to be very colorful, while bells traditionally hang from it and can be heard from a great distance.
The center horse of a Troika is to trot, the other two canter... the near horse leading with his off fore, and the off horse with his near fore. To make the respectively lead in this manner, the head is pulled in an outwardly inclined position by a side-line. This was best for horses, to guard themselves against the attack of wolves...
If you watch the YouTube videos you can see how very fast they travel, twelve miles per hour...and then the side horses heads pulled to the side has to be hard, especially on a turn...The Middle horse trotting while the outside horses are galloping is an amazing task, just keeping them in same rhythm and speed...You have to admire them!
My painting "Morning Attack" won 1st place
My interest in the Troika
started 1951 in San Francisco
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It all started when we moved to San Francisco in 1951, we lived in a section of town that was called the "Russian District". We lived in the attic in a Victorian style house, the people that owned the house where from Russia...we where new immigrants from Germany, so they took us under their wing and being very nice.
While playing outside, I was skating to the end of the street and fell, as I was making an attempt to get up with my bleeding knee(still have the scar) and pulling out the glass embedded, an old man approached me from the house in front of me. He talked in very broken English, of course I did'nt understand a single word he said, however I knew his kindness in trying to help me. As I looked up, the garage door of his house was open, what caught my eye had a living impact on me. It was a mural at the end of the garage, the mural was of a "Troika" three white magnificent horses coming at you in the snow. Of course being horse crazy I kept this in my memory bank and as soon as I healed up and could walk without too much pain, I went back to the house and looked in the garage.
It turned out this old man painted this mural. I always wondered if it is still there? I doubt it, but I think of it often.
Because of this experience, I've always had an interest in painting Troikas, even more interestingly, right after all this happened I came across a cartoon on TV and it had Troika's in it, and this very cartoon I saw one more time as an adult (I think it was foreign)
One of my most painted image is the Troika, and most have been sold. I have painted images for myself out of books and not for resale, some being displayed here on this lens.
About twenty years ago I painted a miniature Troika painting that was displayed with my art at the Library Show. Two years after the show, I got a call from a man inquired about that painting, he wanted to buy it because it reminded him of his great-grandfather, especially the bear fur blanket on the driver of the sleigh...yes, I sold it to him knowing someone really appreciated the painting.
PAINTING BELOW
Russian winter in a Troika
Some of my TROIKA PAINTINGS
I have done quite a few
Also a Troika painted on an egg*****************>>
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Here are just a few ACEO Troika cards below, I have painted many and sold them on ebay.
"Troika Winter Time" ACEO miniature
"Troika Fall Time" ACEO miniature 2.5" x 3.5"
New YouTube vids
from Russia...
WOW! You have to watch the one with the black horses running, it is amazing...
the rest are real nice as well...the last one is of an Opera being sung while driving the team, very old movie....I like Opera, but some of you won't, just mute it then.
Fall driving Troika black horses
Spring driving troika white horses
Xmas card design 2008
my Xmas card design on CafePress
Xmas Greeting Card Andalusian Lipizzaner Lusitano
my 2008 Xmas card design
Greeting Card
Price: 3.50 
CHECK OUT MY NEW BLOG!
daily paintings...
I started a series of miniature paintings of my childhood...hop over and check it out!once in a while...painting a day
Now do you know what a TROIKA is?
hope you enjoyed this lens and....
maybe you learned something new here? Let me know what you think!
I love coming back to your lenses, so please join my Fan Club, this is how I can find you again.
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- LaraineRose LaraineRose Oct 18, 2009 @ 7:01 pm
- Beautiful!!!! Come join me at my
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- perfumereviews perfumereviews Sep 11, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
- Wow this is really interesting. I had no idea. And to think of all the elite riding around in sleighs, winter and summer, to traverse such a beautiful and expansive country... so intriguing! Thanks for sharing. :)
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- greatartists greatartists Apr 4, 2009 @ 2:16 am
- Hello d-artist, I really enjoyed this lens. An uncle gave me a Russian children's book back in the 60s and I remember the pictures in it of troikas speeding across the snow. You have brought back fond memories!
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- WhitU4ever WhitU4ever Mar 24, 2009 @ 9:40 am
- Beautiful lens! 5*'s and favorited. I have featured this lens and all of your horse lenses on The Equine Outlet. Thanks for letting me know! ;)
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- norbridgeantiques norbridgeantiques Feb 1, 2009 @ 8:33 am
- Delia, these sleighs convey warmth and romance.
- Load More
Russian Christmas card
LINK List
- Driving (horse) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- description of driving horses and a troika
- The troika
- The Troika
- Welcome - Alexandra Gritta
- Alexandra Gritta a 13 year old young lady wrote a wonderful little book about horses and will have a series Proceeds will be benefit Horses in need...I was honored to illustrate the inside of the book.
Christmas card
Great Stuff on eBay
These items are so beautiful...check them out! Wonderful keepsakes.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Troika on Amazon
From Russia: French and Russian Master Painting 1870-1925 From Moscow and St. Petersburg
Amazon Price: $56.70 (as of 11/29/2009)
The Art of Russian Cuisine
Amazon Price: (as of 11/29/2009)
Moscow & St. Petersburg 1900-1920: Art, Life, & Culture of the Russian Silver Age
Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 11/29/2009)
painting by Kustodiyev
