Russian Horse Drawn Troika
Ranked #1,377 in Pets & Animals, #36,816 overall
The Origin and Description of a Troika
Origin:
1835-45 Russian Troika Threesome, Troika, deriv. of Troe Three (collective) akin to Tri Three...
T he Troika was developed centuries ago by the 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!
"Morning Attack" winning 1st place
My interest in the Troika
started 1951 in San Francisco
I'm writing about this subject because I have a great interest in it, especially through my Art and love of Horses...I hope someday I will be able to experience riding in one of these Troika's. My grt.grt.grt.grandfather Johann von Meyer lived in St.Petersberg Russia, maybe because of this, it might be ingrained in me...my desire for this subject.
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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 of a Victorian style house, the people that owned the house where from Russia...we were new immigrants from Germany, so they took us under their wing, and being very nice to us.
While I was playing outside roller skating to the end of the street, I fell and 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. He talked in very broken English, of course I didn't 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 that 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 had an interest in painting images of Troika's. Right after all this happened, I came across a cartoon on TV and it had Troika's in it, this very cartoon I saw one more time as an adult (I think it was foreign) I searched the internet a great deal without success...I would love to find it again.
About twenty years ago I painted a miniature painting of a Troika, it was displayed with my art at a local Library. Two years after that show I got a call from a man inquiring 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.
PAINTING BELOW
________________________________________________________
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 of a Victorian style house, the people that owned the house where from Russia...we were new immigrants from Germany, so they took us under their wing, and being very nice to us.
While I was playing outside roller skating to the end of the street, I fell and 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. He talked in very broken English, of course I didn't 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 that 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 had an interest in painting images of Troika's. Right after all this happened, I came across a cartoon on TV and it had Troika's in it, this very cartoon I saw one more time as an adult (I think it was foreign) I searched the internet a great deal without success...I would love to find it again.
About twenty years ago I painted a miniature painting of a Troika, it was displayed with my art at a local Library. Two years after that show I got a call from a man inquiring 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.
PAINTING BELOW
Russian winter in a Troika
Some of these small paintings 4" x 7" where done for myself and not resale purpose, they were images are from a book...the others from my imagination.
"Troika Winter Time" ACEO miniature
"Troika Fall Time" ACEO miniature 2.5" x 3.5"
Fall driving Troika, black horses
Spring driving Troika, white horses
Painted on Eggs
wooden or real eggs...
This Troika painted all the way around a real egg, one of a kind.
YouTube vids of Troika's
from Russia...
WOW! You have to watch the one with the black horses running, it's amazing...remember they are on snow and ice, their traction must be bad although they probably have cleats on the shoes. The middle horse trots and the outside horses canter.
"This is on my bucket-list to ride in one of these"
The rest of the vids 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.
curated content from YouTube
Blessed by Squid Angels
Thank You so Much!
goo2eyes 2/12
aesta1 2/12
prosperity66 11/11
KimGiancaterino 11/11
sukkran 11/11
daria369 10/11
Tipi 10/11
WildFacesGallery 3/11
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!
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goo2eyes
Feb 6, 2012 @ 7:05 pm | delete
- returning with some squidangel *blessings*.
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SRitchieable
Feb 6, 2012 @ 5:38 am | delete
- I've seen troikas in some Russian art works, but didn't know anything else about them until I read your lens. Thank you.
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aesta1
Feb 2, 2012 @ 8:28 pm | delete
- I often use this word but did not know its origin. This is very enlightening.
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goo2eyes
Dec 13, 2011 @ 1:40 pm | delete
- very nice lens about russian sleigh ride with a troika. i like your personal stories.
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ShirleySunshine
Nov 24, 2011 @ 4:15 pm | delete
- Wonderful Lens, I enjoyed it, thank you for sharing!
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Russian Christmas card
painting by Kustodiyev
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LINK List about Troikas
- Driving (horse) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- description of driving horses and a troika
- The troika
- The Troika
- The Three Horse Sleigh - Russian Traditions online store - Nesting Dolls, Lacquer Boxes, Icons
- Russian Traditions online store - The Three Horse Sleigh - great description of the Troika.
- The troika
- Ah, Russia, you Troika, whither do you
fly? N. Gogol
- Moscow hippodrome plays host to troika races - News - RT
- A troika is a carriage pulled by three horses. The horse in the middle is harnessed in a collar, while the two others pull breast collar harnesses. As such, a troika's speed can reach as fast as 50 kilometers per hour.
- Snow chariots compete in Moscow - News - RT
- This year sees the competition resurrected after a two-year break due to a lack of snow in previous years.
Ten troikas and 30 horses from different Russian regions are competing in the main race. - The Russian Shop
- Great small boxes with the Troika images, many to choose from.
Christmas card
Great Russian items on eBay
These items are so beautiful...check them out! Wonderful keepsakes.
Books
related to Russian Art of all kinds
Great Books about Russian art...
A Xmas card I designed
Xmas card design on CafePress
Buy one or a pack of 10 note cards.
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Some of my Lenses
Great gift for the horse lover or a fundraising event
Miniature Paintings made into a Mural
This little book makes a great gift, leave it as a book or take the perforated pages and make your own Mural, this can be a great way to make money for a fundraiser event. Each picture can be sponsored for a cost and added to the Mural.
Contact me for details:
Special price includes shipping $20.00
Originally Created on 10/30/2008
by d-artist
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