Austin Carriage Collection

Austin Carriage Collection The Gloria Austin Carriage Collection , a World renowned collection of unique carriages.

Rest in Peace Gloria Austin, after a lifetime of generously sharing your experiences with horses and their historical si...
04/16/2024

Rest in Peace Gloria Austin, after a lifetime of generously sharing your experiences with horses and their historical significance to history!
To the Road!

This is Atlas, our barn cat!! Getting some love on a rainy day
03/22/2024

This is Atlas, our barn cat!! Getting some love on a rainy day

This is Reggie Mac, one of Glorias horses enjoying some hay with his best buddy Opalo in the sun
03/21/2024

This is Reggie Mac, one of Glorias horses enjoying some hay with his best buddy Opalo in the sun

In Tudor times the royal household was divided into three departments. These departments were 1) the household above sta...
02/18/2022

In Tudor times the royal household was divided into three departments. These departments were 1) the household above stairs, otherwise known as the “Chamber”, 2) the household below stairs which included the kitchens and domestic responsibilities and 3) the stables. The men responsible for these three departments were the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward and the Master of the Horse. These three men were considered to be the “Great Officers” of the King’s court.

The Master of the Horse was appointed by the King. He was responsible for the King’s horses and stables. It was his job to provide the King with horses for war, racing, hunting and litters. They did not drive coaches then because the roads were too rough so when the king did not ride a horse, he was carried in a litter. The Master of the Horse was also responsible for all the people that worked or held positions in the stables. He was responsible or the King’s hunting dogs as well as the King’s falcons too. Since the king spent a lot of time with his horses, the Master of the Horse held a position on the Privy Council. The Privy Council was made up of the King’s closest advisors. The picture shows King Henry VIII followed by Sir Anthony Brown, Master of the Horse. From the Cowdray Engravings portraying the King's visit to Portsmouth, July 19, 1545. Join us March 1 at 12:30 to 2pm for our Facebook live show for a shopping experience and learn more about the importance of horses throughout the ages.

In the Middle Ages the knight's horse was not always the most valuable horse. Palfreys could equal a Destrier (knight's ...
02/17/2022

In the Middle Ages the knight's horse was not always the most valuable horse. Palfreys could equal a Destrier (knight's horse) in price, and for good reason; they had an extra gait known as the amble, which was fast, comfortable, and could be maintained by both rider and horse over long distances. This made traveling much easier and more pleasant. They were usually small horses, probably no taller than 15 hands. The horse of choice for noble ladies, the palfrey was probably quite pretty. It was used almost exclusively by nobility because of its high price tag. Palfreys are also sometimes called Jennets. We'll be talking more about horses of the Middle Ages during our live Facebook show on March 1. We hope to see you then.

We'll have all sorts of interesting items for you to purchase on the FB Live "Made by History" show on March 1. We'll ha...
02/16/2022

We'll have all sorts of interesting items for you to purchase on the FB Live "Made by History" show on March 1. We'll have horse related trivia too from Gloria Austin's books. Just to whet your appetite, we'll post some trivia here every day before the show. Here is today's trivia: Did you know that the horses that were put to the chariots in the races in ancient Rome were more famous than the drivers? Horses for the chariot races were specially bred. When ancient Roman records mentioned horse breeds the Numidian breed was mentioned most frequently. Other breeds used were the Spanish horses. The training of a race horse would begin about the age of five and their careers could last up to TWENTY YEARS!

Happy Holidays from Gloria Austin Stables!
12/27/2021

Happy Holidays from Gloria Austin Stables!

Wagonette - Wagonettes were very popular vehicles for both rural and urban use. Designed with longitudinal seats that ru...
05/27/2020

Wagonette - Wagonettes were very popular vehicles for both rural and urban use. Designed with longitudinal seats that run down the sides of the carriage, passengers sit face to face for easy conversation while traveling. Larger households would often transport maids and servants to recreational outings in a wagonette, so they could have suitable refreshments awaiting their employers when coaches arrived for the event. Some staff or guests might also be carried from country homes to city dwellings when the seasons changed or as people arrived at train stations or stagecoach stops.

Large versions of the wagonette offered commercial purveyors of carriage rides to accommodate many passengers as well as luggage or cargo that could be stored under the seats while en route. These types of carriages were popular with the military and resort hotels because of their ability to carry many passengers.

When the seats were configured perpendicular to the body the carriage would be designated a Sociable.

Tub Cart - The Tub Cart, sometimes referred to as an “inside cart” because its passengers face the interior and are prot...
05/27/2020

Tub Cart - The Tub Cart, sometimes referred to as an “inside cart” because its passengers face the interior and are protected by the closed door at the back of the vehicle, is a larger version of the Governess Cart, which was used by the Nanny to take small children out for their afternoon air. These larger versions were used to keep adult passengers as well as children from putting hands in the spokes of the wheels. The driver sits in the back corner of the vehicle and puts his knee in the cutout area for comfort. Passengers sit facing inward.
The leather guards on this spindle-seated cart protect the passengers from road dust as well as serving to prevent small objects from falling out of the carriage. Notice the foot on the bottom of the back step. The cart can be stored in an upright position when not in use.

Comfort Waggons or Pleasure Waggons - This very early waggon is typical of the type of vehicle used in New England and o...
05/27/2020

Comfort Waggons or Pleasure Waggons - This very early waggon is typical of the type of vehicle used in New England and other northern states in the early 19th century. An all-purpose form of transportation, it would transport a family to church on Sunday or a farmer’s goods to market. The body was suspended from leather from a platform mounted directly on the running gear with a front pivoting axle. Since roads were ruff, the leather acted as a suspension without adding the weight of metal springs. The shafts would be connected directly to the front axle. Most of these early waggons were brightly painted, and panels were frequently decorated with floral designs.

Dog Carts and Shooting Wagons -Dog carts and shooting wagons take their names from their use for hunting wild game. Hunt...
05/04/2020

Dog Carts and Shooting Wagons -Dog carts and shooting wagons take their names from their use for hunting wild game. Hunting dogs or hounds, as they are called, were often used to locate and retrieve game. To transport the hounds to the field, the carriage was made with louvers and/or slats in the box so that air could pass to the dogs. (A Dog Cart, to a carriage person, is a carriage pulled by horses, not dogs.)
Some were called shooting phaetons, and others were shooting breaks. The shooting phaeton would have a floor board, toe board and a dash; where as the break would have a floor board and a toe board with the front seat on risers. Some carried four and some six passengers. Most were driven from the box seat, but others might have been driven postilion to allow more room on the carriage for the passengers and the game that would be lashed to the carriage and served for the evening meal.

The Gig For both town and county driving, these carriages are usually characterized by their curved shafts which a...
04/30/2020

The Gig
For both town and county driving, these carriages are usually characterized by their curved shafts which are not attached to the body. The body of a gig generally rests on its springs. The balance of the carriage to allow for not more than 3-5 pounds down-weight in the tugs, is adjusted by raising or lowering the tugs on the billet straps that slide through the harness back pad. This sliding strap prevents torque on the horse’s back when traveling on side lands.
The name “Gig” comes from the shortened version of “whirligig,” which is something light and fanciful. They were generally owner-driven, with space for luggage under the seat. Entered from the front with a step, the driver had to hold the high-spirited horse still for the passenger to enter.
Early gig bodies were suspended from leather straps which were attached from iron brackets. These leather suspensions were useful when traveling on rough roads or no roads which meant the body would not shake apart as easily. Chair-type gigs, like the Cabriolet, were suspended from cee-springs or whip-springs.
Gigs were a favored vehicle for commuting from suburbs to the city by bankers and traders, since they required little space for parking in a “gig house” or garage as it would be called today. Some gigs even had stands on the back of the body so the shafts could be tilted up to require less storage space.

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Weirsdale, FL

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm

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