Horse patten or bog tramper

This curious contraption is known as a bog tramper or horse patten. Bog trampers were fitted to horses working in boggy ground. During the 18th and 19th centuries there were many attempts to drain Wigtownshire’s bogs and open the ground for cultivation. Once the grass or stubble on a reclaimed field had been broken by ploughing there was a danger of ‘boggings’ – this was when a horse sank into the soft ground and had to be dug out. Bog trampers were designed to prevent boggings. They were generally worn on the hind feet but some farmers fitted them on all four hoofs. They raised the feet above the wet ground and also helped to distribute an animal’s weight. Trampers could put an undue strain on a horse’s tendons and many animals were lamed by wearing them. This bog tramper was used at Blackquarter Farm, Stoneykirk.