Colonial era reign guide ???

[bootyhoundpa]

I went to my favorite farm field today, I found an identical ( what I believe to be a reign guide) piece to one I found there a few years ago....they are made out of high quality iron,hence the lack of rust...they both have a pinched area under the yoke at the same place which would either indicate a seem or where the blacksmith held them...I pictured the other reign guides just as a size reference..the threads on them are very crude... I’m not sure though why they have an open top... any thoughts.... I highly doubt that they are oar locks as they are too small and don’t have holes through the sides...[attachment 370106 A578D372-B8D5-40C7-B6E6-D4A10B45725F.jpeg][attachment 370105 354789E8-DB1F-4EC8-A46F-450A07678EBA.jpeg][attachment 370104 DBFB7554-393B-4ED0-BDA3-75A33FDE3762.jpeg]

 

[still looking 52]

I could be off the mark by a mile but my guess is the reason they are open on the top is so the straps or ropes they use to tie up their horses can go down easy for quick tie UPS and release.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

I could be off the mark by a mile but my guess is the reason they are open on the top is so the straps or ropes they use to tie up their horses can go down easy for quick tie UPS and release.

. I was kind of thinking the same......the one that is more open on the top has been whacked the plow ..the other one is more true to original... but ,ya,I agree with you so long as the straps wouldn’t come out under normal use..

 

[calabash digger]

Nice find....the ones I have found here are made of brass.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Nice find....the ones I have found here are made of brass.

. Yup,the closed loop ones I have pictured are brass..only the 2 with open loops are iron....