Horse Pulling - History of The Dynamometer

History of The Dynamometer

The dynamometer was first thought of after the end of World War 1, when farmers were using draft horses as the main power when tending their farms. Professor E. V. Collins, of Iowa State College, worked between the years of 1923-1926 to find a way to test the efficiency of plowing horses. He built several machines that were designed to test the pulling power of horses in different soil conditions.

One machine that was created was called the Dynamometer. This machine was specially created to test the maximum pulling power of teams of horses. Arrangements were made for horse pulling competitions to be held at fairs and horse shows. The dynamometer has changeable weights that are set on a vertical track. When a teams of horses were hooked to the machine, they would pull and the weights would move according to the strength of the team. There are several types of dynamometers including the Hensley-Humbert, Lance, Midwest, New York, Reed, Smith, and Tostenson.

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