A History of Equestrian Drama in the United States

7  The Plays

Stage Machinery in Racing and Related Equestrian Drama

In the late decades of the nineteenth century, theatre audiences witnessed the intersection of their fascination with the horse, and the coming mechanization of society. Specialized stage machinery was developed for use in conjunction with the production of equestrian dramas; it was incorporated into various new plays, and used to depict in them a variety of equine action ranging from simple, slow-speed horse and buggy rides, to diverse acts of circus equestrianism, to high-speed horse races onstage. These equestrian dramas quickly gained popularity. These plays were produced with a primary focus on the scene or scenes featuring horses and using related stage machinery. The specialized ...