What Is a Unicorn Hitch?

The unicorn hitch uses a team of three horses to draw a cart, wagon, buggy or other load. Two horses are harnessed to the wheel of the cart, while the other horse leads from the front. This configuration is also known as the crossbow hitch, the arbalete hitch or the arblest hitch.

  1. Original Use

    • The unicorn hitch was originally used to add power to a two-horse team. If a load is too weighted down for two horses to manage, or if roads are muddy and the cart they are pulling is likely to get stuck, a third horse hitched to the lead can make all the difference. While the unicorn hitch is still used practically, it has now become its own class of show in horse demonstrations, particularly those that display draft horses.

    Wheelers and Leaders

    • Every horse in a unicorn hitch has a role to play. The horses harnessed closest to the wheels are called the "wheelers." They control downhill speed and provide much of the strength and steering power of the team. The horse hitched in front is called the "leader" and is normally a smaller, faster horse.

    Advantages and Challenges

    • The unicorn hitch is particularly useful because it allows the horse in the lead to use all of the power of the team to pull the cart forward. This eliminates the lateral pull that sometimes slows a typical two- or four-horse hitch. However, the lead horse must be steady and dependable and must always stay ahead of the rest of the team for the unicorn hitch to function properly. If the lead horse falls behind, the entire team can become tangled and disoriented.

    Unicorn Hitch in Horse Shows

    • In horse showings such as the Big Thunder Draft Horse Show, the judging of a unicorn hitch is based mainly on the horses' formation and their "manner of going," or the steady poise with which the horses present themselves. Judges look for a lead horse that is "stylish and well mannered," leading the team without being forced to pull everything forward alone. All the horses must cooperate well together and be suited to one another in their size and manner.