A lot of people think that treadmills for animals is a relatively new concept, whether it be an electric treadmill, slatmill or carpet mill. The truth is that horses were used to power machinery as early as the 16th century.
In the early 19th century, treadmills for horses were mostly stationary and fitted with low speed gearing.
Since the treadmill derives it's power from the weight of the animal versus the draft, they were particularly useful with smaller animals such as, goats, sheep and dogs. In cases where the animal's weight was being used, the power could be controlled by adjusting the incline of the track. For heavy work, horses were hitched so both weight and draft contributed to the power output of the treadmill.
In 1834, the first horse treadmill was patented. This treadmill featured iron chain links and hardwood rollers to support the entire tread and to prevent sagging.
In 1835, M. Davenport, patented a wooden cog belt treadmill.
As treadmill development continued, the "level tread" design had an important improvement. The tread remained horizontal rather than on an incline. This provided better footing for the horse and less leg strain.
The smaller treadmills for sheep, goats and dogs provided rotary and reciprocating power. These treadmills operated butter churns, grind stones, fanning mills, corn Shelley's and cream separators.
In 1868, Thomas Starr, patented a treadmill in which the track tension was adjusted by placing the rear shaft in different notches on the track frame. The incline was adjusted by securing the track frame at different points in the vertical frame. These treadmills were made almost entirely of wood.
In 1885, a new treadmill was patented. This treadmills incline was adjusted by a lever and notched brace.
Over time, these designs have evolved and have been refined to what we see today. While we do not require them for their original purpose, they remain as safe and effective exercise tools for our canine companions.
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