I took the word “reins” from the explaination of blackbirding in Frederick Stonehouse’s “Haunted Lakes.” I describe the process much as he does–while I confess that I did not research extensively to check his accuracy, most sources seem to agree on this point.

The best explaination I can offer is this; light lantern, strong reins, and a well-trained horse.

Again, the reins would not be strong enough to hold the lantern and even if they would, all that would accomplish would be to cause the horse put its head down because that is where the reins would be pulling it. A rider gives cues to the horse through the use of light pressure on the reins transferred to the bit. This gentle pressure tells the horse to go turn right or left or slow down, etc. I have never known a lantern that was able to convey this information.

Wherever you hung the lantern, it would have to be free to swing and clear of things to bump into. The stirrup iron really wouldn’t do as a fastening point, unless the lantern hung considerably below the horse where it couldn’t light very much. On the other hand, if the lantern was fastened to the reins near the bit, it would hang below the horse’s head.

You use a halter that has a rope attached. This would take too much time in the movies so they don’t use it. Also, if you look at those movies, they don’t “knot” anything. They simply throw the reins around the post a couple of times. A movie animal trainer is standing by and as soon as the cameras move away they walk over and either hold the reins if the camera will be coming back or take the horse away.

My rationale about the oil in the lamp may be off, but again, it would not hang from the reins it would hang from the stirrup iron.

“You have to remember that lanterns contain fire and oil. You can’t just have it swinging around willy nilly.” Actually, that is just precisely what you should do (provided it’s far enough from anything it could bump into). If it can swing, the orientation will keep the oil level relative to the lantern, but if you hold the lantern steady the oil will slosh. Think how a drinker’s trained reflexes work when his mug is jostled in a crowded pub – not by amateurishly trying to keep it still but by letting it swing and just keeping the mug oriented with the acceleration. (Perhaps I’m giving away too much about myself there…)

One little thing, you can’t actually hang a lantern on the reins. I know cowboy movies always show them tying the reins to a post but the reins will actually break quite easily. Lanterns were used on occasion when riding in a really dark night but they were hung from the stirrup irons only with a rider in the saddle. The rider’s foot would keep the lantern handle on the outside of stirrup and keep it from beating into the side of the horse.

You have to remember that lanterns contain fire and oil. You can’t just have it swinging around willy nilly. Also, when used, the horse is always at a walk (like in your story) and if it were an emergency, the rider would hold the lantern.