I found a set of cables which appear to be copper and are covered with leather and bound with leather laces. The size of the cable is app. 1" diameter. I was told that they were traces for horse drawn cannons. The leather is quite old, cracked and missing in a few places and both ends are connected to chains, with one end having a ring and the other end having a cross piece. Can you give any advice? Thanks , PHIL

This was a harness used on horses drawing any vehicle. The term 'cannon' is not what you think. The harness used was designed to make a horse pick up its hooves by activating the 'cannon bone' in the horse's leg. For a slow trot drawing a carriage, it just looked smarter and more sophisticated.