I have never seen pins driven through a die in an old frame. My impression is it is a more southerly technique (such as Pennsylvania), and for bridge builders in the second half of the 19th century.

I have seen one frame with turned pins from c. 1855 in New Hampshire.

There are three types of horses. This one is in the collection of the Davistown Museum here in Maine. It is made of maple. I made two like it of red oak, but I have a problem with the pegs slipping out from under the head. I nailed some leather under the head but it still needs work.

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/pics/tab1012.jpg

Horses are useful for making tool handles and for scarfing clapboards. I also use mine as a workbench to saw boards on.

Jim

The closer you look the more you see.
"Heavy timber framing is not a lost art" Fred Hodgson, 1909