gig, any of several members of a class of light, open, two-wheeled, one-horse carriages, popular in France, England, and America. The gig, which first appeared in Paris in the 17th century, is the ancestor of the cabriolet. Popular variations were the Tilbury gig and the Stanhope gig, both designed by Fitzroy Stanhope. The Stanhope gig was an elegant carriage with low wheels that therefore required shafts with an upward reverse curve where attached to the horse’s harness. The Tilbury resembled the Stanhope except in its manner of suspension.
At one stage in its career, this gig was fairly unstable; if the horse fell to his knees, the cross springs under the body would jerk and spill the riders. The gig was popular in 19th-century England and America and is still used today in horse shows.