D-Ring Harness Fit

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  • December 15, 2008 at 11:24 am #39981
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    I have attached a couple picture of my team pulling out a moderate size white birch. I would appreciate any feedback on the harness fit. I am interested in constructive criticism, so have at it.

    Thanks.

    George

    PS I realized after unhitching this log, the the logging chain that I had fastened to the hame snuck behind the tug and I corrected that. I also removed the remnants of the check reign, which I took off the bridle that morning.

    December 15, 2008 at 3:45 pm #48525
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    George,

    Front trace, d-ring, jack saddle, and belly band look great. Britchen is too low. In fact the spider on top of the rump should be moved forward.

    Side strap shortened to snug the britchen close to the rump, sung enough to feel the snugness when you slip your hand in there. Being that snug, the britchen needs to be above the movement of the hind leg, just below the round part of the rump. Judging from the pics, the britchen should come up to split the distance about halfway from where it is now to the tail, (8″ or so?). The whole britchen assembly should be moved forward so shorten the top straps first.

    Carl

    December 15, 2008 at 5:40 pm #48526
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    A couple of photos, Carl

    December 16, 2008 at 1:06 am #48528
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    Carl:

    Thanks for the response and the pictures. I am wondering how much ground skidding, without being attached to a pole, affects britchen dynamics. I am suspecting a lot. One of my concerns is that one of my horses’s britchen is too tight (second of the two attachments). Wouldn’t know it from the photo, but his winter hair is actually wearing away. I will try to take a photo of them on the forecart. In the meantime, what is too tight for the britchen? It is a little hard to tell the contact from the photos you posted. Could you also confirm on deny the dynamics of the britchen being affected by hitching to a pole?

    Thanks.

    George

    December 16, 2008 at 1:20 am #48527
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    George, the britchen should be snug even when not on a pole. I think your problem has to do more with the placement. If it’s too low, and snug then it will be too tight as the horse steps. Raise it up and when snug it will not be affected by the stride, and therefore won’t be TOO tight. I like to see some hair worn away, not raw to the skin, but noticeable. As far as the pole, the britchen will be tightened when hitched, but the significance of those photos is the placement.
    I’ll attach one ground skidding. The britchen does separate a bit from the rump, but you can see the it is much higher than where yours are.

    Carl

    December 16, 2008 at 10:06 pm #48524
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    Here’s another view of the britchen, snug even when unhitched.

    Carl

    June 19, 2009 at 11:48 am #48529
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    Carl:

    I had a chance to finally take some pictures of the changes I made per your suggestions. Can you or others take a look and tell me what you think?

    Thanks.

    George

    June 19, 2009 at 5:42 pm #48532
    Rod44
    Participant

    It looks like you are running your lines through the slots on the belly band. I have never seen them through there before. I looks like that could cause a potential problem with the lines. On my harness there are some straps running from the top of the britching to a ring on the hames through those slots.

    Or it could be my old eyes are not seeing the small picture just right. I see your straps running like I have but it also looks like the lines through it too????

    June 20, 2009 at 7:55 pm #48530
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    Rod:

    Bad pictures, sorry. I have a 12″ line running from the top of my britchen with a ring around it. I run the lines through there which prevents them from getting caught in the harness while driving – an idea I picked up from Les Barden (NH D-ring harness guru).

    George

    July 29, 2009 at 4:12 pm #48531
    LStone
    Participant

    I have noticed the last two times I have had the team out, that the (D-ring) forward side strap on my filly is rubbing her raw. I have only hitched her on the off side those times and it is on the outside shoulder in the area of the adjustment buckle. No sign of abnormal wear on the inside shoulder, or any other places. This is the raw, no hair, and some blood, type of wear; not just rubbing hair. Would this be a fitting issue. I have checked and the forward straps on her harness are adjusted to the same length. My gelding on the near side has no sign on wear either. I know that I have to get shorter short traces for her but I don’t see how this would effect this. Any ideas?

    Larry

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