scandinavian style shafts

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  • November 28, 2012 at 1:09 am #44270
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am retrofitting a d-ring harness to work with the scandinavian style of hitching. Im making some shafts and I was wondering how long should I make the the scandinavian shafts?

    this is what im talking about:

    http://www.heavyhorses.net/Pages/harnessing.htm

    thanks

    Jared

    November 28, 2012 at 11:57 am #76065
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    Jared:

    Thanks for posting those pictures. I really like the draft buffer / single tree set-up pictured mid way through. I have never set up scan. shafts, but here is how I would go about it: Skid a log with your horse and single tree dropping as many links as possible on your trace chains so that the load is a close as possible without hitting the back of your horse’s legs. Then measure from the d-ring to the end of your trace and that should be your shaft length. Depending on where your shafts are in relation to your load, you could shave off a little more. Judging from those pictures at the end, the load is further back from end of the shafts.

    George

    November 28, 2012 at 3:17 pm #76059
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    I think George is pretty much right on. Perhaps John Plowden will come on and give some insight as he has done it more than anybody on this side. I just changed over my scandinavian harness from the Fjord (who is giving me some problems) to the Haflinger who is a bit smaller. I rigged with the hames and collar rather than the wooden padded hames I use on the Fjord. I have a friend who uses the harness this way in the woods and claims most of his friends do it also. The pictures show everything a bit loose and out of adjustment but will work on that this afternoon. It would be neat if you are building a harness from the ground up to use chains as were shown on Doug’s website so you could put the collar on independently. Would make it a bit easier I think. I will rig my shaves with a old wooden whiffletree which will carry the grab hook. This will go to the go-devil just as I would with the steel whiffletree. I have seen this used with a sled in Sweden. Also I will leave a bit of pipe extending past the wood and when using it on steep ground when something runs up the pipe will be pushed into the ground hopefully preventing hitting the horse. Simon Lenihan put me on to that almost a decade ago and it is in common use in the woods in Europe. Good luck and keep us posted on your harness and rigging.

    November 28, 2012 at 6:35 pm #76066
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    good info guys, Jim where did you get your harness? Once I get a horse working that I like and I know I am going to keep for some time I would like to invest in a new harness

    Jared

    November 28, 2012 at 8:40 pm #76060
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    Peach Lane Harness Shop, Ronks, PA. 717.687.5122. When you call and leave a message Abner Esh will call you back. I really liked doing business with them as I would send a sketch and measurements and they made what I needed. I will use them again when I reig my second harness.

    November 29, 2012 at 5:48 pm #76062
    simon lenihan
    Participant

    Shaft length 84″, center beam 54″,
    Simon

    November 30, 2012 at 6:11 pm #76067
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    thanks simon,
    what do you mean by center beam.

    Jared

    November 30, 2012 at 11:29 pm #76058
    Scott G
    Participant

    Contact Plowden. He’s ‘been there. done that’ with exactly the set-up you are looking for. He’s also developed a neat arch/forwarding trailer combo specifically for this type of harness. Great system.

    December 1, 2012 at 1:42 pm #76061
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    Here is some detail on how the d-ring connects to the shaft. A lot of time one will just see a wooden peg but this is how my rig works

    December 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm #76064
    john plowden
    Participant

    I’ll chime in here – Shaft length depends on horse size – The width is also variable – Jim has nailed the connection – my phone is 207 890 7576 for those who want to talk about it as I find the internet difficult –

    December 3, 2012 at 10:15 pm #76063
    simon lenihan
    Participant

    The center beam is like a short version of the pole, ill post a pic for three abreast but you will get the idea, nice set up jim.
    simon

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