Harness question

DAPNET Forums Archive › Forums › Equipment Category › Equipment › Harness question

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • February 27, 2016 at 8:32 pm #87877
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    So I know D ring harness can sometimes rub a little hair off, maybe even more in the winter, but has anyone ever had a problem with it? I have nylon front side straps; and recently they have been rubbing the mule down to the hide. I wonder if the nylon is a little more abrasive? I will try swapping it out for a leather side strap which I think I have. Just wondering if folks have found one material to be better or worse in this regard? In five or six years this is the first I have seen of that. The britchens will sometimes trim the hair a little, but never leaving a bald spot.

    Wish I had a video camera today skidding a few big logs up an incline before the ground got too soft.

    February 27, 2016 at 10:34 pm #87879
    Jay
    Participant

    Donn, yes, I have occasionally had particularly nylon pole straps rub hair off the fore leg where they pass by. The leather seems better for me.
    Yes, the conditions do change quickly in this kind of weather. Jay

    February 27, 2016 at 11:55 pm #87889
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    I find the nylon more abrasive, especially when dirty and stiff. We hot water pressure wash our harness once or twice a year to keep them clean and more supple. I try to do this after the big shed, as the harness seems to collect hair and create a coat of its own.

    Andy Carson had a problem with rubbing when he had that Val mare. I remember him wrapping the trace (in this case) with leather. He punched holes along the 2 long edges and laced the leather on like shoe strings. If I recall correctly it seemed to help quite a bit. There used to be a picture, but…

    Erika

    February 28, 2016 at 7:43 am #87890
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    I get rubbing from my front side straps as well – all leather. It rubs down to the hide every winter but I have never seen chafing of the skin. I haven’t done this, but you could always increase the length of your jokey yokes to put more distance between the strap and the horse/mule if it continues bother.

    George

    February 28, 2016 at 9:13 pm #87899
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    I was going to say that it may have as much to do with line adjustment, or alignment between evener and neckyoke, especially if it is just one side on one horse…..

    I have never been too concerned about it… you can tell the horse has been worked…

    Carl

    February 28, 2016 at 10:08 pm #87900
    Jay
    Participant

    I have also wrapped the strap in a piece of soft sheep’s hide with the hair on and that helped significantly with chafing. Jay

    February 29, 2016 at 9:22 am #87902
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    Carl brings up a good point about equipment being out of adjustment or alignment, it could be the animal itself. Some animals will compensate for minor issues and that bother then, and that can cause them to rub one side or the other. Our gelding that we lost last year had arthritis in his neck and even though Sam tried a huge range of line adjustments he just always went with his neck bending slightly to the left. We were even working with a chiropractor on this issue, that is just how he went.

    Erika

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.