Breast collar harness loads

[Rod]

I have a nice padded breast collar and also a set of “d” ring harnesses set up for both single or team use. The breast collar is very quick and easy to put on and remove so I like using it for single work but to date have only pulled my road cart with it, about 800# loaded weight. I wonder how much load I can use this harness for until it becomes uncomfortable for the horse. Is anyone doing work with breast collars on their horses?

[LaNette]

First thing that needs to be determined is what do you have it hitched to? Breast collar harnesses are designed so that the traces run parrallel to the ground and shafts and connect at a single tree. Like what you would see in a two wheel easy entry cart or Meadowbrooks. The collar harness works such that the traces come down at an angle to connect with either a single tree closer to the axle or to a single tree used to snig materials along the ground. The neck strap on a breast collar is too thin to withstand downward stress for uses like pulling things along the ground. Plus the thin surface area of the neck strap bites into the top of the neck and, if used long enough, can do some real damage.

[Rod]

I have a forecart with shafts that I would be using. The steup is the same a a Meadowbrook cart as far as height of connection goes. My breast collar is very well padded.

[LaNette]

Like a Pioneer forecart? I do use my breast collar harness for quick trips or short work sessions when I’m hitched to the forecart. The forecart is not easy to balance but my Percheron/Quarter horse doesn’t have any problems with a little bit of weight from the shafts either. I can pull a 25 bushel manure spreader with my breast collar harness and the horse (and my mule for that matter) can pull it with ease for as long as it takes to empty one load. Not too sure how he would go if I had to do very many trips though. The breast collar does squeeze back more with a loaded spreader but my animals are in very good working condition and don’t sore up an a short job like that. If I was going to go for a several hour tour with a friend in the bench seat or do alot of trips with the dump wagon or spreader, then I would go ahead and use the neck collar. Or for that matter, depending on the job I just might hitch them together and use them as a team. You just have to watch your animals and see how they are handling it to be the best judge of this sort of thing.

One other point, I use a synthetic breast collar and trace. Might be a bit hard and cause some stretch for a traditional leather buggy trace and breast collar.

[Author]

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