Harness Fit Opinions Wanted

[CanoeTomah]

We bought the harness shown in the pictures a few years ago from an Amish harness maker.
In the past we have used it mainly to pull logs or a wooden sled.

We are trying to use it with the forecart and will appreciate advice for improvements.
Apicture standing and one underway.

The harness is nylon and came with snap in shaft holders, which do not connect under the girth.
They are about 2 feet short from connecting.
The leather belt I added thinking the shaft holder straps should keep the cart shafts from lifting up.
Horse is my sons 14 hand Lippitt Morgan mare.

Have been reviewing old post and like the level of information here.
Thanks!

[Eli]

Looks like fun. My harness has straps that keep the shafts from lifting up. Im not an expert but I’m sure someone will help. I have a Morgan that drives in a breast collar type harness but I need a 18-20 inch collar so I can harness her up and play in the woods. Eli

[jen judkins]

Looks pretty good. The top of the britchen could come forward abit. The flat piece at the top of the britchen should sit in that flat hollow ahead of the rump. The shaft loops look like they could be a bit lower or snugged down a bit. Definately need a belly band for the shaft loops. You could likely order one from meader supply.

[CanoeTomah]

Great just what I was looking for, we will adjust the britchen the next time out.
The shaft loops just snap in with no adjustment to lower.
Something could be rivited together to allow adjustment.
I’ll look on Meader for a belly band.
All, suggestions greatly appreciated.

We have another horse we would like to add into a team.
I see a lot of adds for used haflinger harness are they about the same size.

Thanks

[grey]

I am pleased with the placement of the britchen body itself. Neither too high nor too low. If you do tighten the straps that go from the britchen spider to the hames, you will need to let out the straps on the britchen spider so as not to bring the britchen body up.

In the first photo where the horse is stationary, the slack in the traces makes me wonder if maybe you could go one hole tighter on the holdbacks. But looking at the second photo, I’m not sure. Might be just fine.

No crouper/crupper?

The loops that carry the shafts look like they allow for quite a bit of vertical travel. With this kind of cart the shafts are going to have a tendency to raise up a bit, particularly when stopping. If you stay with your current shaft carriers, you might want to construct what is called a “wrap strap”. This is a strap that snugs around one shaft (usually by take a couple wraps, then buckling to itself), goes under the horse, then snugs around the other shaft. Basically anchors the shafts down. But then you would have THREE straps passing under the horse in the girth area.

Wondering at the shaft carriers you have there. Is there a buckle on the other side and you are two feet shy of being able to fasten the buckle? Or is there a piece missing – a 2′ long belly band with a buckle on either end?

Perhaps instead of getting a belly band for these shaft carriers, you should trade them out for a new set that are adjustable-height and have a belly band.

http://www.mydrafthorse.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=333

Make sure you clip them to the back pad with the tongue of the clip facing toward the horse and not facing out. Easy to get a line trapped in there.

Looks pretty good, all-in-all!

[carl ny]

Spider could go forward a little but not much.Best to get new shaft loops that fit tighter on the shaft and can be lowered a bit.Your shafts look long for your horse,are they draft size? The end of the shaft should be about at the point of shoulder.You might be able to fix this by lengthening the tugs and shortening the hold-backs.Also it looks like your collar might be a little small,if it is it will cut-off the horses wind. JMHO

carl ny

[grey]

Carl, could also be that the collar is new. Sometimes with a new collar it stands up off the shoulder like that until some of the convexity of the back of the collar is broken-in. Then it seems to rest more naturally against the shoulder.

[grey]

Looks like you haven’t any heel chains to let the horse out a bit farther. The end of the shaft, as Carl in NY said, should come to about the point of the shoulder to be “correct”. When the end of the shaft poke out like you have it now, it becomes easier to snag the line on the end of the shaft… usually at the most inopportune moment, too.

Heel chains against the steel shafts/evener of the Pioneer forecart sure make a racket, though. Maybe you could add only the number of links necessary to get the horse out a little farther.

Are your traces not designed for heel chains?

[fogish]

Here is a picture with shafts closer to the point of the shoulder. It’s closer than it looks, he has a very thick winter coat. Carl go ahead and correct me if I am wrong.

Here is a picture of something similar to or exactly what Grey is talking about. Just behind his shoulder there are two loops. One closest to his arm that goes down towards his belly (wrap strap) and the one behind that goes up towards his back pad where it is connected. My belly band happens to have a loop of leather that wrap strap was run through (like a belt loop) so that it is secured to the belly band. This way there are not two straps in contact with my horses stomach.

I have it sitting here on the floor next to me if you want a picture of it, I still need to get it repaired.
Does everyone prefer a link to the photo or the thumbnail in the post?

[CanoeTomah]

Thanks for all the help I will rspond after work.
Some of the issues posted I may have created by sloving other issues.

[carl ny]

Grey,you could be right about the collar,hard to tell without being there.

fogish,your right.

CT, I usually run my tugs inside the loop straps and outside the backpad cinch. You could lower the loops by using one of those screw together chain repair links(never can remember what they’re called).

carl ny

[grey]

Mending link or monkey link is what I call em. Or “blasted thing” when they rust shut. I mostly only buy them in stainless now. Unless they have to be very large. Then I just try not to leave them out. Good idea for lowering the shaft carriers!

[Billy Anderson]

@fogish 39075 wrote:

Does everyone prefer a link to the photo or the thumbnail in the post?

Where is the photo? Sorry im a bit jurrasic when it comes to computers

[fogish]

Billy, I included it as a link in the text itself. It makes the text a blue color in the post. There are two separate sections of text in my previous post that you can click on. Each goes to a different picture. The exact words to look for are: “point of shoulder.” “Grey is talking about.”

I guess you answered my question too. From now on I will just put website links in text and photos in thumbnails.

[grey]

I’m glad you posted that, fogish – I couldn’t find the links either. The color of the linked text blended in with the rest of the text. I had to look for my mouse pointer to change to find the link.

[Author]

Posts