Harness Help

[Demented Donkey Dame]

This is a harness that a friend is wanting to use with a four wheeled vehicle. What can anyone tell us about what she has. Is there anyway to make this into a cart harness? I don’t see how. There is no saddle, does not look to me like it needs one. Because of the two straps across the barrel looks like it is an ag or logging harness. I am unfamiliar with what she has. Anyone can help us? Hope the photo comes thru okay, if not I will repost the picture. Thanks!

[Robert MoonShadow]

Does anyone know…is this a ‘bellybacker’ harness?

[CharlyBonifaz]

sorry, don’t have a clue on what you call it, but…..

Is there anyway to make this into a cart harness?

if the shafts of the cart can be elongated to run all the way up front to the collar where the traces start, it should work for carts……

[Demented Donkey Dame]

I am thinking if a person added a back band, which seems to be missing, with a single driving hook up that includes shaft loops, shaft bearers with snap and belly band like what you would use to convert a team harness to a single harness it might work for her, if it could be tied into the side rings. I am just not sure if this would work with this syle of what I would call a New England D Ring Harness. Also she would need to add a set of holdback straps to the breeching rings. Has anyone tried to use this type of a harness to pull a cart with?

[Demented Donkey Dame]

Robert, I have a picture of a Side Backer Harness for you. It has the side backer straps running from the breeching D Ring to a front jockey yoke. This harness does not need quarter straps, breast and pole straps. I think this is a lot like the New England D Ring Harness in some aspects, just has extra side straps. Will bring pictures on our next donkey driving playday.

[Robert MoonShadow]

‘Kay, “K”! :p
See ya Friday {if it don’t rain}

It doesn’t seem to look like the D-rings I’ve seen here…maybe I’m looking at it w/ the wrong eye

*which one’s the good eye, again…?*

[mitchmaine]

i can’t see a resemblance here to a dring harness. looks like a one peice tug. looks like a quarter strap from the britchin hooked into the backstrap? waiting to snap into a breast strap if needed. making a belly backer? just a guess. interesting how the lines pass through the lower hame ring.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Is this perhaps a European style of harness? For some reason, I’m thinking perhaps a Scandanavian- or German- style?

Just as a side note – because I’m new at this and want to learn – would it be a better line of draft if the tug holders were adjusted a bit lower?

[Demented Donkey Dame]

@mitchmaine 27335 wrote:

i can’t see a resemblance here to a dring harness. looks like a one peice tug. looks like a quarter strap from the britchin hooked into the backstrap? waiting to snap into a breast strap if needed. making a belly backer? just a guess. interesting how the lines pass through the lower hame ring.

She was ground driving her mare hooked to a tire, that is why the lines are in the lower hame rings. Never thought about the quarter straps not being right before.. will have to think about this. Thanks Mitch!

[Demented Donkey Dame]

@Robert MoonShadow 27341 wrote:

Is this perhaps a European style of harness? For some reason, I’m thinking perhaps a Scandanavian- or German- style?

Just as a side note – because I’m new at this and want to learn – would it be a better line of draft if the tug holders were adjusted a bit lower?

There is an interupted line of draft, the tug straps need to be longer… Good Eye, Robert… and I mean that! The eveners are being built even as I type so the three abreast/four abreast hitches are back on… if it ever quits raining that is! We are now working on inch #2 today..

[Ira]

that is a “Y back” or “open back harness” never had a back pad in it and mitch is right the quarter straps are hooked in the wrong place.
It is meant to be used as a team harness.

[Demented Donkey Dame]

@Ira 27498 wrote:

that is a “Y back” or “open back harness” never had a back pad in it and mitch is right the quarter straps are hooked in the wrong place.
It is meant to be used as a team harness.

Thank you Ira, I really appreciate your knowledge. She told me that she thinks the former owner of this horse drove her as a single. I’m thinking if this happened it was in a different harness. I will pass your info on to her. Again, thank you!:)

[Ira]

@Demented Donkey Dame 27499 wrote:

Thank you Ira, I really appreciate your knowledge. She told me that she thinks the former owner of this horse drove her as a single. I’m thinking if this happened it was in a different harness. I will pass your info on to her. Again, thank you!:)

Your welcome

[grey]

I know this is an ancient thread but it popped up in some Google search results for me when I was researching different improvised ways of converting team harnesses to single. Anyhow, in the interest of providing this information to others who may need to know, this type of harness (which I, too, have always called a “Y-back” harness) is designed to keep a horse cooler, use less leather and be lighter to heft and toss on the horse by eliminating the back pad. In this state, the Y-back was frequently used in the wheatlands, where they used large hitches.

The quarter straps are clipped where they are as a means of keeping them safe when not in use.

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