Harness makers

[TBigLug]

I’ll add my two cents as far as the leather vs. bio/ nylon discussion goes.

I have both a bio harness I use and a leather harness. My personal preference is to have a nylon harness for doing the around farm work and day to day chores. Then I love my heavy brass studded leather harness for events (ie. my stepping out harness). Leather’s great but man after a day of throwing up on and pulling off of those horses I never want to see it again. Unlike Carl I can’t slide it off my shoulder onto their backs since our “shorty” is 17.2.

I can’t add anything to the other (original) point of this thread since I don’t own a D-ring and I do all my harness parts shopping at my local harness shop. 🙂

[jen judkins]

@TBigLug 13133 wrote:

Leather’s great but man after a day of throwing up on and pulling off of those horses I never want to see it again. Unlike Carl I can’t slide it off my shoulder onto their backs since our “shorty” is 17.2.

And since I am throwing my D-ring up and over an 18 hand horse….I will solidly stick to my biothane harness 😮

[mitchmaine]

hi jen, Beachy’s Harness Shop, 2815 township road 182, Baltic, ohio 43804. you have to write for a catalog. no phone. Team D-ring harness, plain, about $1000. Heavily spotted, About $1200. Comes with lines, hames, bridals. Not exactly the northeast, but the service is quick, the work is great, and you oughta drive out to pick it up. it’s worth the trip, but they also ship. Ask for Mose.

[Carl Russell]

jenjudkins;13134 wrote:

And since I am throwing my D-ring up and over an 18 hand horse….I will solidly stick to my biothane harness 😮

Originally Posted by TBigLug
Leather’s great but man after a day of throwing up on and pulling off of those horses I never want to see it again. Unlike Carl I can’t slide it off my shoulder onto their backs since our “shorty” is 17.2.

You guys make my point exactly. You needn’t be throwing a harness onto any horse. As long as the britchen and jack saddle are on your shoulder when you lift the hames over the collar, then all you need to do is slide the harness onto the horse, not matter how tall they are. If you are trying to toss the whole thing up onto the animal, then yeah, sure, get a light harness. The problem you are having with weight is not a function of the harness, but the way you are handling it.

This is not to dismiss your preference. I respect and appreciate that.

Carl

[jen judkins]

@Carl Russell 13149 wrote:

You guys make my point exactly. You needn’t be throwing a harness onto any horse.

Haha! I guess ‘toss’ was a poor word choice. There is no way I could literally toss anything but a rope over Reno’s back. I do it just as you suggest….but it would definately be more challenging with more weight:D

[Joshua Kingsley]

Those with back and or injury issues often will consider the lighter weight harnesses. I have a heavy set of Leather harnesses that I have had for several years. They have been in the family for a long time and will stick around for a while longer. Now that things have happened out of my control I am looking into Bio or nylon for every day use. The harnesses for my ponies is Bio and looks good but is a ton stiffer than my old leather draft sized harnesses. Now I need to get some thing to use on my big horses.
So the question is Nylon or Leather or Bio. I am considering Beta for the feel of leather but I will miss the scent.
Joshua

[Robert MoonShadow]

“If the problem is too big to handle, try having a smaller problem”…I’m looking forward to this leather D-ring harness set I’m buying from a member here –> and Jen’s problem of weight/height won’t be such a factor: I’ve got a pair of large-standard donkeys! But then, trying to see past those long ears can be a challenge. :p

[Plowboy]

Robert, One of my old timer friends showed up at one of our wagon rides without horses and got conned into driving a 4up of someone elses mules. Half way through the ride he was right behind our wagon, my dad turned around and asked, “How you makin out Charlie”? He replied,” just like drivin a hitch of G:: Damn Jack Rabbits”. With a big smile on his face.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Plowboy: That’s too funny!

[goodcompanion]

@Carl Russell 13120 wrote:

I have never paid more than $500 for a leather D-Ring harness. In fact the last two sets I paid $500 and $350 per team set (2 harnesses) and each were in excellent shape and gave me nearly 10 years good hard use. Price is not a convincing argument to me.
Carl

Carl,

Would you mind sharing your source?

[Carl Russell]

Private sales, and auction. I am always looking. I never find what I want if I wait until I need it. I just ask and look, and keep an eye on the classifieds, and other sources, and when the deal presents itself, I buy.

I have a little piece of philosophy that I try to keep working in my life. It applies to many different aspects of economic, social, and emotional factors. “Opportunities are like Grouse. You can’t shoot until you beat the bushes and flush one out.”

Carl

[goodcompanion]

@Carl Russell 14132 wrote:

I have a little piece of philosophy that I try to keep working in my life. It applies to many different aspects of economic, social, and emotional factors. “Opportunities are like Grouse. You can’t shoot until you beat the bushes and flush one out.”

Carl

Is this a Dick Cheney quote?

[Carl Russell]

No that’s office assistants.:eek:

[DraftDriver]

I have both, biothane and leather harness. I use the biothane for showing, it does clean up nice and a bit of armoral on a clean cotton cloth and gone over, that harness shines and looks really nice. Light, easier for me to get up on a 17.2H Percheron by myself if I have to. All my collars are good leather and we keep those clean and nice too.

The leather though, as with what others said, I clean at least 2 to 3 times a year, go over it well, I love the smell and the feel of it and how it looks as well. Our harness is an older set, a friend figures it was made back in the 40’s, it is dark heavy leather with all brass dots and hames balls. When my husband takes a bit of brasso to the dots and hames balls, it does look sharp on the team in work classes and we have gotten compliments on the condition it was in. I got it off of a draft web site and paid $250 for the team set, lines, and everything that went with it, save the collars.

Our other set of harness is a biothane, leather set up that is nice, we wipe it down and ensure all is well but it isn’t anything fancy. Something to knock around our small farm with or play in the dirt so to speak.

But hands down, I love the leather the best. It is heavier and I do not have the strength to lift but I put the hames over then the saddle then the hip straps. I go from front to back, easier for me.

And could someone tell me or show me what a D ring harness is please?

[Author]

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