Help With Collar Fit?

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Video is currently set to private.

[Does’ Leap]

Sorry. It is public now.

Here it is again…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPRjLWs4p1s

George

[grey]

Watched it with audio this time.

I don’t think the 24″ is too short. It’s possible that it is too narrow. Hard to tell without being there. You could set your hames to shorten that collar a bit and widen it.

The first 26″ is too long. Might be a good width with the pad.

The second 26″ is too long and also too wide.

Foretug angle looks good in the video.

Looks like in the video you’ve got your top hame strap at the middle setting on your hame rachet. If that’s the 26″ collar he’s wearing in that video, those hames might not work with the 24″ collar.

I like the height of the draft. If the shim is under the trace, keep it there.

Sorry, nothing really jumps out at me from the video except that the 26s are too long.

[grey]

Wrinkles on both sides of the horse?

[Carl Russell]

George, I think the 24 looks better. I run 24’s on my horses with pads.

Better tight than loose.

I have had similar “soring” during haying…. With the exact same set-up that I use all winter logging with no ill-effect. I have chalked it up to heat, not draft, or collar fit. I think my first line of action would be to buy new pads. Also, while I never do it myself, I think cleaning the surface with epsoms is good.

While I agree it doesn’t look good, I have never felt it was a major problem. I never notice the horse having a hard time working because of it. Dry clean pads make the biggest difference in my mind.

Haying really isn’t very heavy draft work, so I would not be focusing on collar fit as much as other conditions that could lead to such developments.

Carl

[Does’ Leap]

Thanks for the feedback. Grey, he get’s wrinkled on both sides. Carl, same deal with me. I log all winter with no issues. However, this horse does get sore, even to the touch at times while we are haying.

I will try the 24″ collar again. Although, we have had wrinkling with that collar too and my concern that it is too narrow around the neck. Any tricks to widening a collar? How do you know if your horse takes a full sweeney?

Thanks.

George

[Carl Russell]

If your hames are too big for the collar, you can tend to narrow the collar when tightening it. Use shorter hames, or shorten the upper brackets, widen the strap and squeeze the collar from to bottom. Also having a better bend to you hames can help.

I really think it has less to do with the contact, or fit of the collar, and more to do with the collar pad.

Carl

[Does’ Leap]

“I really think it has less to do with the contact, or fit of the collar, and more to do with the collar pad.”

Carl:

Do you think this is the case with vinyl pads as well? After I wash those pads, they look and feel as good as new. They also hold very little moisture and dry quickly. I have used some deer hair and felt pads and they can get pretty worn and funky.

George

[Carl Russell]

George, I have never used vinyl pads, but I can almost guarantee that the problem is not collar fit but skin reaction to the conditions under the collar. Perhaps the horse is in better flesh since being out on pasture, so the skin is tender…. I have never quite figured it out, but once I started cleaning and drying my pads I have not had a problem. I will admit I have no idea what the vinyl pad is like, but the skin must be able to breathe, or self-regulate temp and moisture, or it will get irritated.

Carl

[dominiquer60]

After years of using fabric pads Sam has converted to all vinyl, all the time and has yet to have a collar sore problem since changing over. This spring we started turning all the horses out together to get the mares more exercise and social time, they had a lot of play together, but teeth have been involved a few times and a couple received a bite right under the collar. We made sure to keep collar pads and shoulders clean and even with some heavy work the bite wounds healed right up. A couple of them have slimmed down to a better work weight and even with adjustable collars sucked right down, they are still a little big, but we have yet find a problem under a vinyl pad. I am not saying it won’t happen, but after years with the other pads, the vinyl has been a big improvement.

[Rod44]

Horses gaining weight and loosing weight is why I went to adjustable collars. Gives you a few inches of adjustment. They are also a little wider at the top than regualar collars for those fatter wider necks. I just put them on over the head and don’t open the top.

For what it is worth??

[Livewater Farm]

Looking to buy 2 good used adjustable collars size 20-22inch to start a young pair of fillies in anyone out there with anything this will not be their last collars so hate to buy new
Bill

[Rod44]

Don’t have any to sell but. Checked out prices for a friend and at my amish harness maker’s he had two 23-25 inch ones for $115. That might give you an idea of what a fair used price might be.

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