# Harness help



## happy appy (Jul 5, 2011)

Here are some pictures of Snickers and the new mini cart that I just bought. Can anyone help with what I should fix on his harness adjustments? My son is not driving, he is just sitting there to show a little weight in the cart because he couldn't figure out how to work the camera.


----------



## Reignmaker Miniatures (Jul 5, 2011)

I'll take a shot at it (hopefully one of our harness gurus will chime in for you)

Starting at the rear;

Adjust the britchen hanger straps so it sits level and perhaps a tiny bit higher. I think if you raise the back most strap it will fix it.

Move the saddle back off his whithers (maybe it just looks like it is sitting on his whithers in which case disregard this)

lengthen the overcheck (better yet don't use it at all unless you plan to show breed shows)

Lower the shafts a bit and push the cart back so the traces can come into play when the horse is 'in draft' (pulling) Again, maybe they are fine when the horse is moving but it looks like they will not loose their slack and the horse will have to pull with the saddle.

And finally, I'm not sure what the strap closing his mouth is. A flash nose band is not something generally seen in driving and if he needs it to hold his mouth shut on the bit I would advise a) give him more time to adjust to carrying the bit or b) if he has had plenty of experience and still gapes at the bit check for discomfort, does he have wolf teeth? points or hooks? Is the headstall adjusted too tightly? Are there sharp edges or some other reason why the bit is uncomfortable? and finally maybe its not the right bit for him.

Hope all that is helpful, in all I have certainly seen far far worse jobs of harnessing and I didn't see anything glaringly wrong.


----------



## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 5, 2011)

Height of the shafts is perfect- I would not lower them. Height of the breeching looks fine to me- I wouldn't change it. I do agree with putting the saddle just a hair further back and tightening the traces a little bit so there isn't slack when the shafts are in their current (very correct) position. You need to sandwich your traces in the holdback straps to keep them from drooping so run the holdback under the trace, through the footman's loop beneath the shaft, wrap it forward a couple of times from outside to in, then tuck it through the first wrap and buckle it back OVER the trace. The trace should not be caught in the wraps but suspended in the opening between the bottom and the top of the holdback. Other than that everything looks very correct and surprisingly well-fitted for a nylon harness. Good job!





I can't see how the tugs are- do they have wrap straps or do the tug loops just buckle into the overgirth?

The only other thing is I too was concerned over all the "stuff" on his face. Between an overcheck, the flash noseband and the extremely tight throatlatch that horse couldn't flex if you asked him to.



How is the bit being held up? I don't see any straps buckling into it!



I'd remove the flash, loosen or remove the overcheck and experiment with loosening the throatlatch a notch. We do want it snug, but not so tight the horse can't go on the vertical comfortably.

Leia


----------



## happy appy (Jul 5, 2011)

Thanks for the replies! I know the bridle is not fitting well at all. This is the bit that he came with and I haven't changed it because he is a little speed demon! lol He really likes to go so I need a little more break right now. There are tug loops on the over girth that the shafts go through.

There is nothing wrong with Snickers mouth, I had the vet out in April and she did teeth checks while she did shots. Teeth floating is a regular spring and fall at my house. They might not need it done be everyone gets checked.

I think that is all the question. Keep the comments coming! I love to find out ways I can do things better for Snickers.


----------



## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 5, 2011)

happy appy said:


> Thanks for the replies! I know the bridle is not fitting well at all. This is the bit that he came with and I haven't changed it because he is a little speed demon! lol He really likes to go so I need a little more break right now.


The bit isn't the issue- I asked how the bit was attached to the bridle. It looks like it's just sitting in his mouth somehow!



But if you're having trouble with brakes, a loose-ring snaffle is hardly going to help that. It's an extremely gentle training bit and all the flash noseband does is glue his mouth shut.







happy appy said:


> There are tug loops on the over girth that the shafts go through.


Yes, but what comes up from the bottom of the girth to connect to those loops? Is there one strap dangling down from the tug loop or is there a long strap coming up from the overgirth?

Leia


----------



## happy appy (Jul 5, 2011)

The bit attaches by the check pieces with the blinkers on it. The bit is an elevator style bit and the reins are attached to the bottom on the leverage part.

On the saddle you have the saddle and girth then you have the other straps that have the tugs attached and they also attach under the girth with another buckle piece. I will take a picture of it tomorrow and tost it for you. I have a hard time explaining things all the time. lol I get told that frequently.


----------



## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 5, 2011)

happy appy said:


> The bit attaches by the check pieces with the blinkers on it. The bit is an elevator style bit and the reins are attached to the bottom on the leverage part.


Oh my. I'm surprised you managed to find one of those in 3.5"! That explains why the center ring didn't appear to have anything attached to it, why the cheekpieces are pulled so far forward and what those odd snaps on the bottom are. And also why you need a flash noseband.



It might be better to switch to a bit that is meant to give stronger control while driving such as a Liverpool or Butterfly bit until you can work on this guy's "whoa" and get him a little more responsive.



happy appy said:


> On the saddle you have the saddle and girth then you have the other straps that have the tugs attached and they also attach under the girth with another buckle piece. I will take a picture of it tomorrow and tost it for you.


Nah, that's okay. It sounds like you have open tugs which is what it looked like. I just wanted to make sure! Some of these nylon harnesses can be weird.

Leia


----------



## happy appy (Jul 6, 2011)

OK so I took more pictures today.

The over check is missing in this photo. I tried him today without it and he went ok. The trainer always drove with it on.






Just 2 shots so you can see how the harness is in work.











I have to say that everytime I drive Snickers in the ring I have all the big horses and all the minis lined up at their fence lines watching. It is so funny to see them.


----------



## CZP1 (Jul 6, 2011)

He is very nice! I wish I had a big ring like that to work in!


----------



## happy appy (Jul 6, 2011)

CZP1 said:


> He is very nice! I wish I had a big ring like that to work in!



Thank you!

My daughter is an eventer and I ride dressage on my big mare. The ring is 120 feet by 170 feet.


----------



## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 8, 2011)

happy appy said:


> My daughter is an eventer and I ride dressage on my big mare.


Ah, that explains a lot. Snickers shows your dressage experience in his head and neck in the moving photos and I've really got to say that I think you got one of the only decent nylon harnesses I've ever seen. Good for you! You're on the right path.

Leia


----------

