# Yipeee the harness shop tweeked my harness



## shorthorsemom (Jul 15, 2011)

I just wanted to share... I love my harness shop. Mr Esh is very reasonable and is a master craftsman on making beautiful harnesses.

Last year I bought a new better fit harness from him I was planning on using on my boys, but then I got Ike and his harness came with him, so my new harness has sat for quite some time waiting to be used.

I tried the new harness on Ike a few weeks ago and my trainer wanted some tweeking on the sizes of a few items so I stopped by the shop.

Mr Esh swapped out anything that needed a new size on any part of the harness for free. Minor charges for anything that wasn't a swap out for an original part. ..., I got a longer cavasson strap, he made me a longer tab tie back that goes from the breast plate strap to the saddle hook,

He made me new cheek pieces for my bridle minus the blinkers, he made two trace carriers for me, he made me a new shorter throatlatch for my bridle. He is making me a longer kicking strap too and fixing me up a halter with one of those nose buckles that you can put on over top of your bridle. I also swapped out the brown and black reins for all brown reins at the request of my trainer. He is also going to see if he can make some sort of leather guides that the reins can go through rather than tucking them under the breast plate strap. That one is an experiment...

It is so much fun working with a nice person that doesn't break the bank on your expenses. Pretty cool. I can't wait to use the harness... It needs breaking in now. Never ending adjustments it seems... but the journey is fun.

Take care...


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 15, 2011)

I am so envious!!



I would KILL to live that close to a reputable harness maker. Sounds like he's a real treasure.

On the rein guides, I wouldn't go with leather unless it's some sort of rolled loop with a hard finish. You want the reins to slide through it easily with no friction which is why most people use metal rings.

Leia


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 16, 2011)

He was planning to make some sort of rolled loop thing kind of like a small tug and stitched in. Experimental, but not costly so we were going to give it a try. He was intrigued by trying to fit some sort of ring that would be lighter and still fit on the style of breast plate I use.

He made me new cheek pieces for my bridle without the blinkers for $24 (for the pair). Can you believe that! He is a master harness maker and he makes quite a bit of the local mini harness around here. I priced a bridle at one shop and he made me a whole harness (britching and all)...for the price of the bridle at the other shop. He created my v neck breast plate from a pattern he worked out with a local driving expert... My harness is custom, I gave him measurements and he made it for me. I go ga ga every time I go to his shop and see the full sized horse harnesses he has created. Works of art. My new harness has the steel fittings rather than the brass. He uses a new softer black leather. His russett leather is to die for but I went for black because when I bought it I didn't have Ike and two of my boys were black and white leopard appys.

Now I have Ike and boy would he look good in russett,





but maybe someday when I get over the sting of expense of my cart. . The new reins he gave me today are awesome in feel.

My boy chips I share with Kim will also look great in this harness if I can ever get him past ground driving and onto real driving.

Anyway, you really can't beat having a harness maker close enough to drive to (40 minutes). I admit to being in awe of his talent.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 16, 2011)

shorthorsemom said:


> Anyway, you really can't beat having a harness maker close enough to drive to (40 minutes). I admit to being in awe of his talent.



Where are you located?


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 16, 2011)

south east Pa.

And duh, I shouldn't have said he makes "all" the harness around here. Newbie overly excited chatting...

He is just super nice to work with. There are other outfits around here that are talented and easy to work with too, this guy is just my personal favorite. Don't want to slight the other local talent in my chat.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 16, 2011)

shorthorsemom said:


> south east Pa.
> 
> And duh, I shouldn't have said he makes "all" the harness around here. Newbie overly excited chatting...
> 
> He is just super nice to work with. There are other outfits around here that are talented and easy to work with too, this guy is just my personal favorite. Don't want to slight the other local talent in my chat.



You didn't slight anyone in my book and I know what it means to find "the one" of many in your own area that you can work with. I was just curious where you were - I couldn't find that in any of your info. Folks are all over on this board... Kinda cool how we can all connect.

So does your harness supplier have a catalog or a website? Address and phone number contact?

I'm still keeping my eyes open for harness and supplies... Though I'm pretty comfortable w/ the ones I've located in OH - all that have affordable harness (on a shoestring budget).

I drool over the harness right here in NC - but I simply couldn't start with it as it costs more than I could do right now... One of my goals is to have one built by Country Carriages USA (maybe a pairs harness w/o the collars/hames) - what she seems to specalize in!


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 16, 2011)

My guy is amish. He has a shop in Leola Pa.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 17, 2011)

You guys have no idea how lucky you are. The concept of walking into a dedicated harness shop is just mind-blowing for me!



That there are places you can go to actually handle a harness or cart before you buy it, maybe even bringing your horse and having it custom-fitted, is amazing. We have to mail-order every single thing out here and if you don't like it when it arrives, tough tiddly. I have to look in the phone book for a leather guy (usually somebody who grew up in the midwest and fixes Western saddles) just to shorten a strap or send it all the way back across the country. I think if I lived out in Amish country I'd be going crazy customizing shaped breastcollars, buying bridles, trying neck collars....





Leia


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 17, 2011)

Oh, I do know how lucky I am... it is AWESOME. I was going so



myself about the experience, which is why I started this thread.... He knows what local CDE mini drivers are using, and if you dont like the fit of ANY part, he will sub it out for another one in a different size for no charge.

My harness was orginally sized for my boy that I sold last year, and I had to get it tweeked to fit my other boy Ike since none of the parts were ever used, it was a direct swap out for no charge.

The cavasson was too short, the throat latch too long, the headstall was a tad too long and then I am thinking of changing bits sometime soon, which will shorten the length of the cheek pieces, so I am making an extra set to have on hand to sub in if I try the butterfly bit or something similar.

He made me matching trace carriers for $17 and a longer neck strap tab for $8. Honestly Leia, you would go GAGA over this place. When he made me my breast plate last year he showed me a paper pattern he had crafted from a pro driver's description of what she wanted for her mini's.

He is really popular for creating the custom miniature and pony harnesses and he didn't break the bank either. I got custom better fit harness last year, with all the bells and whistles in black with stainless fittings (russett leather is more money) bridle (not box keepers) and reins and britching included for around $550.

He can also make a saddle with a sliding backband design for about $261 if you only need a saddle, I priced those while I was deciding on what type of shafts I wanted for my aerocrown. Between this guy and and working with Stephen for the cart, I have been tickled pink with the experience. Amish crafters, you gotta love them.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 17, 2011)

shorthorsemom said:


> Honestly Leia, you would go GAGA over this place.


Unless you want company shortly and are prepared to put me up, drive me there, and go to all the work of dragging me back out again and helping me FedEx everything home, I suggest you stop rubbing it in!!





Brat.





Leia


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 17, 2011)

Come on down!, or up, depending on where you are from...



Bring a tent, we have a nice little stream running though our property with trout in it, you could sleep out under the stars and catch your supper and cook it over a camp fire...

Did I mention that he will ship your stuff? He offered to ship me the items I couldn't bring home with me. He is as much fun to deal with over the phone as steven of carriage is...






Brat says... It is only 40 minutes from here..



LOL. I can't help myself. okay, i will stop...


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 17, 2011)

Washington state is not exactly easy driving distance from PA and I think the airlines might frown on me packing a tent. That, plus I haven't fished since I was five and my dad did all the dirty work involved with turning that particular fish into dinner. Nope, sorry, I'd need at least a spot in the barn and a few granola bars!



Visiting Amish country is seriously on my bucket list however so I might call you someday. I am, at least, handy with a horse and a pitchfork!

Leia


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## MistyMeadow (Jul 18, 2011)

I am envisioning making a model of my mini mare so that I can ship back East to get a harness made. If only there was way I could make an inflatable one that would ship in a small flat rate box. Ummm Maybe a harness maker. could make something like a dress makers dummy, just for horses.

Does anyone know anyone in the WA OR area that might be selling a used harness for a 35 inch mini that is more on the A size?


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## drivin*me*buggy (Jul 18, 2011)

Adair,

That is so awesome you have a close harness maker. I am thinking of making my trip to Driving Essentials an overnight trip so I don't have to rush back and can maybe shop/sightsee a bit.





Angie


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## Kim~Crayonboxminiatures (Jul 18, 2011)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> Unless you want company shortly and are prepared to put me up, drive me there, and go to all the work of dragging me back out again and helping me FedEx everything home, I suggest you stop rubbing it in!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I live even closer, and you are more than welcome to visit here anytime!! I have a sofa you can crash on.


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## shorthorsemom (Jul 18, 2011)

drivin*me*buggy said:


> Adair,
> 
> That is so awesome you have a close harness maker. I am thinking of making my trip to Driving Essentials an overnight trip so I don't have to rush back and can maybe shop/sightsee a bit.
> 
> ...


Hey Angie, this harness shop isn't too far to drive from Driving essentials. Maybe you can bunk with Leia at Kim's at the "crayonbox", I see she offered a sofa to Leia. Who knows you might come home with a horse or a goat on your trip. sorry Kim, I just couldn't help myself, LOL. Just gotta be silly...Adair

PS the harness maker is really just a shop, there isn't a big show room, everything is done by custom order, but if you bring in measurements, he can show you what he can do. He had some big horse harness in a case on display. I wish I could show you my harness, it is very nice. I'll drive it up to show you at Kims when you visit.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 18, 2011)

I sense an LB party in the making!!







MistyMeadow said:


> Does anyone know anyone in the WA OR area that might be selling a used harness for a 35 inch mini that is more on the A size?


You can email Mickey Lofgren at "[email protected]" and she can put your request out on our NW driver's mailing list. I'm sure someone will have something.





Leia


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