# How to Make a Miniature Pony Harness



## susanne (Jun 24, 2011)

Since, as they say, these are "Tips from people like you," I thought you'd all be interested in this knowledgeable ehow page:

*How to Make a Miniature Pony Harness*

Miniature Ponies need harnesses too. This is an easy how to on how to make a homemade mini pony harness...

Instructions

Things You'll Need

* STRONG Material

* Sewing knowledge

* Strong tread

* Tape measure

* Buckles

1. First, you'll need to measure your pony. Take measurements around the neck where the harness would lie, down the spine, and around the belly of the horse. You never want a harness that is too tight, you don't want to hurt the pony.

2. once you have your measurements, you'll need to cut your material for the straps. A good choice is leather, canvas, or nylon. The stronger the better. If you would like to make a satin harness, go for it, but it might not last. Cut your fabric into the strips, for extra strength, double the fabric. Sew the pieces together, be sure to double stitch, for extra strength. Be sure to leave extra room at the ends for the buckles. To secure them, place the end of the strap through the metal loop, fold into the inside of the layers, and sew.

3. Once you have all your straps sewn, you can strap up your pony. The buckles should be easy to get to. One on the back of the neck, and 2 along the back of the pony. This way you can get the harness on and off easily.

Tips & Warnings

* If you cant sew, how about ropes, with slip knots? Not good enough? Try buying a pony harness.

* Pony's can kick you. Be careful.

http://www.ehow.com/...ny-harness.html


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## Minimor (Jun 24, 2011)

Now that is good knowledge, for sure.




Such detailed instructions they give, and it sounds so simple & easy to make!

I am glad that I hadn't seen this tidbit of helpfulness before now.


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## Performancemini (Jun 24, 2011)




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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Jun 24, 2011)

Good grief!!! That is just ummmmm....yes well, what CAN a person say about such a great explanation?


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## Peggy Porter (Jun 24, 2011)

Now don't we all feel stupid for spending hundreds of $$$ on a harness when we could have sewn one ourselves? I especially want one out of satin....it would just be so pretty!! I am off to fire up the old sewing machine! (Tongue firmly in cheek)


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jun 24, 2011)

I'm with Peggy- why have we all been complaining that biothane was too shiny when we could have been going with SATIN?!



My goodness, how "special."

Leia


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## Performancemini (Jun 24, 2011)

Personally I think the sequined micro dot would be much snazzier



! And we could get some real sharp ones done up for the halloween season with the fabrics available for then



- or even one for every season and holiday- why not!


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## Marsha Cassada (Jun 24, 2011)

O darn. My vintage sewing machine won't sew through double thicknesses of canvas or leather. Too bad, as I have some vintage rhinestone buckles that would have looked good.


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## susanne (Jun 24, 2011)

I'm going to try my hand at a macramé harness, but knowing Mingus, I'd better heed their warning that ponies can kick!


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## Minimor (Jun 25, 2011)

Ooohh, oooo, oooo--I just remembered--I have a drawer full of material that I once bought to use in a parade outfit--I have oodles of silver satin and black w/silver velvet...I am QUITE sure that I can make that all into a lovely silver & black show harness. If I use it only for showing, the satin and velvet should hold up quite well, don't ya think??


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## shorthorsemom (Jun 25, 2011)

What about a velcro? You could line the saddle with it so it will stick to their long hair in the winter. hmmm, could even go girthless in winter.


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## susanne (Jun 25, 2011)

I have a drawer full of safety pins...do I even need a harness?

My pony will only be pulling a red wagon with my two toddlers and their puppy, and the shoulder of our highway is somewhat level. A couple of times they hooked the wagon handle to his halter, but he kicked the wagon and sent them all flying -- does that mean he isn't happy?


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## Performancemini (Jun 25, 2011)

:ThumbUp



:FirstPrize


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## Field-of-Dreams (Jun 25, 2011)

Man, all that money we coulda saved on our Lutke and Mini Express harnesses if I woulda made my own outta ribbon! I feel so STUPID!

Hey, instead of a Jerald think I could use a wheelbarrow? I think the handles would make perfect shafts! And think how WELL that would corner with one wheel!


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## shorthorsemom (Jun 26, 2011)

If you go on ebay and search on "new red miniature horse drawn harness" you will find a harness on a miniature horse worthy of this string of conversation....



just kidding... it is worth going to look at the sad hideous rig somebody has put on a poor little mini and hooked to a very big cart with a not so small driver... ...The fit of the harness it is awful and the little mini is struggling to pull that big rig with no support from any of the harness parts. I also think his eye is looking out over the blinker in the one photo..

I can't post the photos but now that you are intrigued... go check it out.. and see what you think.... Quick, you might be able to buy it and use it to pattern more harnesses just like it. Be sure you enlarge the photos to get the full visual.





Poor little horse, I wonder where it lives.


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## Sue_C. (Jun 26, 2011)

shorthorsemom said:


> If you go on ebay and search on "new red miniature horse drawn harness" you will find a harness on a miniature horse worthy of this string of conversation....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a sin...and that poor little thing is pulling as hard as it can...with the breastplate almost at it's knees.


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## Field-of-Dreams (Jun 26, 2011)

They should be ashamed to have that poor guy like that. The crown piece isn't even over both ears!


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## rabbitsfizz (Jun 30, 2011)

Field-of-Dreams said:


> Hey, instead of a Jerald think I could use a wheelbarrow? I think the handles would make perfect shafts! And think how WELL that would corner with one wheel!


Hey, my breaking cart is a wheelbarrow- no seriously, years ago I bought what is now a very expensive, two wheeled wheelbarrow then had my farrier make me up a set of shafts that slot in where the handles (which are removable) slot out.

Apart from my friend nearly having a choking fit laughing at me and saying I looked like a garden gnome (to be fair I was sitting on an old car battery in the back of said wheelbarrow....) it works just fine.


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## heartkranch (Jun 30, 2011)

duck tape and super glue.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh my! Poor litle guy! That little guy is in Jasper, MO according to their Ebay store.

My pair pulled my uh... self.... w/ a ride on disk. But the minute we hit the plowed ground that the Drafters had already set up - it was too deep for them and I was oof the disk and steering them to the outside of the plot. But they had gumption and heart! My link The Hafflinger Farmer (dont know his real name) told me if I get the other ponies trained and do them as a 4 abreast hitch that the shets wouldn't have any problems pulling this same disk in this same type of field...

I braid my training harness(s) from recycled haystring. It DOES work - but itsn't as simple as what that writeup said!! And certainly takes time... Have yet to make a "saddle" but that's ok - have a couple of other ones that fit my ponies and I just use those in conjunction w/ the headstall, lines, balancing side reins, breast collars/traces, hip strap assembly w/ crupper and breeching. Braiding these items uses a re-cyclable resource and gives me something to do when going places w/ freinds' that drive (I think I spent 8 hours each way braiding when we went up to OH to Amish harness country to visit harness & carriage shops). I have to do something with my hands while on the road.

I'm tweaking the way I make the harness now. Just something for me to do - when not dealing w/ training ponies or our farmette! Don't ask how long it takes - haven't tracked it properly. Also, other than the drive up to OH the weekend of the 4th, I don't regularly braid over the summer. I have a new one that is done -then I realized I don't have holdback straps or if used as a work type harness doesn't have quarter straps or lazy straps... oops. Need to make those parts now!

Now making my traces as double layers. My first "harness" is 1 1/2 yrs old now & showing definite signs of wear (getting ready to replace the traces w/ double layered ones)... Need to put up pics of the double layered traces. They aren't the end product - just a means to an end. They work for training - and require little to no maintenance. They also seem to be soft/forgiving - the ponies aren't bothered by the haystring. One set of my training lines are 20' and the other is 25'. I now purchase SS hardware from the shop that I purchased my work harness from... Some of my original headstall/harness hardware for the ponies were the ones from broken or old bridles/halters etc. Again, I'm thrifty and like to recycle. I also know what happens when you get in a pony driving wreck and I check my harness and hardware before each hook/hitch and also check it whenever I stop the ponies for practice or a breather... I have no problem with cutting a braided harness - unlike the hesitation I had when I had a wreck with a heavy, well constructed leather training harness - when a young pony and I hit a ground wasp nest in our pasture on her 3rd hook. My hesitation created more problems w/ the harness & the shafts of a sulky jog cart. I never got her over the fear that that wreck created (remember I am still a green driver - but sent her to two pro trainers and they didn't fair any better. She seemed more fearful when she came back from the one, actually). She went on to become a fantastic child's hunter pony - so she moved into a different job...

O - I have plenty of haystring to recycle as we use 7 - 10 round bales a month...

BUT as I can - I am getting harness for our ponies. Both single and pair - pleasure type & working type. Since my goal is to eventually show in ASPC/AMHR breed show ring - I will also need a show harness and cart (sigh - too much different equipment!!). LOL.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 16, 2011)

What are "lazy straps" and the "buck straps" you say in several photos you used to slow down one mare? I'd love to see pictures of how you do the haystring traces as that's a solution I hadn't considered to extending my current traces for use with a sled or drag. I'd just been using plain old haystring but a braided version sounds stronger and nicer.

Leia


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## paintponylvr (Jul 16, 2011)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> What are "lazy straps" and the "buck straps" you say in several photos you used to slow down one mare? I'd love to see pictures of how you do the haystring traces as that's a solution I hadn't considered to extending my current traces for use with a sled or drag. I'd just been using plain old haystring but a braided version sounds stronger and nicer.
> 
> Leia



Lazy straps are trace carriers at the back of a Farm type harness. Attach to the breeching and the traces run thru them. Can see them well right here - BellBit on the left side mare the wider strap loop hanging down from breeching ring (w/ the trace & chain running thru it). Here's another shot - Bell and here - Bit. Keeps the traces from dropping too low around the hocks - which can allow them to step over the traces. Well, with the Shetlands either I don't have it adjusted correctly or it just isn't possible to keep it high enuf to keep them from stepping over the traces sometimes. All of mine are learning to lift their leg and step back over the trace w/o freaking out, LOL.

The buckstrap is again used in farming horses. I don't know if pleasure or CDE trainers use it at all... BUT IT DOES work. It's to slow a speedy horse in a pair down - allowing the slower, timid horse to also work at pulling - keeping the load even. I found it works better than trying to speed up the slower horse (weather done by voice or whip cues, encouraging the slower one just makes the harder pulling beast pull faster/harder too - negating what you've accomplished with the slower moving one to begin with). The "strap" hooks up in many ways... But you hook it to the bit of the harder/faster horse - weather on one side or to the halter (farm horses are generally always worked w/ a halter under their bridles) or thru the check rings like either an over check or side check, or just a loop rein to either side of the bit. Then that is hooked to a line with a ring (single line) that then ties off to the front of the implement/vehicle you are driving. If the horse "overpulls" - he is checked by the bridle but not by your driving lines... It works wonders. I don't have a good pic of that, though... Obviously you saw the pic w/ Bell & Bit pulling our chainlink drag w/ two seperate singletrees last summer (BIG GRIN).

The load pulled better w/ the proper evener I purchased (w/ singletrees the same size attached at the right spot for balance on the evener itself). But the buckstrap worked. There are good pics in the "Farming with Horses" book by Steve Bowers - where he also discusses what it is used for along w/ MANY ways to even out your pairs, hold your driving lines and to handle pairs & 4 up hitches... Very informative book, they have a website but it doesn't show the pics of the buckstrap in use. Hmnmn, not finding it in images either on line... I'll see if I can get another pic for you but won't be today...


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jul 17, 2011)

Neat! I'll have to look for that book as it sounds like it would feed my interest in learning more about farm work. I looked at every one of your pictures, just couldn't figure out where the "buck strap" was.






CDE drivers call a lazy strap a "trace carrier," and a "buck(ing) strap" is another name for a kickstrap which runs from one shaft over the rear to the other shaft and holds the rump down when the horse attempts to buck or kick. All the different names used for each part are enough to drive me nuts normally but in this case it's like a whole 'nother language and culture instead. Fun!

BTW, with something being drawn from ground-level I don't think you could get the lazy straps low enough to do any good without breaking the line of draught. When I tried it I used bailing twine to extend the traces a ridiculous amount then allowed the trace carriers to break the line because by the time he stepped forward enough to come back into draught they'd come straight again without any risk of the singletree hitting his hind legs.

Leia


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## Tremor (Aug 6, 2011)

Oh, I was so interested in making my own harness, as my mom used to make leather gun cases. She has the know-how and the material to make a harness. Does anybody know of any sort of knowledgeable links to show how to make a harness? Its not like it'd be hard.

Thanks!


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## RhineStone (Aug 8, 2011)

The challenge with making your own harness would be making it comfortable for the horse. There are a couple of books carried by carriage vendors, and even though I would love to make my own just to tweak it, I am skeptical that I would have the finesse to create the soft and strong at the same time and to include the features made on quality harnesses, like well formed saddle padding and shaped crowns.

Myrna


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## Katiean (Aug 8, 2011)

I guess I have been harnessing my horse all wrong for years now.



:wacko Here I have been putting the harness on my horses back and it belongs on his neck. Go figure!


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## MajorClementine (Aug 9, 2011)

Dang and to think I just bought a harness.... crap! I could have just made my own with leftover quilting material!


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