# Harness Critique



## HorseMom (Nov 25, 2009)

I know this is not the best picture and unfortunately there won't be anymore for awhile due to a bad trim. I was wondering how the harness adjustments looked to more experienced eyes. Please excuse his mohawk and head set, its a work in progress.







Thanks in advance.


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## candycar (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm far from an expert, or even proficient LOL- but IMO the breast collar is a little low. It looks like the same harness I have, and I had to punch another hole to get mine up far enough. Also, it's hard to tell, but it looks like the crupper might be a little tight. Hope smarter folks than me chime in for ya!


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## Marsha Cassada (Nov 25, 2009)

I am not sure I understand the strap wrapped behind the breeching wrap.

Where does the neck strap for the breast collar lay? Maybe if it were back by the saddle the breast collar would come up. Does he have a saddle pad?

I'd like to learn from your photo, also.

He looks happy to be working!


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## Ghosted (Nov 26, 2009)

I am new as well, But I must say. The breast collar looks a tad low (2-4in?). Other than that I do not really see much wrong with it. Then again, I am new to driving. I am learning fast though.

He does look happy with his job though.


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## Minimor (Nov 26, 2009)

Marsha, that extra strap is a kicking strap--a safety feature which prevents the horse from lifting up his rear end to buck or kick


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## Alex (Nov 26, 2009)

Evrything looks pretty good, but you do need to raise the breastcollar up quite a bit. It sort of looks like it slipped under his shoulder.

The only other thing would be maybe raise your shafts a hole up. The picture is taken at an angle so I wouldn't make any changes to that as I'm not entirelly sure based on the photo.

I have never used one, but I thought I have always seen the Kicking Strap used more towards the horses hips and not his croup? Hopefully someone who has used one will know.

BTW Heather I like that harness, where did you get it?


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## HorseMom (Nov 26, 2009)

I have raised the breast collar up some and it looks so much better. And I've also raised the shafts up after looking at someone else's picture and realizing that mine shafts were too low. The article that I found in a older issue of Driving Digest seemed to have the kicking strap just above the crupper. But I'll take a look at the article again just to double check, I've been wrong before. It's loose enough not to interfere with Jay using his hind end, but it he tries to buck he can't. He hasn't tried to kick or buck in a long time, but I still like to use it just in case. Best piece of tack I ever bought.

Surprisingly the Harness is a Tracker. Not the best quality but it has been great for just getting started. I am looking into a new harness for CDEs. Ozark Mountain had a nice one with a V-breast collar. Kay Jay's also had a nice one.

Jay loves to work. He spent most of his life doing nothing but sitting in a paddock all by himself. Now we're driving and showing, and he loves every minute of it. He loves a challenge too. I'm so proud of how far he's come.


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## Bluerocket (Nov 26, 2009)

I would move that bucking/kicking strap up to tie in where the breeching attaches to the back strap - more to the top of the hindquarters rather than slipping back. A friend of mine had a bad experience withone that slipped back and contributed to the bucking.

What you want is for the strap to go over the hindquarters (and not slip) to raise up the shafts should the horse try to buck or kick. I have exprience with bucking and kicking. These can be a wonderful thing used properly.

The breastcollar should lie right at the bottom of the windpipe where it comes into the horse's chest. It should not impede breathing. Hopefully you would have a direct line from the breast collar to traces to single tree.

The breeching should attach to the back band where it will lay straight down to the shafts. E.g. go over the hindquarters in a direct line to the ground. yours looks like it is too far forward on the back band.

The breeching that goes around the hindquarters should be taught when the horse is going downhill and the cart weight is being kept back by the breeching.

Cute horse by the way and hard to see the harness because of color of horse and color of harness.!

Hope this is some help.

JJay


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## MiLo Minis (Nov 26, 2009)

I am withholding any critique until you can get a better picture because I can't really even see the breastcollar, the breeching if it is double strapped may be just fine, the angles are all kind of odd because the picture was taken looking down on the horse rather than from his height. If the shafts are as low as they look the cart is too low for the horse. This just isn't a great picture for critiquing


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