# YOUR DREAM HARNESS



## susanne (Dec 1, 2009)

If a harness maker came to you and asked you to design your dream harness, either from the ground up, by redesigning an existing harness, or perhaps by combining parts on different harnesses, what would you create?

My invention is a backsaddle pad with a built-in tree that would allow people to retrofit cheaper harnesses, show harnesses, etc., for their horse's comfort. Under and on top of the tree would be gel-filled liners that would conform to the horse's conformation and the saddle.

I've mentioned my thoughts on breast/neck collars on the other thread.

I'd definitely add a gullet strap to the bridle, along with a noseband with a ring that would facilitate heading, tying and general show prep without looking clunky.

So what would your dream harness be?


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## krissy3 (Dec 2, 2009)

one without overchecks or side checks, without blinders, or at least with the possibility to remove them , and a video and book for people who are not sure how to fit the harness properly. a nice feature would be a piece of leather under buckles big enough to keep hair from getting caught in it.


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## RhineStone (Dec 2, 2009)

I have so many, but I would like a strap that keeps the girth back off the elbow of a well-sprung horse. If the girth is tightened a lot, it migrates toward the elbow and galls the horse, so I leave it looser, but then my collar tips a bit because the false martingale is too loose so as not to pull the girth forward. :arg! I also need to try a padded girth. Maybe that is my next purchase.

I would also LOVE little bitty Fleur de Lis blinder and face drop ornaments! My bridle doesn't have them, now, but we are trying to find out where we can get them. I would also like one on a teardrop on the false martingale.

My harness has a tree in the saddle, and I wouldn't be without it. I think it could have a bit more gullet clearance, but at least it isn't sitting on the horse's spine. I have the fully padded saddle skirts, too. I LOVE our Smucker's Better Fit saddle that we have for our big horse. It is AWESOME! (By the way, for anyone that might not know, you can "adjust" a tree in a harness saddle to be wider or more narrow.)

Someday, I would also like double leather stitched reins that if/when they get flipped over, there is no "ugly" side, but that is a luxury.

For an invention, I would like adjustable winker stays. I know that you can bend them a bit, but some are too close to the horse's eyes, and some are too far. I would like ones that can "telescope" so you could get a custom fit, especially in winter with more hair. The removable blinkers are an interesting idea, too. I am working with a mare that I feel is going to be put to first without them, and then add them later. She seems to want to be able to process what is going on back there.

My final hope is for worldwide realization that a well-fitting, "ergonomic" harness creates a happy and safer horse, and therefore a better performance. I refuse to give up my horses' breeching for the sake of "too much leather", when it is more comfortable for the horse to use his big hauches to stop a vehicle than his withers. (OUCH!) I also agree about dumping the check reins for the purpose of style (anyone watch Black Beauty?). If you want a upheaded horse, buy or breed one, but don't force it up. An advanced level horse is going to have better self-carriage than a training level horse, so give it time. We have used checks briefly for "anti-grazing devices" when kids drive and the horse tests the kids, but usually correctly educating the horse helps more. Finally, "more is better", within reason. The more bearing surface that is used to support or pull a vehicle, the more comfortable it is for the horse. It's like stiletto heels vs. Mary Janes, narrow bra straps vs. wide ones! Wide ones are more comfortable!


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## Minxiesmom (Dec 2, 2009)

Back saddle Gullet clearance!!!! PLEASE !! PLEASE!! PLEASE!! I am sure there is a good saddle for this, but I need to look at one in real life, or have someone that has one put their stamp of approval on it for the rest of us. All the other things mentioned would be nice, but this is my biggest worry.


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## susanne (Dec 2, 2009)

I forgot to list a key feature in my retrofit treed saddle pad... it would have an adequate gullet for spinal clearance. It also would be wide enough to counteract narrow saddles and to prevent rocking.

I want ALL of the suggestions so far. Krissy, when we worked with our trainer (in the depth of winter), she emphasized the need to keep from catching those long hairs. I love the idea of your preventivce measure. That would be great on halters, too!

Mingus' saddle always migrates to his elbows and withers...


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## willowoodstables (Dec 2, 2009)

All the things mentioned are in Freedman Harness. He will custom make mini harness, but traditionally makes hackney or shetland size. If wishes were harness, mine would be a Freedman mini harness.

freedman harness

This link takes you to the limited edition harness (I am SOOOOOOOOO lucky to have a pony version of this) and if you look at the bottom pictures it shows some of the detail...I have some old Freedman harness that is almost 50 yrs old and I still use it to show in...simply...the best

Kim


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## keely2682 (Dec 3, 2009)

i have given up on off the rack harnesses. i give my wish list and measurements to harness makers who have been great. i made my dream harnesses!

the best fitting harness i have bought is definatately the *chimacum sport harness*.  every measurement is made for my mare- it fits her perfect. the saddle is so comfy- built up padding, good spine channel, wide and stable. i love the sliding backband, i added to it. the bridle has a well padded double buckle cavesson and rounded ear peice for comfort. the freedom collar is great. my horses are so spoiled by this harness that they hated their less comfy show harnesses so i had to custom order more padded custom versions of those as well.

*dale lutke * made me the most amazing western harness for nationals this year! It is fully tooled light oil with real montana silversmith's buckles, silver piping, inlays, and horsehair tassles. i had it built with sheepskin graduated padding and a wide spine channel. the saddle has a western looking skirt on it. the breastcollar is wide and has some shape to it. the cavesson is wide and double buckles. even the judges came up and stared at my harness- it is so eyecatching.


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## RhineStone (Dec 3, 2009)

Yup, that would be a big wish...it's hard to justify a $5000 Freedman harness on a mini we bought for $0.25! (The former owner's kids were busy with their QHs and he was just standing around, so she wanted to give him away to someone that would do something with him. But we gave her a quarter, so he wasn't worthless! I just happen to be in the right place at the right time.)

I have a Freedman "Gig" handbag that my husband got me for Christmas a couple of years ago. I love it except that I had to "Fray Check" the lining, as it was unraveling, and some of the stitching on the side is coming loose. I think it was one of his first handbags, and maybe now he has got it more right. I love how the leather doesn't "break down" like some of the cheaper purses. I intend on having this one for a long time, but I have to fix the stitching. It's frustrating for a purse that was over $350. :arg!


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## bfogg (Dec 3, 2009)

I have a harness for sale....... You could also buy Ties Lutke harness...... as it is not going to fit Indy.


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## Shari (Dec 3, 2009)

That is why I love my older Zilco harness saddle. It does have a tree to it and quite a lot of spinal clearance, which Maggie needs with those withers of hers.

Do not know if you can see it in this photo or not.






Wow... I wasn't expecting to see that. But my dream harness has always been a custom made Freedman's harness!!! Saw a couple of stunning marathon harnesses when I lived back in NH.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Dec 5, 2009)

susanne said:


> If a harness maker came to you and asked you to design your dream harness, either from the ground up, by redesigning an existing harness, or perhaps by combining parts on different harnesses, what would you create?


Been there, done that. Took awhile but I've finally got exactly what I want!



I started with a Carriage Harness from Ozark Mtn Mini Tack and that was a very nice piece of equipment. I ordered a Freedom Collar in brass and patent to match it for use with my Bellcrown, then gave in and bought the rest of the harness from Camptown. Since I was adding it by pieces I had the harness customized with patent trim on saddle and breeching to match my Ozark bridle and the FC and of course stuck with the brass as you aren't supposed to mix metals. The harness itself is really a marathon harness style but I customized mine to look as much like a Presentation harness as possible and was very happy with the results. I got a wonderful chain browband as a gift from Lisa at Ozark and added that to my Carriage Harness bridle and Camptown harness. Then I bought the Ozark Rolled Leather Show Harness mostly for the bridle (I do use the entire harness at AMHR shows and like it) and pieced that in. Poor Lisa, I drove her nuts with custom sizing and fussing!



Since Camptown no longer does brass except by special order I went to Janie at Chimacum Tack when I wanted to add a sliding backband and she was also able to get me a set of black powder-coated quick release tugs so the stainless wouldn't clash with my harness. I also have a kicking strap from Iowa Valley Carriage, a bit by Myler, pads and boots and pieces by EVERYONE, and way too much fun!





The really amusing part? Now that I have Kody's harness almost perfect, it's time to buy one for my new horse and start all over again!







susanne said:


> I'd definitely add a gullet strap to the bridle, along with a noseband with a ring that would facilitate heading, tying and general show prep without looking clunky.


I combine those two. It's very cheap and easy to take a nylon dog collar, a couple of keepers, and one of the welded rings available at most feedstores and for less than $5 turn it into a gullet strap with tie ring.



krissy3 said:


> a nice feature would be a piece of leather under buckles big enough to keep hair from getting caught in it.


I've seen several synthetic harnesses with these but they made them too big and bulky for my taste- the girth one for instance interferred with my horse's elbow. A nice neat leather tab the same width as the rest of the strap would be great! Harnesses with buckle-in traces usually do have a hole the traces thread through before buckling and I'm told that's so the buckle itself rests on the leather and does not rub or pinch hair. Now if only they'd extend that to other hairy locations....



RhineStone said:


> I have so many, but I would like a strap that keeps the girth back off the elbow of a well-sprung horse. If the girth is tightened a lot, it migrates toward the elbow and galls the horse, so I leave it looser, but then my collar tips a bit because the false martingale is too loose so as not to pull the girth forward. :arg! I also need to try a padded girth. Maybe that is my next purchase.


That really is a nasty conundrum. I've been lucky as both my horses are built slim with deep heartgirths so things mostly stay in place, but I know it's a problem for a lot of people. Could you buy a set of pair harness holdback straps and connect them to the girth during training drives to hold the leather in place so it would stretch to fit? I noticed my leather girth did that and seemed more comfortable for the horse after awhile whereas my padded synthetic girth is the same shape now as it was two years ago.



RhineStone said:


> I would also LOVE little bitty Fleur de Lis blinder and face drop ornaments! My bridle doesn't have them, now, but we are trying to find out where we can get them. I would also like one on a teardrop on the false martingale.


I have those.



I had to buy an entire show harness to get them, but it was worth it! The bridle looks great and really classes up my synthetic Sport Harness.



keely2682 said:


> the best fitting harness i have bought is definatately the *chimacum sport harness*.  every measurement is made for my mare- it fits her perfect. the saddle is so comfy- built up padding, good spine channel, wide and stable. i love the sliding backband, i added to it. the bridle has a well padded double buckle cavesson and rounded ear peice for comfort. the freedom collar is great. my horses are so spoiled by this harness that they hated their less comfy show harnesses so i had to custom order more padded custom versions of those as well.


My horses are the same way. I think I'm going to repeat in Turbo's training what I did with Kody by accident- I'll be starting him in a well-fitted, fairly comfortable leather carriage harness so he's used to that and considers it the norm before I introduce him to the Sport Harness. If you start them in the Sport Harness then they're offended when you put them into something less comfortable!



I even train with a straight breastcollar in the spring now as I found in 2008 that while Kody hadn't shown any great improvement in his movement when I first put him in the Freedom Collar, once he'd been in it for awhile there was a definite _decrease_ in movement quality when I'd put him back in a straight breastcollar. I think he'd lost the muscle necessary to shove his shoulderblade forward against a weight as the FC goes up and over the shoulder and eliminates that need. Since he does breed shows in a straight collar, it's important he retain the ability to move in one.







keely2682 said:


> *dale lutke * made me the most amazing western harness for nationals this year! It is fully tooled light oil with real montana silversmith's buckles, silver piping, inlays, and horsehair tassles. i had it built with sheepskin graduated padding and a wide spine channel. the saddle has a western looking skirt on it. the breastcollar is wide and has some shape to it. the cavesson is wide and double buckles. even the judges came up and stared at my harness- it is so eyecatching.


You're going to post pictures of this, right??





Leia


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