# Harness Pads



## MajorClementine (Jul 24, 2012)

How many people use them for pleasure driving? I was thinking about getting a set (saddle, breast collar, breeching) for Major.

tn_orange_pads.jpg

I was thinking of these from forminisonly.com . Thought the color would look nice on bay/white paint and they would be highly visible from a distance.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jul 24, 2012)

I like the idea of the visibility, but I think a safety vest offers more visibility.

I only use a saddle pad. My pleasure drives are not strenuous enough to warrant all the extra. IMO I think all the padding looks a little clunky on a harness.

I do have one on the girth of my sulky harness, however. It is sheepskin halter pad for a big horse. Just the right size for a miniature girth!


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## susanne (Jul 25, 2012)

If you are on the road and a car comes from behind (especially if you have two people in the cart), harness pads are unlikely to even be visible, let alone add to your visibility. I personally prefer black waffle pads, and then use SMV sign, blingy blinker lights, bicycle flags and/or reflective tape for visibility.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 1, 2012)

I actually think that for a drive in the woods during hunting season, the orange harness pads would be a good idea. The safety vest makes the driver visible but a brown horse coming down the trail will be in the sights first, and the more you can do to make him look domesticated, the better! Flashers and reflective gear on the horse help but there's nothing like hunter orange to get your attention.






Now on the road, yes, I'd say reflective gear and flashers are better than colored harness pads.

As far as using pads for the purpose of actually, you know, _padding_...I always use one on my saddle, used to use one on my breastcollar when my horse was out of shape or freshly clipped, and still do when training in a stiff new show harness with straight patent breastcollar. I'm so used to my shaped Freedom Collars with their built-in padding I haven't thought about it in years but if I were to put my colt into the old carriage harness and ask him to really work I'd probably want a breastcollar pad again until his chest and skin toughened up. Thankfully they now make ones properly scaled to mini breastcollars- the ones I bought when I got started in 2004 took up most of the horse's chest and made it hard to fit the breastcollar high enough up.

Breeching pads in my opinion are a bit much and tend to get nasty with poop. If a horse has a particular sensitivity to pressure back there I've seen them used successfully, but those were usually fine-skinned riding breeds with heavy carriages they weren't used to. Most the time the horse will be perfectly comfortable with the plain breeching as long as you keep it cleaned from nasty scurf. Be sure to wipe down their crupper too! Just like cleaning your bit after each drive, it's a courtesy to your horse.

Leia


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## susanne (Aug 1, 2012)

For hunting season, I'd say the more bright orange, the better.

Here's something that might help:

http://www.dontshootme.ca/high-visibility-fly-veil-bonnet-3

...and another:

http://www.protectavest.com/


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## Knottymare (Aug 2, 2012)

I just added the saddle and breastcollar pads from Ozark and think they made Dolly a lot more comfy. I really like how well they fit the tack, too. Made for mini harnesses. The Breeching I got from them, however, way too small for my size B mini.


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## Knottymare (Aug 2, 2012)

Knottymare said:


> I just added the saddle and breastcollar pads from Ozark and think they made Dolly a lot more comfy. I really like how well they fit the tack, too. Made for mini harnesses. The Breeching I got from them, however, way too small for my size B mini.



HAHAHAHA... I just did a yahoo search for "leather harness extensions" and let me tell you, the stuff that I got was VERY interesting... let's just say Triple X and OMG-don't click that link!!!


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## MajorClementine (Aug 2, 2012)

^^^ Ha ha I hate it when that happens. Then when your SO looks at the browser history you get some strange looks 

Think I'm going to get the saddle and breast collar pads with my harness. I keep thinking I'm ready to place my Ozark order then I think of something else I want (need ).

Susanne- I love dontshootme.ca ! Got some tack for hubby hunting horse from them.


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## susanne (Aug 2, 2012)

[snickerSnort!]

Try being a saxophonist and searching for sax on the web as well as leather harness and whips -- my browser history gets rather interesting! If I were a rider and were also looking for spurs, I'm afraid my computer would melt.


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## Sandee (Aug 2, 2012)

Oh yeah, for a really good rasing, you have to misspell horses "hores" on a public forum. I was trying to ask for help in repairing my golf cart which I use to exercise my - horses. Boy, did I get some responses on that!


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## rubyviewminis (Aug 5, 2012)

I've seen rhythm beads in safety orange colors too.


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