# Team harness, work collars with hames or breastcollars? What is best for minis???



## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 6, 2015)

Hi all!

I'm looking into getting a team harness for my team of minis and I have always used the breastcollars on my minis, but the work collars with hames on big horses. Has anyone used the work collars with hames on minis??? I love the look and would like it for my very "drafty" style minis. But want what is most comfortable for them.

What do you prefer???

Pros and cons of both?

Any info you have will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

Btw my team of minis are both 33"


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## Al B (Mar 6, 2015)

It depends on what you plan to do with them.

If you plan to compete in breed shows: 99% light harness, 1% draft harness (Draft classes at the championship shows)

If you plan to compete in ADS/CDE: 99.9% light harness

If you plan to compete in ADS/Pleasure Shows: 50% light Harness, 50% Draft Harness

Anything else: Whatever you like

If you just like the heavier harness you might look into a hybrid like sport collars or Euro collars.

All IMHO.


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 6, 2015)

Thank you Al!

For now it would just be for pleasure driving. So I would want what is most comfortable for my horses. Any suggestions on where to buy a good light team harness?


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## Al B (Mar 6, 2015)

Chimacum Tack

Janie Amdal

www.chimacumtack.com

If you are in the neighborhood stop by and I can show you single, pair and four in hand harnesses from her.


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## paintponylvr (Mar 6, 2015)

For a good light team pair harness, there are a lot of options. Ozark Mini tack has some, as does Mini Express. There are others as well - I no longer have all my links and seems I didn't save alot of my links...

Google Comfy fit harness, too - Comfy fit has both a pleasure type breast collar and the option for collar and hames.

When you say pleasure driving - do you mean JUST for cart, carriage and wagon? Or are you also looking at doing some pulling as in farm work? If you are thinking of going with some farm work, too, then you want to look at collar and hames. While your pair is much smaller than most of ours (37 - 44" at the withers), they could still do an awesome amount of work around your farm.

Thanks for posting that Al! I couldn't remember the name of their site.


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 6, 2015)

Thank you both!!

Paula yes, I just drive around for fun. But never know what I might want to do in the future! Noting to hard of work for my little pals...I baby them way to much! Lol

Thanks so much for the links!!!

So what kind of farm work do you do with your minis??


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## diamond c (Mar 6, 2015)

I have a pair of mini donkeys 33"and 35". I use collar and hames for my guys. We do pleaser driving around the house and have started pulling a few logs out of the woods for fire wood. Also I'm looking at making a gang mower for mowing the yard with them. They can do anything the a draft team can do you just have to down size it.


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## Margo_C-T (Mar 6, 2015)

If you decide to go for full collars, I've had a strong recommendation from some folks who drive minis a LOT, who use collars from an online supplier; PM me if you'd like the name. Have no personal experience with the collars, but have looked at them online, and they appear both well-made and reasonably priced.


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## FurstPlaceMiniatures (Mar 6, 2015)

I had a collar and hames for my 44" pony. He looked like a little Percheron! He moved out better and had an easier time pulling with the collar as opposed to the breast style harness. Was just his preference.


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 6, 2015)

Thank you everyone for all your input and experiences!!! Love hearing how you work your minis! That would be great if mine could mow my pasture for me : D

I'm PM you Margo : )


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## paintponylvr (Mar 7, 2015)

AAAAwwwww - you've missed all the pics and discussions!!

Here's a few - the smallest pony I've used for "work" is 35" at the withers - so maybe only 2" taller than yours. I don't have any pics of her actually "working" yet. The largest so far is 43" at the withers and she works with a 40" mare.

2012 & 2013 we had limbs come down from a couple of trees and then we also had a tree service come in and "drop" 3 trees, but not remove them. The ponies and I spent lots of time pulling "parts" of trees -some just wee little branches and some quite large. Some were pulled by single ponies and some by pairs. The bonfires we had after each series of "pulling sessions" and photo taking - WERE AWESOME!!

Here is a pair







a single mare pulling 2 - 32 gallon trashcans w/ manure back to the manure pile. She is actually wearing a homemade breast collar made from a western "string" pony girth, not a collar and hames. I think Stuffy is 37" tall.






my girlfriends' pair pulling a home made chain link drag with a pony sized Pioneer forecart.






and again pulling a disk






And Bit "working" single.






If it will let me load one more - here is the pic of the girls' moving a round bale. This was the first time they'd pulled as a pair with their new harness on.






All of the work we did could easily be done with a tractor (we don't own one). In most instances, it could have been loaded into a trailer and pulled by the lawn mower or into the back of a truck - but some I couldn't have budged by myself. My truck couldn't get any purchase on the ground above to pull that bale - the girls got this one into the paddock for me (the 2nd one they couldn't). The last bale was too wet and stayed in place for over a year until I had a friend move some hay for us - he moved that bale into our bonfire pile to burn. Working with the ponies this way is sometimes more work - but that is the whole intent. To get the ponies trained, to enjoy working "behind" them and to get moving myself while using less mechanical means....


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 7, 2015)

Wow!!! Look at them work! How great! : D thanks for sharing!!! This is giving me some great ideas! Where did you get your beautiful team harness?


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 7, 2015)

Here is a pic of my little team! They are brother and sister and a prefect match!!!


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## BSharpRanch (Mar 7, 2015)

I use collars and hames with my minis, however it is because I have a hitch wagon. Each type of harness has it's place and purpose.

I did an experiment once and drove my stallion first with a breast collar then with the neck collar. He was much freer in movement and seemed happier with the neck collar.


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## Kendra (Mar 7, 2015)

For single driving, this is my favorite collar:






And we use full collar and hames for our teams and hitches:


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## Kendra (Mar 7, 2015)

Just one more pic.


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## paintponylvr (Mar 7, 2015)

Your little matched pair is CUTE, CUTE, CUTE and I bet they'd work very well together! Pretty as a team as well.

The harness I have is actually a slightly lower end, biothane harness. And some of ours are now betathane (I prefer it). As we go along, I've made improvements - such as having "real" buckles sewn into the lines rather than conways and snaps. Other areas of the harness are also getting upgraded. Some areas getting buckles sewn in, had all stainless steel hardware on the harness but went with the black hames. One at a time, I'm upgrading hames to stainless steel. I have 4 sets of small pony size harness and 4 sets of mini harness and 2 sets of medium pony harness (originally meant for our arabx Ponies but then we sold one and I haven't worked with the other - may adjust it down to the larger shetlands we have). I LOVE the 3 strap "spider" on the breeching. Just a preference. Went w/ 2 on the mini size and wish I hadn't, but oh well...






Here was one of our first sets - has the 3 strap "spider" and is the biothane (stiff & shiny. Does scratch up like patent leather will also) instead of beta (more leather like and pliable). O and I also had the farm spots put on. Pretty but such a PIA to clean, LOL. GLAD that I can remove the collar and wash the harness w/ the pony! Just hose it all off. LOVE biothane and betathane for that.


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## paintponylvr (Mar 7, 2015)

KENDRA!!

OOOO, I've always loved seeing pics of your and your families teams and hitches! Awe-inspiring and quite the ideal to work towards...

Is that your dad driving the 8-up?

and on the marathon harness - is that a "freedom collar"? Is it leather or bio/beta thane or bio/beta w/ leather lining? Which company did you get it from? I have a "shaped" collar that isn't as deep as the one you have, but it makes a huge difference. I'd like to get a smaller one for our minis - the one I've got fits the larger shetlands when they are muscled up and in shape) but not our smaller, mini sized ponies.


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## diamond c (Mar 7, 2015)

paintponylover I love seeing all the work ya'll do it gives me so much insparation. here are a few pics of my guys.


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## diamond c (Mar 7, 2015)

sorry some how the pics didnt get on there I'll try again


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## JMS Miniatures (Mar 7, 2015)

I'm sorry I don't mean to change topic in this post but I do have a question.

For light harness classes like in AMHA and AMHR or even the pleasure driving classes for ADS events, can you use euro collars? I really like my euro collars but you don't see people use them at the breed shows, I personally have not attended in any ADS events but I am hoping to go to a driving trial for the first time. Also at the ADS events will you get knocked down if you have a team breast collar or euro collar for a single horse?


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 7, 2015)

Thank you bsharpranch!

Kendra! Wow wow wow!!! That is so amazing that 8 up! I have always wanted a 4 up....maybe one day : ) love it, beautiful photos!!!

Thank you Paula!!! They are my sweet babies, and do great together. Love your horses and you harnesses too!! Very pretty! I also like the beta and bio harnesses. Yes they are very easy cleaning : ) I can't wait to get my team harness, think I will go with the work collars.

Diamond c you little guys are so cute!!! : )


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## Kendra (Mar 8, 2015)

It's my Grandad that drives the 8 horse hitch. He grew up driving big hitches on threshing crews, and learned from his dad, who was an accomplished teamster, driving hitches of many horses pulling a grader to build roads and bridges.

I got my breast collar from a local harness maker - it's made of leather. I've used it in the breed ring, at AMHA shows. I had a few exhibitors stare and point, but no comments from the judges.


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## MyGoldenSunny (Mar 10, 2015)

Thank you all for all your comments and pics!!! Love it all!

I think I will go with a work neck collar team harness.

If anyone else would like to add anything you are more then welcome! I will update when I order my harness!

Oh and sorry JMS miniature. I have no clue about harnesses and showing. I hope you get an answer form someone who does : )


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## paintponylvr (Mar 12, 2015)

JMS Miniatures said:


> I'm sorry I don't mean to change topic in this post but I do have a question.
> 
> For light harness classes like in AMHA and AMHR or even the pleasure driving classes for ADS events, can you use euro collars? I really like my euro collars but you don't see people use them at the breed shows, I personally have not attended in any ADS events but I am hoping to go to a driving trial for the first time. Also at the ADS events will you get knocked down if you have a team breast collar or euro collar for a single horse?



For AMHA and AMHR, you could ask. I don't know since I haven't shown yet. For the ADS events - you shouldn't. I know that here in NC, Southern Pines in Moore County - the driving club hosts many big time driving events as well as smaller ones. I've never seen one "marked down" for using a team breast collar (the woman I sold my ponies to, used one on the rare occasions she showed a single) or a euro collar. BUT again, you can ask the "secretary" of the event ahead of time?


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