Breast collar padding

[Marsha Cassada]

I am thinking of ordering a V breast collar. In the meantime, I ordered a merino cover from Equine Comfort to use on Dapper Dan's breast collar. It is the halter nose pad, 11" long. I really needed a couple more inches, but the girth cover they offer is too wide to use. The sales rep seemed receptive to the possibility of making miniature items. I've used the nose pad before to make a girth cover and it works great for that. Used on the breast collar, it is maxed out on the velcro, but did stay perfectly during our drive today.

What do you think? Is it worth leaving on? We had a good drive today, but I could not tell what Dapper Dan thought of the whole thing.

www.cassphoto.com/comfortpad.jpg

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think you need to buy two and stitch them together! They look a brilliant depth of passing etc, but it is not actually touching the bits on the side that are really important- another one attached would be perfect.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I got a custom v collar that was designed by a CDE and driving person (Jaye regency driving miniatures) and made by a local amish driving shop. It is awesome on fit and design. He kept his design and will duplicate for others. I love mine. Fit is awesome.

You really can't beat a nice designed v collar. I used to use padding for everything but it got so gummy from sweat and never did quite dry out from day to day so I bought the v collar instead and didn't regret it at all.

 

[susanne]

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shorthorsemom,

At the risk of waylaying Marsha's thread, do you have photos?

 

[shorthorsemom]

I didn't think I would be hijacking since she mentioned she would like to order a v collar. I will see if I can find you a photo somewhere. Stay tuned.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

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shorthorsemom,

At the risk of waylaying Marsha's thread, do you have photos?

One reason I've put off ordering the V collar, is I can never see one in person. I've seen photos of some horses it looks great on, and some photos of horses that it looked clunky and overdone. So, I hestitate to invest. By the time I buy the V and the new traces and neck strap, I'm looking at $250.

I can order another nose cover and widen the padding, as Rabbitfizz suggested. I run those pads through the wash and they come out great.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Where I got my harness the price of the v breast with strap and traces would be no where near $250. I got my whole custom harness, breast strap, reins, britching and really nice bridle (not box keepers) for not much more than twice what you quoted there. The v collar is very nice soft leather and very flexible and molds to the horse, I have a photo but I have problems posting photos but may be able to get someone to post for me. I can call the amish shop tomorrow to get an accurate price, however when I priced out a whole new saddle with a sliding backband for less than $200. Anyway, not trying to sway you, just love my harness. let me see if I can get somebody to post a photo to show you.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

SHM that sounds like really good value to me!!

 

[horsenarounnd]

Some horses are built differently and you have to adapt to make it most comfortaable for them. Many years ago we drove an Arabian gelding who had a very narrow chest. When the pulling got a little tough, he'd quit. We finally figured out that when the breast strap pulled tight around his chest, it hurt! We tried a fleece breast collar pad and it really helped. Eventually as he got on in years we went to a neck collar and took the weight completely off his chest. We simply had to find what worked for him and adapt to it. The "V" collars hadn't been invented yet, and few drivers were doing CDE type driving, so nobody had thought of it. Now with the v collars and some of the exotic neck collars there are a lot of choices out there. Just try to put yourself in your horses place and find what works. Good Luck.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Just try to put yourself in your horses place and find what works. Good Luck.

That is what I want to do. There has been past discussion about getting the V collar to fit certain conformations properly, and that is another reason I'm hesitant to order. The new V collars are more conformable and adaptable to different body types?

My driving horse has a wide chest (it's one of the things I like about him). My project horse has a very narrow chest; I worry the strap breast collar will not be comfortable for him.

So, two extremes of conformation--how does one know how to order a V? I doubt they are one-size-fits-all.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Actually, they are pretty adaptable to different horses. Case in point...I have a Deep V(NOT a Freedom collar, but quite similar) from The Carriage House in FL ; ordered it w/ measurements off my FULL 38", sturdy R mare, but have used the breast collar on two of my A minis, both pretty narrow-fronted. Once was to use my now 30 YO, 34" mare to pull my large Sears garden tractor back to the barn after it broke down out in the pasture. NO WAY could I push it back, and she was my most totally unflappable, so I took that breast collar and traces, ran a length of rebar through a mount on the tractor's front, used quick release snap shackles to attach the traces to each end, and drove her, while walking to one side and steering the tractor, back into the barn. It was a serious pulling job, too...that tractor is HEAVY,and the grass hummocks only added to the difficulty!

I also used that breast collar on my 34" bay gelding, a bit narrow like his mother(above), and it worked fine. I DO have more than one set of buckle-in traces--different lengths--for that breast collar.

BTW--There is a harness dealer that has a great-looking new design for a 'sport' breast collar that I hope to get one of someday. You won't find a pic of it on the website; IMO, because her designs have been rather blatantly 'appropriated' in past ....JMHO...but I believe you can email to ask for a pic. it is an 'expansion' IMO, of the concept of the Freedom collar, and also deals in a new and I think, better way w/ the issue of weight on the neck via the neckstrap. PM me for the name of the company if you can't figure out who it is.....

Margo

 

[shorthorsemom]

Long amish holiday weekend. I will ask my harness dealer what he charges for his collar and traces. Mine fits my "double wide" short boy and my fancy more refinded boy both like it was made for them. The design is awesome. I wish I could get a photo to you to view. Will post back when I have more info.

The person that worked with the amish master leather crafter is big into performance minis and does CDE. For even pleasure work and hills the design works well. stay tuned. I will see if I can find the old posting I did awhile back of my set up when I was asking for critique, maybe you can see the collar in one of those photos.

 

[Sandee]

Unless you are driving cross country or CDE etc. the breast collar doesn't look like it should bother him ( hard to tell from the front position picture). The ones that really need a V collar, IMO, are the horses whose necks tie-in low. I know that my older gelding could benefit from a V collar as he has some trouble with his breathing (part of which is age too). His breast collar sometimes works up (too little room between his shoulder and his neck) and and since he really pulls into it, it pulls against his windpipe.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I actually think all horses that actually "work" would benefit form the contoured collar

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My Camptown collar arrived today. I'm so anxious to try it out, but really hestitate to put it on my dirty, hairy horse. Can't believe we haven't been able to clip and bathe yet!

I put the merino padding on the sulky breastcollar instead, adding two small pieces on each side to hit the shoulders better. I think he appreciates it.

The Camptown is so soft and malleable; very excited to give a good workout.

 

[paintponylvr]

Can't wait to see the fit your your new breast collar!

 

[susanne]

Same here! Can you just brush out that dirty, hairy horse so you can post photos? (We all know that IS the most important thing, lol)

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Well, I took him out with it on Saturday and took photos to send to the company to see if I had it on correctly. I had a strap wrong, and did not know about the attachment from neck strap to saddle, so that was just hanging. I think I have it figured out now and will do another photo when I take him out again. Talk about a box arriving with a bunch of straps in it and no instruction! But the company has been super helpful and answered my questions promptly.

May get to clip today! though he'll need a blanket tomorrow night. I've been busy with my new girl, and the dynamics of threes-a-crowd, so haven't done the cart again.

 

[paintponylvr]

Threes' a crowd?

I understand, it just struck me as funny!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Well, I made a couple of adjustments. I think I still need to shorten the false martingale. Do you think it is fitting him properly?
www.cassphoto.com/camp2.jpg