Harness question

[Marsha Cassada]

Someone gave a friend a harness. We have only had harness with tug wraps, so we are not familiar with this type of shaft attachment. Can someone explain how to attach it? Does this type have a name?

 

[dalvers63]

This harness has an overgirth. Place the saddle as normal, with the shafts through the loops. Fasten the main girth and then fasten the overgirth (the straps attached to the tugs). It does not need to be tight but should be snug enough that your shafts don't rise up.

 

[Cayuse]

I have had two harnesses with an overgirth like that for my guys and found that if the cart is not perfectly balanced I got ALOT of up and down movement with the shafts. Enough to sore them up. I went back to wrap straps and the guys were much happier. Of course every cart and harness setup is individual so your freind may have good luck with it. I personally hate a set up like that (sorry for the strong words but I spent many many hours and $ trying to get them to work with no luck so I'm sorta soured on them). I love my wrap straps!
Another thing is the back and forth motion. Wrap straps help a little (along with the breeching) to keep the cart from pushing forward when changing speed. Those buckle down shaft loops just let the shaft hang free and don't secure the shaft at all. Sometime you have to use "thimbles" on the shaft ends to keep them from riding foreward. To me that's just one more added thing to fuss with. But like I said, this is all just my personal preference.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Thanks! I will pass on this information to her.

 

[BSharpRanch]

You should also use shaft stops, thimbles or breeching with this type of harness.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The harness does have breeching. This harness might be more of a show harness? The bridle has the overcheck and caveson premanently attached. Neither can be removed.

 

[MajorClementine]

I love this type of harness. I started with a wrap style and found with loops like this my shafts are able to float and I get less bounce in the cart with the movement of the horse. It also helps me make sure I'm sitting up correctly for balance in my cart. When the shafts are tied down it's hard for me to see if I'm sitting and putting weight "up or down" on the shafts. With the loop style I can see when they are floating.

I always use a breeching on my harnesses since we've got lots of hills and it also keeps the shafts from running forward.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Thanks for another opinion. Nice that we are seeing this harness, so we will experience it in person.

 

[MindySchroder]

I'm with @MajorClementine on this one. I prefer this style of shaft loop because I want my shafts to float. I do not want to be strapping my shafts to my pony, especially if the cart is not well balanced. I have seen too many horses and ponies with sores in their arm pit area from an ill balanced cart strapped down with wrap straps and all the bounce is centered on their tummy and arm pit area. To use wrap straps in the place of driving a well balanced cart is something that frustrates me a bit. LOL! I have had many conversations about this over the years!

Whenever we are driving a two wheeled vehicle we have to remember that everything we do IN the cart will effect the balance and how well our horse or pony can do it's job.

I think too that people forget that the horse's body goes up and down when they walk and trot. Having an open shaft will give them even greater freedom of movement as they move. It's not always the shafts that are bouncing, but is the natural movement of the horse. It's our job to be sure our shafts are staying level as they move. Of course if you are doing hard fast work over very uneven and rough terrain then having a tighter over girth is a good idea as it will be hard to keep your shafts floating at all times and you do not want any jamming to occur on your pony. Some people prefer wrap straps for this kind of driving. Some prefer the open shaft loop so the shafts can move forward and back without being inhibited by the wraps. I love asking people why they want a wrap strap, what kind of system they prefer for the type of driving they are doing and why they have found what they like works best. I always learn so much from everyone that shares!!




Here is a blog post I wrote about how we can effect our cart balance with our body as we drive. It's probably over kill. LOL! But I am so passionate about this!

https://www.theessentialhorse.com/post/thinking-about-carts