Nylon or Leather Driving Harness

[RockinSMiniature]

I am trying to decide about Leather or Nylon driving harness and looking for one.

I am only do for pleasure as training and driving our mini's in our neighbors for a pleasure.

Not for showing in AMHR or AMHA and I am doing my homework about the harness.

Nylon seem very nice but they look thin and worried about the nylon pull the hair off the horse.

If it is thicker and wider as like leather size, width.. I think it will be just fine.

But it seem that would be hard to get it clean off the sweat.

Leather seem very nice and will get clean and get all the sweat off.

But they do have 2 diff size.

Do I need to get a breeching with the harness?

I used this measurement size on this picture.

Here is my mini's size...

Misty will be 2 yrs old in spring and almost 32" tall

A 46 1/2"

B 25"

E 15"

F 28"



Coco will be 2 yrs old in spring and 34 1/2" tall

A 47"

B 26"

E 14"

F 31"



Sophie will be 3 in spring and 34 1/2" tall

A 50"

B 27"

E 16 1/2"

F 32"

Blue will be 2 in spring and 33 1/2" tall

A 44"

B 26"

E 15"

F 25"

I would like to find a harness that I can adjustable as in one size of above of my mini' size.

If you have any good advice or have one for sale, send me email, [email protected]

Also I am trying to study of "good quailty brand" of the driving harness.

I can't find anyone in close by us that does driving a miniatures and show and teach me about the harness.

I hope you all can shared of what you don't like about or love about the harness.

Looking forward to hear your advice.

 

[jbrat]

I would go with betathane. Easy to clean and care for. I've tried several types of harness's now, And my favorite is a betathane I bought from an Amish harness shop here in Ohio, at what I think is a good price. It is great and very durable for field and trail driving, but not fine enough for a breed show ring even though I wouldn't hesitate to use it at local fun or 4-H shows.

As for a show harness I really like the Chimacum pleasure harness and it is a combo. of leather and betathane.

Nylon - I use as a ground training harness, first one I ever had but once I got the bethane, I will never Drive with the nylon again.

Do a search on Betathane or biothane you find several previous threads on the subject.

I definately would get a breeching.

I got a lot of great info. from others here on the forum, I'm sure they chime into.

Good luck

 

[Katiean]

I have both leather and Nylon harnesses. I hate my nylon harness. The ends do not go into the buckles very easily. I would go with Leather every time.

 

[dannigirl]

We have both nylon and leather. Only use the nylon as a last resort--and then will adjust a leather one, if at all possible, from another horse. We started with nylon, but don't like it.

 

[susanne]

Our training harness is a combination of synthetic and nylon. It is extremely well-padded, the saddle has a tree, and the only place the nylon touches the horse is on the breeching, which can be padded.

This harness was made for a pony, so unlike marny nylon harnesses, nothing was too short. It's butt ugly, but I much prefer it to cheap, imported leather harnesses or inappropriate, thin show harnesses used for plasure driving.

Katjean is right about the ends not going through easily, and I had to use the sautering iron to enlarge the holes that I actually use -- the others are too small.

This will soon be just a training/kickaround harness, but for now it does its job.

People often say that nylon won't break in an accident, but I would NEVER drive with ANY harness without having a knife with me -- I doubt the leather would break with a mini, and if it did, I'd be worried about it breaking at another time.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Two words: Nylon = Bad!

Nylon harnesses almost NEVER fit right, they get filthy easily and then incredibly stiff when you wash them, they rub the hair, they're usually poorly designed, the strap ends don't like to fit through the buckles, the holes can be rough, the saddle sits directly on the spine...need I go on?

Nylon is really only used in beginner harnesses which most experienced drivers quickly abandon in favor of better, more comfortable materials.

Leather is good as it's comfortable, conforms nicely to the horse, can be cleaned and remains soft and supple with good care. The problem is...it requires lots of good care!

Still, a good leather harness is an excellent way to start out. You can get a very nice basic harness from Ozark Mountain Mini Tack (www.minitack.com) for about $240 and it should be both comfortable and easily modified to fit most or all of your horses with just a few additional holes or parts.

Jbrat is right though, if you aren't planning on showing in the breed ring and want something that's easy care you might consider synthetic materials like betathane. You didn't mention a price range but the Sport Harness from Camptown Harness/Chimacum Tack is a VERY comfortable, well-designed, sturdy, and easily cleaned harness.

A lot of the cheaper betathane harnesses are regrettably stiff and get worse when it's cold but the Sport Harness is nice and softly padded. Even the stiffer ones can be okay with a little after-market padding though.

Good luck!

Leia

 

[Keri]

I only buy leather harnesses. They are nice and eventually form fit to your horse. Just have to keep them oiled as they will crack later on in life. I don't like nylon as the material tends to twist and dig into your horse. I sold my nylon harness pretty quickly after I got it. I don't like betathane. Just feels like it doesn't fit my horse as well and is uncomfortable to them. JMO though.

 

[Matt73]

Leather.

 

[Minimor]

For me, leather only/always! I would not even consider nylon--I have never yet come across a nylon harness that fit properly, no matter what size horse it was made for. And as Leia said, nylon rubs, and stiffens up with age/washing. I personally do not find leather harness difficult to care for

 

[Miniv]

Nylon is big

 

[topnotchminis]

I'm glad this topic was started! I was going to buy a nylon and leather harness, but I guess I will buy 2 leather instead!

 

[dali1111]

Spend the money to get a proper well fit leather harness. I have two leather and one biothane..the biothane is pretty..but useless lol.

 

[mgranch]

Leather!! I don't have a lot of money and I own three of the Ozark pleasure harnesses Leia spoke of and they are great!! I use them for everything from trail driving to shows and they work beautifully!! You can't beat the price either $255.00 delivered to my door in Oregon!! Love Em!!

 

[whitney]

[SIZE=36pt]betathane[/SIZE]

For what your describing this is the one for you.

The first time you hit a mud puddle and it takes you 3 HOURS to clean your leather harness you will be kicking yourself in the hinney.

With betathane you spray it off with the garden hose. After 35 years of cleaning leather saddles I will NEVER have anything made of leather again.

The last dressage saddle I bought a Wintec Isabell is THEE best, you hose it off and it looks BRAND SPANKIN NEW.

 

[RockinSMiniature]

Hi All,

Thank you so much for good advice!!!...

I will get the leather harness..

I probably will buy two diff. size of girth size.

I will ask more question when I have one.. hehe!!!..

God Bless!