Pictures and an Update...

[Celtic Hill Farm]

Okay, so Aura is doing SOO GOOD!!! we had a little problems but they were fixed quick. Before i was driving her in an open bridle, but i switched to a bridle with blinders and i think she is paying attention better. She is finally geting the trot, and we trot up and down the road (not a car road, it's an old mail rout rode that no one uses so it's big and grassy and perfect for a road trot on! funnn...) We are working on LOTS and LOTS of bending, and she finally trots in the arena, she won't exactly trot and turn at the same time, but i don't have to hit her with the whip to get her to trot i just tap and she trot!

:wub

im so estatic! it's so nice to be able to do something with them!

ohhh...how well am i harnessed? i think it's pretty good. i wish the Brest collar fitted her better but she has a small chest, i might have to look into getting a more draft styled harness for her.

thanks guys! ~Ian!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Looks pretty good Ian! Dare I ask what's up with the zip ties on the bit and the one blinker that sticks out so far?

Your saddle is a bit far forward but the breastcollar and breeching are positioned very well and so are your shafts from what I can see in those pictures. Try taking one wrap on your holdback straps to make it a bit more secure then I think you're set!

Leia

 

[Celtic Hill Farm]

well the zip ties... don't ask. Let's just say that bridle has been siting since the first time i used it.

But the blinkers...yea i noticed that. The harness was in a big water trough (no water) with other harnesses and tack so i think it got tweaked. Is there anything that i can do to fix that?

And the hold back straps??? what are those? the straps i wrap around the shafts?

 

[Keri]

Looks good. The strap for your breast collar (up and over the neck) should be loosened and placed behind the ring on the saddle that holds the check peice. It keeps the pressure off the neck and then keeps your check securely in place (or so that's how I was taught). Your saddle is a bit high up on her. You want it to sit back farther so that her shoulder blades aren't hitting it as she walks. And may I ask how big your shafts are?? The cart almost looks too small for her in the first pic, but can't really tell. You don't want her kicking the basket when she trots. But maybe it is fine. Just the camera angle???

 

[hobbyhorse23]

But the blinkers...yea i noticed that. The harness was in a big water trough (no water) with other harnesses and tack so i think it got tweaked. Is there anything that i can do to fix that?

Do the blinkerstays have wire in them so they can be shaped? If so, bend them carefully until the blinker sits where it belongs. If not, you can try storing the harness with the blinker pushed in (like under a heavy book or something) and see if you can get it to go back where you want it.

And the hold back straps??? what are those? the straps i wrap around the shafts?

The holdback straps are the ones that come from the breeching and hold the cart back.

They should come through that metal triangle under the shaft (called a "footman's loop") from the inside to the outside then wrap forward around the shaft with the rough side of the leather against the shaft. It looks like you've got enough strap to do that once, then tuck the end of the strap back under the wrap you just took and buckle it back over the shaft. The traces should run through the opening where the holdback goes under and over the shaft so they don't drape down by the horse's legs when he stops.

The strap for your breast collar (up and over the neck) should be loosened and placed behind the ring on the saddle that holds the check peice. It keeps the pressure off the neck and then keeps your check securely in place (or so that's how I was taught).

Putting the neckstrap over the checkhook is a breed show thing, it is also correct the way he has it. It looks like his neck strap is stitched directly to the breastcollar rather than attaching on a ring so pulling it backwards would actually strain the stitching and make the breastcollar pull up in that spot, possibly causing problems. Donkeys tend to use a bit more workman-like harnessing anyway to match their history and way of going, so I think Ian's doing great with more carriage-style turnout.

Leia

 

[MiLo Minis]

And the hold back straps??? what are those? the straps i wrap around the shafts?

The holdback straps are the ones that come from the breeching and hold the cart back.

They should come through that metal triangle under the shaft (called a "footman's loop") from the inside to the outside then wrap forward around the shaft with the rough side of the leather against the shaft. It looks like you've got enough strap to do that once, then tuck the end of the strap back under the wrap you just took and buckle it back over the shaft. The traces should run through the opening where the holdback goes under and over the shaft so they don't drape down by the horse's legs when he stops.



There is a diagram on my website that shows you how to wrap the breeching straps if you are having trouble envisioning these directions Ian. See the link below in my signature. Lori

The strap for your breast collar (up and over the neck) should be loosened and placed behind the ring on the saddle that holds the check peice. It keeps the pressure off the neck and then keeps your check securely in place (or so that's how I was taught).

Putting the neckstrap over the checkhook is a breed show thing, it is also correct the way he has it. It looks like his neck strap is stitched directly to the breastcollar rather than attaching on a ring so pulling it backwards would actually strain the stitching and make the breastcollar pull up in that spot, possibly causing problems. Donkeys tend to use a bit more workman-like harnessing anyway to match their history and way of going, so I think Ian's doing great with more carriage-style turnout.

Leia

Actually I use this any time the breastcollar hangar puts pressure on the horses neck and it is every bit as correct in a carriage driving class as a breed show ring if it helps the horse out. I took a little buckled end off an overcheck and ran my neckstrap through it and put the loop end over the waterhook so that it pulls the strap back just enough to take the pressure off without distorting the hang of the collar.

 

[Celtic Hill Farm]

Keri, i think she fits in it well, here is the pic from our first time

Leia, i don't think the blinkers have a wire in them. I'll try the book thing. And that whole wrap thing. i'll work on it! lol. i'll try to find some visuals. (visual learner)

Im thinking of geting something like this in the near future

http://www.chimacumtack.com/images/MD-BMin...sureHarness.jpg

i think it would fit her better with the collar, not sure yet.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I love Janie at Chimacum Tack and she sells nice harnesses, but that particular picture shows a very poorly fitted neck collar.

If you're going to use a collar, you really need to be using a vehicle where the singletree is lowered to the proper angle and yours isn't. For now I'd keep using that breastcollar and see how it goes.

Lori's diagram is very nice and absolutely correct so be sure to check that out!

Leia