# Hamestyle harness, does it come with a collar?



## Gwyneth (Sep 3, 2011)

Sorry if this is a silly/ stupid question but, does a hamestyle harness come with a collar? I am going to get my Welsh mare the Smuckers Synthetic Deluxe harness and I was wondering if the hamestyle one comes with a collar? And if it doesn't than what does hamestyle mean?

Thanks!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Not a silly question, Yes, hame-style harnesses are used with a collar.

Very nice choice on harness, that is beautiful!

If you look at the photo in the top right of ypur harnesses page, that is a hamestyle harness with a collar.

Smuckers Harness Shop: Synthetic Harness

They are not sold with the collars though, you must buy a collar separately.
My advice is to start with a breast collar harness, they are easier to fit your horse and they fit a wider range of horses. better for resale too.


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## Gwyneth (Sep 3, 2011)

Alright, thank you.  So can you put a collar on a breast collar harness, or would that not work?

I would like to have a collar for my mare so that she can have more shoulder movement. I do have a trainer who would make sure that the collar is the correct size.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

The saddle and breeching are the same on both harnesses.

With a breast collar harness you have the breast collar, the neck strap, and the traces,(sometimes the traces are not detachable from the breast collar).

With hame-style you have hames, collar, and traces, traces are always detachable from the hames.

You cannot use the two styles together, it is either or.

I still suggest the breast collar harness. If your horse gains or looses 100 pounds it will make your collar not fit. I know people that have several different sizes of collar to use depending on the time of the year and how fat their horse is.

I know a woman that bought a Freedman's collar and hames....$5000, it is too big for her horse now.

I have an empathy collar, gives a little more shoulder movement.

Have you looked at Zilco harness, I just got one and I really like it.


I got a combination of the classic and the elite with the empathy collar.
It is nice because you can buy individual pieces from different harness to create a custom harness.

Carriage Driving Harnesses Classic

Carriage Driving Harnesses Elite

Carriage Driving Essentials Collar


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## Gwyneth (Sep 3, 2011)

Yes, I know that if my horse changes weight that the collar would no longer fit so I would have to get a different size.

Could I just get a breast collar harness and then buy the collar and hames separately if I still wanted to go with a collar after awhile?

Sorry for all of the questions, and thanks for answering them.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Yes you can buy a collar and hames later, especially with smucker's it will match very well. 
Collars are also proper with a heavier vehicle with a lower draft.
Where as cart and light vehicles are proper with a breast collar.

This is a combination between the two, called a euro collar.
It is adjustable which is very nice.
I have heard mixed reviews about them, mostly that they are very HOT.


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## Gwyneth (Sep 3, 2011)

I've heard/ seen the euro collars before and I was wondering if I should just go with that. But when I was asking some one at a tack store about them she said that it pulls like a breast collar but just looks like a collar.


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