# Ever seen this harness before?



## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I was watching Clay Maier's driving dvd and I noticed that when he was ready to hitch the horse he had this set up.









It's basically the breast collar style harness, but he has shaft loops that just clip right onto the surcingle. I have never seen this before. I have only ever seen ones that are sewn right into the saddle. I love the setup he has. Very easy to disassemble and then assemble things as the training goes on. Where would you get a harness like this? He doesn't have anything about it on his website, nor does he mention it in the dvd


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

That doesn't look so far removed to me from a standard harness racing harness. Ignore the pacing hobbles in this photo:










And here, you don't have to ignore the hobbles as there aren't any:










...but you may have to click a couple of times until it's large enough to see!

AFAIK, clip-on shaft loops are an option that has become available in racing harnesses relatively recently. The ones from our photos are a strap-on type. I don't think we have sewn-on because in race falls they could make it really difficult to help a horse get back on its feet.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*harness*

sorry i have not come across this type of harness before.
the only thing i can see is that the tugs are floating and if the cart pitched backwards it could cause all sorts of problems unless the traces wrap round the shaft like a troting harness but then the breast collar would be sevearley restricted for no movement at all and will chafe the horse.
unless its a set that is used for breaking on a lunge and used only for longlineing reining.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

From what I can see it looks similar to a quick release harness like we use on harness racers like Sue mentioned.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

And psst Sue its hopples, not hobbles 

I found a bit of a better pic thats closer up and doesn't have the hopples. This is a jogging harness that also has a quick release hitch.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*hiya nbeventer.*

hiya nb eventer.
great pictures.
sue c there is some mud guards there.
i love the mud and the puddles lol.
and geting cought out in the rain.
i was out one day comeing down the road and it was snowing my face was bright red and my farrier waved as he drove past and i had a build up of snow in my lap lol he said i looked like a snowman lol.
the only time i use globe blinkers if we were on a bridle path with the horses ridden and me and tricky are driveing i like the engine room to see were he is going to and i ware goggles to.
i have perchased a pink set from zilco.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*to nb eventer*

hiya i noticed no traces.
is that because the breast plate you have i see its coupled to the pad to stop it slipping back the releases seem like zilcos a little bit.
so the shafts are fixed to the pad via the quick releases thats a new method i have never seen.
and probley the breast plate minamises chafeing ?.
its great to see what harnesses are out there on the race track to day thank you for your wounderfull pictures and an insite to harness raceing.
mine are all based on the early 19th century with leather tugs and floating back band for keeping the shafts and cart ballanced.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

That is a saddlebred training harness. Usually available from a saddlebred or arabian supplier. 

SueC is correct...very similar to a racing harness. See how the saddle sits flat on the horse's back? It is not designed to carry any shaft weight, nor pull any weight. Strictly for use with a sulky.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Greentree and Sue c*

Thank you for the information on the harness I suppose the bottom of the tug clips on to the pad.
It's an interesting bit of harness.
Many thanks I suppose seeing it on hand would answer a lot of questions.
Thanks for posting.
Michael tricky and Quincy.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

NBEventer said:


> And psst Sue its hopples, not hobbles


That depends where you're from!  Google it. I prefer to stick with the word root version.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

We use one for our training horses. (We primarily do Morgans but dabble in other breeds). They're good for the first few drives when you want to be prepared to get a horse out of the cart. I don't know if I would drive in them permanently (just because I personally love the sewn in look lol), but they're good and have never been any different to use/hitch with than the sewn in ones. IME


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Would just like to note that he did add what he called a tie down to keep the shafts from popping up. I really like the style of it for training. I like tack that has multiple uses, which this would have. I also plan to do more training down the line so it would be a nice addition to the tack room (and maybe because I'm a tack addict.) Do you know anywhere that sells this style?


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## BiologyBrain (Jul 9, 2015)

What are the rings on the saddle/back band that are lower than the ones the tugs snap onto? Could they be a way to tie down the tugs without having to have another strap under the horse's belly?


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Sorry, I have tried and tried to post a link...no go. The harness is called a "quick hitch training harness". Because Saddle Horse trainers bit horses up in a bitting rig, it doubles as that. There are going to be a few pieces you will never use, so don't let them confuse you.


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

Hmm, most farm harnesses (full collar types) have clip on shaft loops that have belly bands to keep the loops from flipping up. They clip on so you can easily switch from single to team. 
clip-on shaft loops They are pictured upside down, but that's the ones I use.


Most breast collar harnesses I've seen have buckle on shaft loops, so you could easily remove the shaft loops if you wanted to. I've not specifically seen a breast collar harness with clip on loops until now. GreenTree was right, quick hitch training harness. I'm sure Comfy-Fit Harness would be willing to alter theirs to have clip on loops with a belly band too if you'd prefer that. However, functionally, I've never been in a situation when I wouldn't be comfortable ground driving or lunging with the shaft loops on the harness. You can snug that belly band down so they don't flop around, and my comfy fit harness even has an extra loop to help hold the shaft loops against the girth.


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