# Expedient home made harness



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Sounds like it could work....

My only suggestion would be to pad the breast-strap and or the collar area and you will need a "pad" to go under the surcingle location as movement will chafe badly with ropes and then when weight and effort applied = twisting of harness = sores.

I found you this picture of a harnessed horse pulling...
Breastcollar is neoprene cinches, as is the surcingle pad....
I think much of the harness is made from western cinches placed in strategic spots, joined....

_ http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2644924146_35654ea52e.jpg

:runninghorse2:....
_


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## Luce73 (Dec 7, 2012)

Maybe you could flat-braid the ropes? (3-5 ish) to create a type of flat woven 'cinch' and then cover with a fleece/sheepskin cover to avoid rubbing. 

Braid something like this That might distribute the pressure better than just 3 ropes twisted together.

If you're loading on a cart or something else with wheels, dont forget to add breeches or some other way of 'stopping' when the horse stops.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> Sounds like it could work....
> 
> My only suggestion would be to pad the breast-strap and or the collar area and you will need a "pad" to go under the surcingle location as movement will chafe badly with ropes and then when weight and effort applied = twisting of harness = sores.
> 
> ...


It looks like they have plumbing or pipe insulation covering the ropes too. People are so creative. lol


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

What about a travois set up? An A-frame type would work.

Though, if you are wanting to pull branches, etc. I would stick with harness. I like the braided idea for the breast collar. I would try the set up, but think about adding a single tree if you find the load pulls unevenly on the horse (primarily shoulders).


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yea, I'd like to find out what you end up using.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

Subbing out of sheer curiosity!


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Why not just buy a harness? They're not that expensive, particularly if you get a used one, and then you know it's safe and won't hurt your horse.


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## Luce73 (Dec 7, 2012)

SilverMaple said:


> Why not just buy a harness? They're not that expensive, particularly if you get a used one, and then you know it's safe and won't hurt your horse.


OP stated they are in the Phillippines and dont have access to buying one I think.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Thanks all. After posting, I did a mental inventory of the gear I brought with me. There are number of western style cinches, and a cord chinch style breast collar meant for a saddle. I also have a pony saddle that should fit this horse. That may serve as a surcingle. And it is primarily branches and such from the clearing of our land that I want to drag up to the house for use as firewood. I intend to use a singletree. 

The horse is small framed, and lightly muscled. Old enough to ride some, but too young for heavy riding. It will benefit from groceries and exercise on our hills. If I'm walking this critter up and down our hilly terrain, I want it to accomplish something. 

All horse harness I've seen here is for carts and such with shafts. And they are not common in this area. Don't know if that can be modified for dragging. But acquiring it would be a bit of an ordeal. Just have a look at my posts about buying livestock. 

Thanks again, and if you think of anything else, I'm all ears.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

I've used western cinches as breast collars. The rings make it easy to hook things onto. Biggest thing, I think, would he making sure pressure is distributed across a wide enough area.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

If it's hilly, you need a way to stop the load-- shafts, for a single horse, or a brake. If you make a drag or 'stone boat', you'd need a singletree to attach the traces to that moves a bit as the horse moves to prevent the horse's shoulders getting sore, and shafts would allow you to use a cart harness and breeching to help hold back and stop the load.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

My primary intention, aside from the training and exercise aspects, is to drag small bundles of mostly straight, delimbed trunks and branches up the hill to the house where they can be used for firewood and such. 

My thoughts so far, are a breast strap and surcingle type rig with traces down to a singletree. I'll have to whittle a singletree, so it will have grooves for attaching traces and the pull line. I'll hook to the bundles with a timber hitch.

Edited to add: This is a small framed, 12.3hh 3 year old. Probably just turned 3. It has been ridden bareback with a halter, but has not seen any other tack. I'm looking at the light pulling as a way to exercise the young horse without too much riding going on. I will have to introduce it to the saddle, snaffle bit, and whatever harness I come up with, and am in no great hurry.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Our terrain. I'm not looking for a wheeled conveyance anytime soon. 

Inner Earth by Paul McKee, on Flickr

The little horse.

12.3 hands high. by Paul McKee, on Flickr


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

I googled Travois with wheels. Saw one for people backpacking with the apex to the rear:











And one, again for people, with 2 wheels having the wide end to the rear.

https://www.alexislewisinventor.me/travois

this one is made of bamboo, the article is titled The Rescue Travois










Their are lots of sites and pictures of the Plains Indians with travois, video tutorials, and such. Some said that the ones without wheels are actually better for rough or uneven terrain than the wheeled ones.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Do you have access to PVC pipe? I've seen some neat travois set-ups made with heavy PVC. Usually these are done as part of breaking a horse to drive as the horse can't run back with the load without the pipes digging in, but some people use them for moving firewood and brush, and some outfitters will train their pack mules to also work with a travois in case one needs to be made in the backcountry to transport someone who is injured.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^I'd be hesitant to use PVC pipe with horses, because of the way it can splinter.

Can't wait to see what you come up with, OP!


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

I would also recommend a regular, wide, saddle breast collar to pull off of, you want something smooth and as wide as possible to distribute weight. You'll need to tie up a neck strap, to keep the breast collar up when the draft is angling down, I would probably tie a 3-4" wide nylon or leather strap up there (maybe an old western latigo?) as it will also get some pressure. Using two straps will help to keep the breast collar level. A surcingle or two cinches rigged together around the horse's girth will work fine for a harness "saddle," all it's really going to do is stabilize the back strap to a crupper. You'll need a crupper, you can use a 1/2" rope for this, but wrap it with something soft, sliding would be even better to prevent rubs under the tail, and a strap coming down from the croup with loops to run the traces through (the straps that connect the breast collar to the load) to prevent the traces from getting low enough for the pony to step over and get between his hind legs.

The traces should be connected to the breast collar with a ring of some sort, so the angle can change from straight across the chest to the angle to the ground for the load. I have a simple singletree made out of a 3' bar of 2"x2" wood. One eye hook on each end facing one way (to connect your traces to), and one eye hook in the middle facing the opposite way (to connect your load to). If you're dragging tree limbs up a hill, you probably don't need a hold back strap, as the ground will offer enough resistance to keep the load from sliding towards the horse when he stops.

Here's a simple diagram of what I would consider your essentials for pulling light loads.


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

Here is actually an incredibly minimalistic approach. They've combined their saddle and trace loops into one, farther back strap, since it's tied to the traces, it doesn't need a girth to keep centered over the back. You could easily use a regular breast collar with neck tie as your pulling collar with light loads with this basic set up.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

You don't want any pressure pulling down on the backstrap. The point of draft from the load should go in a straight line from the load to the attachment point on the collar/breastcollar. Notice on the bay drafter how there's no pressure on that backstrap?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Thanks Southern Grace and Silver Maple. That 's the sort of detail I'm needing. 

I have a breast collar made like a string girth that may work. Failing that, I have an assortment of western girths to use. If the pony saddle I have is a good fit, I'll use it. A bit of overkill, if the only purpose is to stabilize the back strap. But, it will also get the pony accustomed to wearing the saddle for riding later on. 

I may experiment with that minimal set up. But I'm a bit worried about being able to keep that draft line good without putting pressure on the backstrap.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Here's what I came up with so far. I used the pony saddle. Lots of attachment points for adjustments once I start using it. Critique is welcome.

Improvised harness experiment. by Paul McKee, on Flickr

I attached traces, but didn't use them. This was a first for both of us. I figured the fewer things to get tangled in right now, the better. 

Moving forward. by Paul McKee, on Flickr

I didn't like constantly fighting with the reins to keep them lined up with the horse. I added paracord loops to the pommel to hold them where I wanted. There was too much friction, and they didn't give a fast enough release for my taste. Next time, I'll add metal rings to the paracord. 

Paracord holding the reins in place. by Paul McKee, on Flickr


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Might work, but won't the rings lay flat, and cause friction too? If you could figure some way of keeping the rings upright it would work fine, but I can't see how that would be easy. But what you have looks good if it works. Good luck with this.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

The cinch looks like it might be too low on his shoulders. Hows his range of motion with that?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

ApuetsoT said:


> The cinch looks like it might be too low on his shoulders. Hows his range of motion with that?


I don't know yet. I didn't put any pressure on the breast strap yet. There's not a lot of horse there to work with. I wonder if mounting it higher would interfere with the windpipe? 

I think I can add a neck strap, attaching to the center rings on that cinch, maybe using a latigo as suggested earlier. That could hold the cinch higher. 

Thanks.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> I don't know yet. I didn't put any pressure on the breast strap yet. There's not a lot of horse there to work with. I wonder if mounting it higher would interfere with the windpipe?
> 
> I think I can add a neck strap, attaching to the center rings on that cinch, maybe using a latigo as suggested earlier. That could hold the cinch higher.
> 
> Thanks.


When i used a similiar set up, that's the problem i ran into. Cinch wanted to sit too low. But i also was working with a mini, so itty bitty shoulders. Think i rigged up a strap to hold it higher. It was a while ago.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I wouldn't use the center rings for that. I would put the neck strap on the buckles and set the length so it hangs where you want it. I'd figure on some type of back pad with girth and attach a piece from the bottom ring to the girth on the belly to help with placement across the chest and shoulder. Your trace could then go in the buckle as well. I'd also want a back strap and crupper to stabilize. While I really like the one SG posted I think without a collar you would not be able to keep things in place. Your collar won't shift like a breast plate/neck/ back strap. If all you did were straight lines then maybe but you won't be.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Had a short break in the monsoon rains this morning so I fiddled with the horse a bit. Covered in mud of course, so we spent most of the time getting that off. Drove a little without all the rig. Just the bit and reins. I want to make sure I've got solid steering and brakes before actually pulling anything. Left turn is OK. Still working on the right turn without swinging her but into me. Could also be that I'm walking too close. I don't have long driving reins. I'm using a pair of long western split reins. She has a good whoa, but staying stopped is still a work in progress. We went outside the corral for a while. She likes to move out, but so far, is easily controlled. 

I did dig around in my boxes and found an old pony cinch that could work as a neck strap, once the sun comes out again. Am I understanding correctly that the breast strap does not need to be connected to anything but the traces and the neck strap? 

I'll continue to use the little saddle since it has a nice D ring in the cantle meant for a crupper. I still need a suitable material for making a crupper.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I personally would add a belly band and some padding under the neck strap to help keep things in place. But try the other way first as you can always add to. I just see without something to stabilize it in turns it could shift if there is a load.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Check out this Lapland harness for reindeer. Looks like a possibility to me.  It's a neat video anyway.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I don't like the between the legs bit and see the one rein as an issue too but pretty neat video. Every now and then it seems like there is a rope on the right that ties into the rein and then it disappears but I still don't see that as helping - must be voice command similar to drafts or just follow the path of least resistance.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

A lot of draft animals were trained to respond to one rein-- usually steady pressure is to turn left, a series of short jerks is to turn the right. In Europe, you often see horses plowing with one rein. Freight horses and mules in America were driven with a jerk line, too. It's an efficient way to drive large teams where lines to each animal are impractical. The famous '20 Mule Teams' hauling Borax were driven with a jerkline. When using a single horse or team for field work, it leaves the hands free, as the line is usually slack unless cueing. I've seen tiny Amish boys plowing with big pairs and a jerkline. It's usually attached to the left-side horse with a jockey stick run between the bit of the horses. When the left horse turns, the stick also turns the other horse.

If you look up the 20-mule team on YouTube, there are some great videos showing the line and 'jumping the chain'. 

Video of a jerkline on a mule team:


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