# Training Harness



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I personally would use the same one for both at this point. Leather would be more comfortable. That looks to be a nicer nylon than most but with out seeing it in person you just never know about fit and adjustments


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I DESPISE that nylon harness. Here is my Top Ten list:

10. It does not shape to the horse

9. The holes are rough where heat is used to punch them

8. The edges where connections are made are rough where heat is used to seal them

7. There is no "tree" in the saddle, so the whole thing slips

6. There is no "give" when you need it, like getting the girth snug

5. It stretches when it gets wet, so suddenly the girth is dangling

4. It gets rough as it ages, but when new, it is SO slick

3. The edges fray from abrasion

2. The Parts of these harnesses are NEVER proportionate, for instance, the neck strap or the saddle will be large horse size, when you need cob size.

1. The nylon pieces rubbing on your horse, which they do A LOT during training, will rub the hair off.


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

I have a nylon driving harness. Put a lot of miles on that thing and its still doing great.

Will be training a pony soon using it.

If I had leather I would prefer it but nylon is what came with the driving donkey.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I have been looking around to see if I can find another harness that might fit the bill. I came across this leather one at SLT. Tough-1 Tracker Leather Driving Harness - Statelinetack.com

Do you think this one should work?


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Only if it is REAL leather, NOT made in India. That stuff is chopped and formed, and breaks under the slightest pressure. It cannot absorb oil, so it dry rots.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

OP...do you have someone who can help you fit the harness to your Quarter Horse properly and someone who can help you with hitching up to whatever it is you decide to pull? 

There are still dangers when one does not know what they are doing or harness and hitch wrong, things can go south quickly. 

It is good that your asking questions, as I too prefer good leather over nylon. It does hold up a lot better. I have a leather and brass dotted driving/work harness that came out of someones barn, it was made somewhere around 1940. Had it cleaned, re-oiled, some minor repairs done at an Amish harness shop in Pennsylvania and have been using it off and on ever since.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

GreySorrel said:


> OP...do you have someone who can help you fit the harness to your Quarter Horse properly and someone who can help you with hitching up to whatever it is you decide to pull?
> 
> There are still dangers when one does not know what they are doing or harness and hitch wrong, things can go south quickly.
> 
> It is good that your asking questions, as I too prefer good leather over nylon. It does hold up a lot better. I have a leather and brass dotted driving/work harness that came out of someones barn, it was made somewhere around 1940. Had it cleaned, re-oiled, some minor repairs done at an Amish harness shop in Pennsylvania and have been using it off and on ever since.



I have a pretty good understanding on how to fit the harness. I have people I can go to if I get into a real pickle, but other than that I don't really have anyone to go to. 

With that being said I'm trying to learn as much about it on my own as I can. I'm looking into getting the nate bowers driving dvd set when I can and am looking at getting some books. So if you have any you recommend I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.

I know things can go south quickly. I'm not going to be hitching him up for a while. I plan on doing tons of ground driving with him and getting him desensitized and all that. 

I too also much prefer good leather any day, but like I said before I'm looking for just a simple harness to do the groundwork with. And preferably one without traces. There was one point where I was using my leather harness and doing some ground work. I had the trace up and out of the way, but he spooked a little bit and the trace fell down. In the process he stepped on the trace and broke the neck strap that holds the breast collar/traces up.
So I would like to get something that gets the traces out of the way, but I wouldn't be so upset over if it got broke.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I always loop the traces through the breeching, then run them back to the girth, and hook them. Some harnesses I can run the overgirth strap through the singletree hole, some have a ring that makes it easy, sometimes I have to hook a caribeener in the loop.... but the trace is always captured somehow. Trace carriers on the breeching give a little extra length.


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