# Harness Critiques



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I have been collecting some photos of horses in harness for a harness critique thread. While some photos of the horses in harness are funny, some are sad.
I was hoping this would be way to look at horses in harness and learn the best way to harness.

Lets see if you can figure out what is wrong, but better yet see if you can figure a way to correct the problem. 

Some photos are just wrong, some are just right, and most are somewhere in between. While critiquing, I like to remember that you use what you have till you get what you want, but I have no problem saying what I think they should get. 

I will be posting photos of my embarrassing attempts at harnessing when I was just starting out driving, BUT the names are changed to protect the innocent. 

Lets start with this harness job. What do you think?


----------



## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

looks good to my beginer eyes


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I'll play!!!

The breastcollar is too big.

The tugs are WAY too high, they should be fairly level, and end about the point of shoulder. 

The breeching needs to be lowered to the flank.

I would move the footman loops forward, so the breeching is a better line.

But the MAIN thing....WHO IS HEADING THE HORSE???

Nancy


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

greentree said:


> i'll play!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


bingo!!!!!!! 

You saw some things I did not see, but I see some other things I would change.
Lets see if someone else has some observations.


.


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Beautiful horse, very nice equipment!

Main problem is no one is holding the horse.
As greentree also stated, the shafts are too high, the shafts on this type of vehicle should follow the line of the traces.
I would lower the tugs 3 or 4 holes. 
The harness looks too big for the horse, which Greentree pointed out. See how the buckles on the breast collar go so far back that they are starting to interfere with the saddle and the girths, and all of the extra leather hanging past the girth, if you look very closely, I blew it up, the girth is up *past* the tightest hole for the photo. Once the tugs are lowered, the saddle will be unusable with this horse, it really is unusable now.
If the holdback irons were moved forward, the holdback straps would have a better line towards the front of the horse, and the breeching would function a lot better.
I also think that if the holdback irons were moved forward the breeching would be fine where it is now.
The reins are on the lowest hole on the shanks of the bit, way too much bit for a driving horse. If your horse needs the reins hooked to the lowest slot on the bit... you should not be driving that horse.

The traces have nothing from the breast collar to the single tree to keep them from drooping to the ground, easy for a horse to get a leg over the trace. The trace should run between the two girths, and then the shafts should have a trace holder attached to it, and finally the trace should go between the straps of the hold backstraps.










View attachment 231922


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I know nothing about harnesses or driving but you asked for my opinion so you are going to get it. As I judge any horse, I go by "would I want to ride it, own it?" The rig & horse you posted? I want a ride in that, right through mainstreet to show off!


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

waresbear said:


> I know nothing about harnesses or driving but you asked for my opinion so you are going to get it. As I judge any horse, I go by "would I want to ride it, own it?" The rig & horse you posted? I want a ride in that, right through mainstreet to show off!


I would want to be sitting right next to you, for sure!


----------



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Taffy- No fair! You beat me! I saw that nice Zilco harness on the Carriage driving classifieds and was just going to ask about it. Guess I have to keep looking! :lol:


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

4horses said:


> Taffy- No fair! You beat me! I saw that nice Zilco harness on the Carriage driving classifieds and was just going to ask about it. Guess I have to keep looking! :lol:



I am sorry, I thought it was too good to pass up! 
If it doesn't fit "P" I will PM you.


----------



## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*driveing critic.*

hiya tc i could not reply as there was a problem with h/f.
i loved your string and as warebear said a drive down main street sounds good.
its been very hot here so i have not done a lot 12 hour days at the mo.


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Yes, MV keep those trains on the tracks!:wink:


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Here is hitch off of Craig's list.

























What do you think?


----------



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Yikes! What is with that collar! 

I saw a pony the other day on craigslist and I swear the shafts were 2 feet past his shoulder. I thought he must be a saint to put up with those people! Not to mention the child riding him in the other photo was holding the reins with one finger.


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

4horses said:


> Yikes! What is with that collar!


I know, it reminds me of a dog collar. I don't know if I could even guess as to how many sizes too small it is.


----------



## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

Yikes on that collar! Looks like the shafts come past the point of the shoulder & it may jut be the angle, but the throat latch on the bridle looks way tight


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

That animal is a saint to even stand there, much less pull with the collar so far up on his neck like that  I'm not even sure how he can breath!


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Well, the good thing about this turnout is that the horse appears to be hitched wrong, so it is pulling with the shafts and saddle, instead of its neck. HOW did they get that collar over that horse's head??? 

I cannot make the picture clear so I may be seeing the entire thing wrong!!

TC, what was the ad selling?

Nancy


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Oh, God, everything is wrong with that but the most obvious one to me is the fact that the collar is waaayy to small.

I'm subbing to this thread mainly because I don't have a ton of experience with single or show hitches. Everything I've ever been around is _work_ stock and harness, always with at least 2 head, sometimes more.


LOL, I didn't even notice the lack of header on the pinto...but we've never used a header for anything.


----------



## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*collar*

trickys collar is bigger than the one on the horse.
well its gone beyound pipeing.
i have just glanced and shook my head in disbelief.


----------



## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*trains.*



Taffy Clayton said:


> Yes, MV keep those trains on the tracks!:wink:


 i will all the sparks are running well(electric trains).
but the rails are hot and a tempeary speed applyed.
but we will keep running lol.
even with a broken shoulder.lol with that one to.


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

greentree said:


> Well, the good thing about this turnout is that the horse appears to be hitched wrong, so it is pulling with the shafts and saddle, instead of its neck. HOW did they get that collar over that horse's head???
> 
> I cannot make the picture clear so I may be seeing the entire thing wrong!!
> 
> ...


The ad was selling the vehicle, they stated in the ad that the horse was already sold. If the horse had not already been sold, I would have bought him, just to get him away.


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

What about the harness??? I have a clydesdale it would fit....

Nancy


----------



## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Subbing.


----------

