Ziggy in harness

Jane&Ziggy

Jane&Ziggy

Jane&Sid these days!
Apr 30, 2010
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Ziggyharness1.jpg Ziggyharness4.jpg Ziggyharness3.jpg Ziggyharness2.jpg Well, the red harness arrived, and my friend Carol and I went over to put it on himself.

There were a few problems, viz:

  1. I am a tack dork and can always be relied on to do it wrong, e.g. putting the breeching over his head.
  2. I have never harnessed a horse before.
  3. Carol has harnessed a horse before, twice, 10 years ago.
  4. The harness seemed to be a very strange shape (cheap foreign muck): breast collar a decent fit, bridle way too small around the ears (and Ziggy has little pony ears), saddle and girth a foot too large, breeching suspiciously tiny.
Anyway, we had a go, and Ziggy was very good. He was a bit flinchy about some bits, just as he used to be about all his tack when I got him, and we felt that he has almost certainly worn harness before but that he was unsympathetically treated.

This is as far as we got. Constructive criticism and wild laughter gratefully received.

Can anyone tell me what the dangly bits at the stifle point are for?

I probably won't keep this harness but will look for an old leather one, but I do think the red looks lovely.
Ziggyharness1.jpg Ziggyharness4.jpg

ETA I know how dirty he is! He had a damn good roll when he saw us coming...
 
I can't see any pictures unfortunately but the dangly bits (hehe I should grow up :D ) are either trace carriers or part of the breeching (forgot the technical name for it) where that is strapped to the shafts and helps with being part of the brakes - I think many two wheelers don't have brakes but my 4 wheeler does. So if you were in the two wheeler then pony has the full weight of the carriage going down hill for example :)
 
Sorry I would not have the foggiest about how to attach a harness. Does look slightly random in terms of fit! I like the red on him, though.
 
The dangle bits as you call it are trace carriers, I actually those use to connect to the breastplate. They are imo way too huge, well the full size was. So made use of them that way.

I didn't put my bridle on so can't comment on that, it went to @Cortrasna to sell on.
My traces and reins also got sold on as I only kept what parts I wanted.

If this is a replica of mine it will mould to a shape as you use it, but as I said before I wouldn't put this to cart. It's fit only for getting the animal used to a harness, as well as the handler. Also if it gets wet and muddy it's wipe clean :)

Your breeching needs to go over the hip bone so more forwards and maybe drop a hole on the breastplate.
 
I thought that about the breeching, but I don't think it will go any more forwards, because it is only as long as you see, unless it should be higher up his bum. Yes, I see the breastplate is a little high.

How can the bits at each end be a bit small, and the bit in the middle so colossal????
 
You might find tweaking your back strap and crupper moves your breeching. There are two slots for the breeching and I had mine in the bottom when I needed to be in the top.
Is that the full size? We are maxed out now and she needs the x full. Though when she loses her coat I reckon we will be OK again.

I do like the red but went for purple. I wonder if red or the yellow would have looked better on mine :).

I moved my tugs down but that's personal choice.
 
the dangling bits at the stifle are what you will use to attach it to the shafts from the breeching ( the horse uses this part to hold the carriage down hills etc) There are no trace carriers on it you could make a strap to add though. It all looks rather small, I see on some buckles you are on the last hole.
 
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breast collar is to high for my liking to aswell as the breeching strap maybe down a hole or two, tahts difficult to tell for sure as hes not stood straight. If you were thinking to put to a carriage eventually I would not use this harness, its to small for him.
 
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I personally wouldnt tack up harness in a stable, especially the bridle. Im sure you were just trying on in this pic but its useful to remember. The horse cannot see or position himself to get out the doorway, you can get caught on bolts/hinges etc on the way out and end up in a real flap. Can end with a injury or blinker shy horse or if the reins attached to the bit, one very sore mouth :)
 
Gimp said:
the dangling bits at the stifle are what you will use to attach it to the shafts from the breeching ( the horse uses this part to hold the carriage down hills etc) There are no trace carriers on it you could make a strap to add though. It all looks rather small, I see on some buckles you are on the last hole.
Click to expand...

That's true Gimp. What I can't understand is why in that case the saddle and girth are a foot too big for him!

And thanks for the tip about not tacking up in the shelter. What you can't see and I hope would make it better is that this is a big shelter with two 7 foot gates, not stable doors...
 
cheaper harness are not great! but ok for training in from foot. They can be poorly made and sized! alough I did have a semi expensive leather one for my boy, he needed cob and full sized partsto make up his harness. Its not really a one size fits all sort of thing sometimes :)
 
You could move the saddle back an inch? Then it's not tilting.

Didn't give the enclosed area a thought, as we have given up our stable. I harness up on the yard.
 
Is the is the saddle girth able to be tight suffienctly as per normal girth for a horse? The other/outer girth fastening that comes of the tugs is a belly band, That dosent need to be tight as the girth, just loosely fitted if no shafts/cart and not over tightened either when with cart. The Bridle will be far to small as you should have a lightweight headcollar underneath it really when driving.
 
No idea on the harness sorry - it always looks a very complicated affair to me - but I just love winter Ziggy with his gorgeous fluffy pony face, so it was very nice of you to post those pics :)
 
Neither the saddle girth nor the belly band can do up tight enough not to slip right round at a touch.

I will try moving the saddle back though, it might help.

I think overall the dam' thing is too small...
 
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