Mose Miller Show Harness?

I am harness shopping at the moment and wondering if anyone has seen one of the Mose Miller Show Harnesses http://minitack.com/mw200.htm and what your thoughts are on them.

Also looking at the Betathane Show Harness from Prime Design http://www.primedesigntack.com/HarnessB.html

Any info on either of these would be appreciated.

Thank you

I am not a fan of "round leather" reins, traces etc... Rolled and SEWN ROUND, yes, but in my opinion, rounding leather makes it much weaker. It is simply a cheap way to make a harness LOOK more expensive, and I feel it is dangerous for that reason.

I actually like the Mose miller harnesses a lot.... I've owned many of them. They are very nice for the price... bUT I hate, hate, hate the one between the $250 pleasure harness and the $750 rolled one. I ordered it and didn't realize the TRaCEs and LINEs (both of which are quite weight bearing and safety issues if worn) were ROUNDED not ROLLED. For just a couple hundred more the rolled leather is worth it. Otherwise just get the $250 one.

I just ordered one for my new pony.

Just beware of any wording that says round, not rolled. The rolled should have stitching, which makes it stronger. Round leather is simply a strap shaved down to appear more refined, but is half as thick and thus half as strong.

I have seen and used Mose Miller harness. I have been pleased with the quality look and function.

Dr Taylor

The Mose Miller rolled harness is on offer- $100.00 off for the black with brass mountings as they made too many for an order.

You can get the buckle in traces and I presume you can also get breeching as they are very helpful. I wish they did the rounded blinkers on the mini set as they do on the pony.

Good Luck making up your mind, I wish I could.

I have purchased many of these harnesses both for myself and others in both Mini and pony size. I find them to be of really good quality leather and very good workmanship, a good buy on a whole although recently I have had trouble with the rolled leather harnesses headstalls in Mini size only (the pony ones are fine) - the drop is off centre as is the browband and the blinder stays are coming loose from the blinders on the one side. I have returned a couple of them only to have them replaced with the exact same thing. I gave up replacing them and took mine in to be repaired at a harnessmaker here. If you are wanting a show harness ONLY I would go with the rolled leather harness rather than the rounded leather harness. If you are looking for something a little more versatile I would go with the carriage harness preferably or the MW95 as both of them come complete with breeching and are more versatile. You can also get the v shaped breastcollar that buckles in which is a really nice option.

Nikki, I wouldn't go with either of those harnesses, personally. I love Prime Design and I really like my Mose Miller harnesses, but both the ones you've selected are bargain-basement models and look it. Have you talked to Estate? They've got the most comfortable show harness saddles around and great-looking breastcollars even on their cheapest models. I'm probably going to buy one of those for Turbo next spring, assuming I have a job again by then. If you've got more dollars, I'd try the rolled leather Mose Miller harness but not the rounded one.

rabbitsfizz said:

I wish they did the rounded blinkers on the mini set as they do on the pony.Good Luck making up your mind, I wish I could.

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Fizz, they'll put whatever blinkers you like if you ask. All of my Ozark bridles have the D-shaped blinkers and I like them very much. Unfortunately I've had the same problem with the headstall being sewn crooked as MiLo has, and that's really beginning to bug me. How hard is it to get the dang blinkerstays centered?!

Leia

Thanks all. Will start saving some more pennies and spring for one of the higher quality harnesses.

Leia, Yes, I have talked to Ken at Estate. I had him give me a quote on the top of the line harness that he has though. Might need to talk to him about the others.

Thanks!

My harness also has the blinkers that won't stay straight. I'm thinking of taking it apart and putting wire in the rolled parts. I thought it was standard for all harnesses to have wire in the rolled parts so you could make the blinkers stay where you want. Apparently not, as the custom made show harness for PlumBob (a mini I had a few years ago) had no wire in the stays either and I had to put some in. Otherwise the blinkers would just cover his eyes like clam shells. That harness was synthetic - very stiff and unpleasant.

I'm line-driving Lacey in the village Santa Claus parade tomorrow. I made her a little red Christmassy dress-up saddle pad type thing with gold beads.

I adapted a used pony show halter into a bridle for the parade, because I've been wanting a bridle with no blinkers. I'm borrowing the cavesson and the bit off the Carriage harness.

My breeching is also too short for Lacey's wide bum - I've looked at it and I think the best thing to do is just take it apart and stitch the hangers back to a new longer strap. Just need to find some really nice leather like the rest of the harness has. Or maybe will get some beta strapping as it is so cheap. She needs a slightly longer belly band too. I have to take the back cushion off in order to get the girth done up, then wiggle the cushion back in place under the saddle.

Does anyone here make their own harness? I've done quite a bit of leather work in the past and would love to get more into making harness instead of just changing it.

I've got some debt to pay down so I don't think I'll be buying a new harness this year. Too bad, there are some beauties out there!

studiowvw said:

My harness also has the blinkers that won't stay straight. I'm thinking of taking it apart and putting wire in the rolled parts.

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Actually there is wire in the blinder stays on the Mose Miller harnesses. It isn't the blinders that won't stay straight, the WHOLE headpiece is sewn together crookedly so that the bridle irritates the one ear and the drop is not centered on the horses face. You can still center the blinders because they are wired in the stays BUT the one stay wants to come loose from the top of the blinder because they aren't catching it well enough in the stitching and I think that is because it is off center the one side doesn't extend into the blinder quite as far. They are a beautiful bridle but lately don't seem to be put together properly. Earlier harnesses that I purchased were fine.

"My breeching is also too short for Lacey's wide bum - I've looked at it and I think the best thing to do is just take it apart and stitch the hangers back to a new longer strap."

Does the breeching come to mid point of her hip or are the hanger straps pulled to the back? Would longer holdback straps work just as well Wilma? Then you wouldn't need to be quite so careful matching the leather.

I will take a pic tomorrow and show you what the breeching is looking like

Edit: actually here is the pic from the parade today. The surcingle is her ratty old training surcingle that I cut down from an old harness - the terrets are further apart so it is a bit better for line driving. I dressed it up with some Christmassy stuff.

The back strip and crupper and breeching are off the Carriage harness - the breeching doesn't come off so I left it on.

Note the windswept look of the breeching - I'll try to get a pic tomorrow from the side to see how it looks otherwise.



PS she did great in the parade.

Her breeching is definitely way too short, especially in her winter coat.

I haven't had any problems with the Ozark bridles irritating my horse, just me! LOL. I see no reason why the blinkerstay buckle cannot be sewn into the crownpiece in the middle. Seems like that ought to be a basic requirement for even the cheapest harness, and Ozark is generally good-quality (not cheap) in other regards.

Leia

hobbyhorse23 said:

Her breeching is definitely way too short, especially in her winter coat.

I haven't had any problems with the Ozark bridles irritating my horse, just me! LOL. I see no reason why the blinkerstay buckle cannot be sewn into the crownpiece in the middle. Seems like that ought to be a basic requirement for even the cheapest harness, and Ozark is generally good-quality (not cheap) in other regards.

Leia

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Yes, it is a really nice harness. I bought it used and it's a bit small for her, especially now she's filled out more.

The bridle is beautiful and looks nice on her, except for the blinker problem. I don't believe there's wire in this one. Will probably take it apart and add some.

The leather throughout the harness is soft and supple and stays looking good.

Yes, I have to say it does look like it is too small for her and you need a complete breeching. Are you sure you can't remove the breeching though? If you undo the buckles on the hanger you should be able to pull the strap back through the backband.

They are irritating the heck out of me too Leia! It is a lovely little harness other than that. I had been using the bridle from my carriage harness for my brass show harness but the only silver bridle I have doesn't really suit my silver show harness as it is too coarse - more of a working harness type - which means I couldn't use my silver show harness till I took it in to be repaired which kinda peeves me because I really shouldn't have had to go to that trouble. I sent the one bridle back twice and got the exact same problem back with the new bridles. I gave it up and shelled out the time and money to have it fixed properly.

here is a pic from the side that someone else took.

Is the breeching far down enough?

I can tell that the main strap going around her butt is too short, as it is pulling the hang straps towards the back.



Doesn't she look cute? These are my neighbours, so when I saw them, I drove her over to see them.