Welcome! You and your horse certainly look classy together, and what a picturesque place to drive! I think I'm jealous. :bgrin I like your Lignite cart and generally speaking you have everything adjusted pretty well. The shafts are in a good position, the cart looks balanced, and the the harness is sturdy and complete. If I'm looking for things to nitpick, I'd say...
-Loosen your traces by about one hole to bring the tips of the shafts back to the point of the horse's shoulder.
-It looks in the pictures like the breastcollar might be a little high. Experiment with dropping it to hang level and give your horse's windpipe more room. If you can't do this without risking it slipping below the shoulder then keep it like it is.
-Raise the breeching. At the moment it is hanging too low and if raised will be in a better position for the horse to brace against. Ideally you'd like the breastcollar and breeching to hang even with each other on a vehicle with straight shafts, barring unusual conformational factors.
-The holdback straps appear to be wrapped correctly but it would be better if we're being very technical to wrap them ahead of the footman's loop rather than behind it.
-Consider placing the saddle just slightly further back- it's preferable not to have it up on his withers if possible.
-Lose the check. You don't need it for trail driving and your horse will be more comfortable, especially pulling up inclines or in deep footing. At least loosen it a tad bit farther to allow for more natural neck carriage. Right now he is traveling with his back "hollowed out," a posture which is perfectly normal but will make him tire more easily than if his head is down and his back up.
I know this seems like a long list so I'd like to reiterate that your setup is very much correct and well-done. :aktion033: Tweaking harness is a full-time occupation for most serious drivers and is an ongoing thing as our horses age and gain and lose condition. I see new things in my own pictures all the time that I'm not satisfied with and am always adjusting my setup, so please don't feel like I'm picking on you! I only commented because you asked.
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If you get a chance please post followup pictures to show any changes you've made. I'd love to see them and we can make sure everything worked out.
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Leia
: There are a lot of new drivers on here this year and I encourage all of you to post and ask questions on the main forums.
