When I first was looking for a mini harness, top on my list was a tree in the saddle. My mom had two mini harnesses, one that we bought through a local breeder who ordered it for her and took his cut (way back in the 90s) and one that we bought used. Neither had a tree. Then a friend mentioned this place called Driving Essentials. When I called, I was so used to talking with people who basically had no driving experience and just a "mini store", that I asked the voice at the other end of the phone if their harnesses had a tree, and if they knew what a tree was. I think I actually offended Jan for a little bit until I explained where I was coming from.
I ordered a Essential harness for my A horses. The Essential ran about $700 at the time I think.
The best thing about the DE harness is not only the quality of the leather and craftsmanship, but the service that goes with it. They KNOW their products and they KNOW how to fit a harness! And if it breaks for whatever reason, you call them and send it in. They fixed my pony harness that my pony broke AT NO CHARGE!
We already had a Smuckers for our big horse, so I knew what a "good" harness was. We also had a locally made Amish harness and so I was familiar with the "heavy duty" version of a big horse harness, too. The Driving Essential harness is VERY comparable to a Smuckers without so much price. I have a friend that has a Smuckers mini harness that is nice, and just about the same leather quality, but it cost more.
Now I have an Essential Plus with a fully padded skirt saddle and I am VERY happy with that. It was about $1000. It has "big horse" styling and has won Turnout in 6 out of 8 showings in the last two years, even beating a Hunts harness that is worth a couple of K. (I was pretty shocked at that one!
) Now to be fair, I show in a Freedom Collar from Camptown, and I am not as impressed with the leather. It is more "papery". But I like the cut of the collar and Alax moves better in it. I wish the leather was better quality.
My bridle I ordered from Fully Equipped Outdoors and I am impressed with that, too. It is very comparable to the DE and a little bit cheaper. I have a friend that has a whole FEO lg. pony harness, and it is very good quality and craftsmanship.
I have another friend with a mini harness from Iowa Valley Carriage and while it is a good quality for the price, I am not as impressed with the fit, but that also could have been the measuring my friend did to order it. Quarter inches matter in mini harnesses.
I know that a lot of people here like the Ozark harnesses, but I ordered a bridle last year before I ordered one from FEO, and I was not impressed with the leather. It was papery, like the Camptown. It is adequate, but definitely not the best. My mom has a breeching from Mini Express (to go with a show harness that didn't have one), and that too is papery.
If you want the best, a Freedmans is the top of the line, but I only know of one Freedmans mini harness and I can't imagine what it cost!
More than the $1200 I'm sure. The qualtiy of leather has A LOT to do with the price. That is why I wouldn't spend less than $400 on a leather mini harness. Anything less and you don't know what it is made of.
Myrna