Collar and Hames revisited...

[Jules]

Who is using/has used collar and hames for their mini?

How is it working out? Where did you get your set up from?

I have revisited a lot of the old threads and can see that 'neck' collar set up hasn't worked out for a lot of people, but I was wondering if there may be some new products out now that may be an improvement on what was previously available.

I have a comfyfit breastcollar which I adore but am getting a vehicle with a lower than horizontal angle of draft so am exploring other ideas for that particular set up.

Oh and if I were to purchase I would want brass. Yeah, I don't want much do I?!

 

[Performancemini]

Are you talking about light horse collar and hames or draft style collar and hames?

 

[Jules]

oops sorry, light horse

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I like the Freedom Collar (ComfyFit deluxe collar) with the Hyperbike as it gets the angle of draft up over the shoulder like a collar but is much lighter and less bulky. I like collars in some cases and I think Turbo could carry one comfortably but something about Kody's neck and shoulders just don't work well with one and he's let me know in no uncertain terms that he doesn't like them. He might change his mind if I padded it and and then let him see how much easier it is to pull with one, but he doesn't like the weight around his neck and how hard they are against his bony surfaces. He's picky that way!

I know Mattijs uses collars with his Hyperbikes now and the setup looks good, but I think it works best for jogging long distances. I tend to ask my horses for a lot of collection and lengthening and gait changes and such and I'm not sure it would be the best for that.

Leia

 

[Jules]

Thanks Leia. I love your telepathic abilities in knowing what sorta cart I was talking about

Your response summed up what I gathered from my old thread trawling, that in theory collar and hames would make lighter work for them, but that the practice of that doesn't always work out. My guy has a short (pony style) low-set neck and I want to be in time developing a rounder frame etc, so shall stick with my beautiful deluxe comfyfit which fits like a glove.

I am so excited about HB action that I am researching and tossing around all kinds of ideas. Oh and maybe, just maybe I purchased some valve lights so I can be totally disco in the 'bike. I say it was in the name of road safety and visibility rather than pimping my ride

 

[Katie Iceton]

I use a collar and hames with my pair, I absolutly love it...they are 36-37 inch minis however, and they are able to use a collar effectively (I think with smaller minis it can get bulky etc) I purchased mine from Chimacum tack and have just now purchased the synthetic harness to go with it! (tried mixing the collars with a different harness was a TON of work) It was also a lot of work to do the fitting as being in Canada, there are not a lot of mini people around here who drive in collar and hames that I could use to fit my minis. So I had a funner time than most I think....but now I am very happy with my decision to use collar and hames and my horses compete successfully in CDE.

I also have the comfy fit harness for my horses driving as singles. I do love it as a single harness but I much prefer the collar and hames for my pair and thats just my choice

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

We tried collars on my husbands pair (30" and hard to fit even with headstalls) and could never quite get them right. After several years of struggling to make ourselves and the horses (who accepted even the worst fit but were not overjoyed with it) happy we finally threw in the towel and went with breast collars instead. While I love the look of the collars and hames, in our case it was just beyond our ability/patience/pocketbook to get the fit satisfactory for these horses.

 

[Katiean]

I also use a collar and hames for one of my horses. We were training him with a regualr breast strap type brest collar. He was a big pain in the butt. I made the choice to get him a collar and hames. He is a different horse. He now pulls our hay from the truck to the hay shed. He trots and has his ears up. He just loves it. We are going to try pulling brush with him. We shall see how things go with that.