Harness fitting/carriage balance

[Sarah Poole]

That article was just what I needed to know.

He definitely needs a breastplate harness I think as his line of draft is quite straight when the traces are taut.
As you said the carriage is quite high.

Most informative thanks!

 

[Sarah Poole]

Oh I 100% agree. So worth it for his comfort but sadly I'm not working at the moment so I can't afford it right now

 

[Peggy Porter]

Yes I've just been looking at those v collars and they look fab.

Shipping to Spain is an issue and very expensive from America which is really fustrating because you have the best mini tack.

My carriage actually has the fixed hooks which I believe you should only hook the traces too if they are in a neck collar?
Which is why I thought a neck collar would be easier around and a possible better fit.

But for now my hubby has made a swingletree for the carriage so he can be comfy in a breast plate

Thanks again for the articles

Yes, we are very lucky to have the options available to us in the US! Yes, a swingletree is very important. Your mini will be much more comfortable. And a comfy poneh is a happy poneh!

 

[Sarah Poole]

Yes you've got great harnesses.

Indeed! It is the most important thing

 

[Cayuse]

I wonder if you can get shaft carriers that are a bigger diameter so it would give you a little more length. Or have a reputable saddle/harness repair person put on longer straps for the shaft carriers to buckle to.

 

[Sarah Poole]

Thank you. We don't have many saddlerys out here and none that really work properly with leather so I guess the best thing to do is to replace the saddle part of the harness with one with longer tugs?

 

[Cayuse]

That would probably be your best bet. If you pick a well known harness maker, you can always order the rest later and it should all match nicely. It doesn't even have to match completely, my mini was shown with a peiced together harness as he is a difficult fit, and no one was the wiser.
About the saddle part, I have been using a saddle without a tree in it. I used a larger wider pony sized pad with it to keep him comfy. My instructor talked me into getting a back saddle with a tree in it. I have only used it for ground driving as I just got it and the mini seemed comfy. It shifted less and I did not have to girth it as tight. I am interested to see how it will be when I can hitch him with it. Hopefully he will still be comfy.
It seems like fitting a harness is both an artform and a science. So much tweeking!

 

[Sarah Poole]

Yes you are quite right.

A science for sure! I feel like I might be tweaking forever

 

[user 44366]

Sorry here are the photos

Patty of Patty's Pony Place here - designers and builders of miniature horse carts - and I make custom harness as well. The first issue you actually have here, is the design of the cart. It has a high centre of gravity, the distance from the top of the seat to the floor pan has you sitting "bunched up", with your knees high. There is also no way to adjust the shafts - looks like they are built as a solid system on the front of the cart. If you have access to a welder/fabricator, you can e-mail me at [email protected] - with some closer photos of the cart, and I will show them to Kelly (hubby, designer, builder of carts) and see if he can guide on what needs to be done to improve the cart. Regarding your harness - you may want to get a different breast plate - but in my experience, the Deep V breast plates are unnecessary, and the ones with the ring placed between the two up tugs for the neck strap, are indeed, poorly designed. They have the rings there for what became a fad of an "adjustable line of draft", promoted falsely by many in the industry. My consistent effort to dispel that myth has finally resulted in the main company promoting it to stop, but sadly, they have not yet re-designed the breast plates so the buckle is at the end of the breast plate - and the ring removed. Your cart is designed for breast plate harness, and again, a new one, but only with a slight curve - and the buckle near the end of the breast plate. Do e-mail me if you would like - and we will see if we can get you all lined up, and rigged right, and only what you need.

 

[Sarah Poole]

Thank you so much for your helpful reply!
Yes I have summarised the same as you. That the cart should be much lower to the floor and the shafts possibly a bend in them to make up the extra height?
I don't know the correct name for that so I hope you know what I mean...

I am thinking to simply get rid of this cart and try and find a more suitable 2 or 4 wheeler. My issue is simply here in Spain it is near on impossible to find a well built cart for a shetland. They all look like mine and to import one is very expensive.... So maybe modifying mine is the only way.

I will definitely get some up close photos and email them to you.
Thank you very much

As for the breastplate I'm not exactly sure what you mean. I had added a pad to the front of my breastplate now so it is at least more comfortable for him but I would still like a new one. It seems to me a fairly important pArt of the harness and mine looks poorly made. The rest of harness seem to work well