Harness question

[RKG miniatures]

Please help. I'm very new to this. What is the difference between over check and side check and which is preferred in the show ring? Does anyone have pictures to show the difference.

Sue

 

[Sandee]

Explaination taken from website: "There are two types of check in use today, the sidecheck and the overcheck. They act in different ways to hold the horse’s head up. The sidecheck snaps onto the bit between the cheekpiece and the rein. Then it runs up the side of the horse’s head to a ring on the crownpiece. From there it goes along the neck to the check terret on the harness saddle. The overcheck buckles onto the bit in front of the cheekpiece and runs up the horse’s face, between his ears and down the neck to the check terret on the saddle.

The sidecheck asks the horse to flex at the poll. If he reaches too far down it will force his head to stay up. The overcheck works on the neck causing the horse to hold his head up or get hit in the mouth. Both types of check need to be adjusted correctly or they can cause problems."

Take a look at the pictures on Star Lake's website for harness. They are all shown in over check. Couldn't find any sidecheck pictures. overchecks on harness

Try to go to the bottom of the forum page and do a search for "carriage harness pictures". I believe there is a good picture of sidecheck on this forum (back a few years) from Dr. Pam. edited - this doesn't work tried it but got the picture when I did a google search for it.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Here's a pic of a side check. This is Jane and her horse Elvis:



Lucy

 

[MiniHunterHorseFan]

I like the side checks for the show ring. They are nicer because they aren't one strap flopping up and down and side to side.

 

[MiLo Minis]

The biggest difference between the 2 types of checks is that the overcheck, if properly adjusted, is in constant play preventing the horse from lowering his head at all. The sidecheck if properly adjusted allows the horse to drop his head somewhat. It is also known as an antigrazing check to prevent the horse from getting his head low enough to grab grass. It doesn't work all that well in this capacity for Minis unless the grass is very short though!