Shopping for a harness and a cart! Need lots of help!!

[emnhorserider]

Well I have a few question.

I want something that I can train and pleasure drive that will last a long time with the proper care.

I am do not care for competing yet I am not at that point. I have had a cart and harness at one time but I sold my driving pony with his cart and harness.

I need one to fit both my miniature donkey and my miniature horse(I will post pictures of them later).

I am looking on this website http://www.horsecart.com/ for the cart.

and I have been looking at this harness horse harness

I am planning on just buying another easy entry cart but I don't know about a harness.

I am trying to stay extremly cheap(trying to stay under $700- $800 MAX with shipping).

I measured them with this method.

A. Corner of mouth, over poll, to other corner of mouth B. Length around nose C. Length of girth D. Length of back from harness saddle to base of tail E. Length of horse F. Height at withers G. Straight line on neck-for collar

Here are their measurements.

mini horse - A - 32 B -18 C - 36 D -21 E - 40 F - 37

mini donkey - A -35 B - 21 C - 45 D - 30 E - 45 F - 39

Will they be able to share a cart and harness??

PLEASE I need as many opionions as I can get.

Thank you so much guys!

edited to add another link

 

[ClickMini]

The cart looks fine, but I am not that impressed with the harness. The blinkers do not seem to have stays to keep them out of the horse's eye. And there are some other concerning features.

For an inexpensive QUALITY harness, I recommend one of the following:

http://www.kee-port.com/harness.htm (Basic leather harness, you have to scroll down to find it)

http://www.miniexpress.com/mxProductsByCat...nesses+%2D+Show (The all-patent, it is pretty nice for a budget harness)

http://www.minitack.com/mw95.htm

I have experience with all of these, and feel they are good quality for the price. Good luck and happy shopping!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'd avoid that harness for the breeching alone, nevermind any of the other features. I thought maybe the picture was just backwards or something (enough of a warning sign when the manufacturer can't assemble the harness right) but the drawing below it shows it exactly as pictured with a very unsafe thin strap right up under the tail for some reason. Try some of the harnesses Amy pointed you to, especially the Pleasure Harness from Ozark Mtn. Mini Tack.

For a basic easy entry cart for minis, Frontier is the unquestioned best and will last forever. I think you could pick up both of those for about $750 after shipping and it would be a very safe and comfortable starter combination for you and the horse.

Good luck with your search!

Leia

 

[MiLo Minis]

Whoever set up that harness for the photos and drew that picture didn't know harness at all. They have the backstrap around the butt and the breeching over the back!!! :bgrin But even with it set up properly I would pass on that harness. Like Amy mentioned it doesn't have wired blinder stays, the padding in the saddle is pathetic and I can guarantee the bolt from the waterhook would be right on the horses back! Overall it is a very cheaply made harness. I too vote for the Ozark Mountain Pleasure Harness.

 

[keely2682]

i'd buy miniexpress's pleasure harness or the basic harness ozark sells

both have good quality tack

 

[Katie Iceton]

This guy is from Canada, but makes really good quality for really great prices, you cant beat what hes asking..and I have seen the harness a friend bought and its amazing. Its great leather, awesome saddle and can be used anywhere.

http://easyentrycart.tripod.com/ronshorsetackcopy/har.html

 

[emnhorserider]

Thanks you all who posted I do think I am going to go with Ozarks pleasure harness and her easy entry cart. Sound like it is really high quality in the price.

 

[whitney]

Katie:

Did you friend purchase the presidential or the standard mini harness?

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

I bought my mini harness from www.iowavalleycarriage.com and love it. I bought my easy entry cart from www.tripleccarts.com and love that too!

 

[Bluerocket]

From looking at the photo of the harness --- it looks to me like there are stays in the blinker assembly - but not positive about that - also nothing wrong with the breeching IF you reassemble it -- they just don't have it assembled correctly. That is easy to change.

It does make me question how much help they would be if you had a problem with it.

JJay

 

[Chamomile]

Okay I'll pitch in! I bought both the original mentioned cart and harness. The cart from American Cart and Harness and the harness from Tack wholesale. Crap, crap, crap. The American Cart and Harness Cart did not balance well AT ALL. It was a very uncomfortable ride and the horse was miserable. I used it twice and then got rid of it. I was never able to use the tack wholesale harness, the browband was too short for any of our horses. We had to cut it off. The leather was horrible, it was like cardboard and if you pulled hard with your hands, it would stretch!! Bad bad quality all the way around. I learned, by trying to buy cheap, to just fork out the money in the first place and save myself hundreds of dollars!

It sounds like you have had some great advice! Now I can't wait to see pictures of your horse and donkey :lol:

 

[Katie Iceton]

Katie:

Did you friend purchase the presidential or the standard mini harness?

I believe they just bought the standard mini one.....in B size and it fit well...

 

[emnhorserider]

I have another quick question. What kind of bit do you perfer when driving?

Thanks! Emily

 

[keely2682]

get a french link snaffle

most horses like those

 

[CNC MINIS]

I too bought a harness from Tack Wholesale they are very poor quality to say the least.

I bought a harness from Little Steppers here on the forum and it is a nice little harness for not a whole lot more than that Tack Wholesale harness and it is a 100 times better quality, no comparison. I too got caught up in I don't want to spend a lot of money and in the long run spent more than if I would have just started with the better.