Tracker Harness...

[roxy's_mom]

Hello all! I love this driving forum already! I've learned alot more about the CDE's and am now starting to look into a couple local clubs.

Here's my question. I'm looking for another show harness. The harness I have now is a shiny black Biothane harness. It's nice for driving around home and at my local open horse show but I'd like to have a nicer one for show. I've found a harness called a Tracker harness. I've seen it in a catalogue I get for gaited horses that has a few items in it for miniatures (I don't own any gaited horses so I don't know how I started getting it) and also on Ebay (I know you have to watch what you buy on there). I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of it and if you have what was you experience with it. It's supposed to be made of fine quality black harness leather.

What's the best kind of show harness to have? I prefer one with breeching or at least removable breeching, as I use it for alot of my driving, I feel much safer with it when going up and down hills.

Thanks for any of your help!!

Becky M.

 

[Minimor]

I think the very first harness I bought was a Tracker--as I recall that's what was printed on the bag that it came in. It seemed like a nice enough harness for its price range (I bought it up here, so the price would have been higher than what it's listed at in the US--I think it was around $250 Cdn)--I suspect that it was Indian leather, but wasn't the "cardboard" type leather that we so often see in the Indian made products. I can't say how it stood up to use because I never used it--it was much too small for my 34" Minis. I bought it from a tack store about 100 miles from here, via mail order--the catalogue listing just said Mini harness, but when I called the store afterward they said oh, it's for 32" and under. Urgh. No wonder it didn't fit--would have been nice if the catalogue said that!!

Someone has since told me that the Tracker harnesses don't stand up to use very well. The one I had seemed like it would have been okay--like I said, I didn't see that the leather as being the very poor quality, and I'm fussy about my leather products but without actually using it I don't know if this was one time when it would have fooled me or not. I resold the harness as soon as I found that it didn't fit my horses at all.

I always recommend the harnesses sold by Ozark Mtn.--that's what I have now, one of the pleasure harness and two of the carriage harness--they're quality leather, strong enough for every day driving, nice enough for some showing. When I can afford an actual show harness I'll go back to them to buy--those don't have the breeching, but for my part if I buy an actual show harness it will be just for the show ring & I don't usually use breeching in the show ring anyway. For going down the road or across country I'd still use my other harnesses w/breeching.

 

[Jetiki]

I had one, broke the very first time I tried to use it, didn't even get my horse hitched due to its falling apart. NOT a well made product. One I personally wouldn't use for more than ground driving. Save your money and get a better harness. Its buyer beware and you get what you pay for.

Karen

 

[rcfarm]

I had a Tracker, did not hold up. A waste of money. My next harness is going to be from Camptown, great for CDE. Easy to clean.

 

[Katiean]

You might keep your eye open for a used harness. Good deals are out there. I got a cart and either a bata or boithane (I don't know the difference. this one is shiney) harness for $550 that if bought new the cart would be $1200 and the harness was around $600. I found the web site where they are sold new.

 

[roxy's_mom]

Thanks everyone for your replies!! I'm still looking for a nice driving harness. Checking different mini tack places and comparing products/prices. The one horse I have is one that is hard to fit. Always need different sizes for different things.

Becky M.

 

[Minimor]

For a great custom fit contact Lisa at Ozark Mtn. When we ordered our carriage harnesses we had special measurements for certain parts--we got longer browbands, longer traces, longer girth and bigger breeching--we did pay a little extra for this custom fit but it wasn't a whole lot, and so completely worth it to get a harness that fit our bigger B horses exactly right!

If you've got a hard to fit horse then I very much doubt that any off the shelf harness is going to work for you--you will end up buying extra parts in the right size and it will cost you extra anyway. Much better IMO to get it all sized right the first time.

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

My vote is for a Sport harness by Chimacum (Camptown sells it too). Janie at Chimacum is the best to deal with. She will help you with fit and wants to to be thrilled with your harness

http://www.chimacumtack.com/miniaturehorse...rseharness.html

scroll down to Miniature Horse Harness-Sport or CDE. You will love it

I ise it on both my horse

 

[brasstackminis]

My inexpensive harness that I really enjoy is from Mini Express. I have had the beta and the biothane. I think I like which ever one is the matte type better. You can order whatever size of whatever part you need. You can also change the parts out if you want to show in different types of driving events. I have bought many parts so I can do different types of driving. They were not too expensive and have held up nicely.

I love my new harness for CDE Driving. It is a "Comfy Fit Harness" and it is made with both a specially treated leather for the parts that touch the horse and synthetic on the rest of the harness. The leather part is maintained exactly as the synthetic. I haven't had it long, but I love it and they are guaranteed to fit! It is made by Chimacum Tack.

Happy Shopping!

Karen