This guide takes you through the essential steps of harnessing a horse for a vehicle, offering easy-to-follow advice for a safe and efficient setup. Proper Harness Fitting Ensuring a fitting that is both safe and comfortable is paramount in the successful connection between a horse and its rider. Understanding the different parts of a harness…
Origins of the Harness Harnesses, purposed for horse-driven travel, hold a noteworthy place in human history as the earliest forms of equine equipment. In the backdrop of their creation lies an admirable rejuvenation of both driving and harness-making in the present era. The inception of the harness traces back to roughly 2000 BC when yokes,…
Understanding Horse Driving Bridles Driving bridles are essential elements of horse tack, playing a vital role in directing and controlling your horse. It’s composed of a headpiece, cheekpieces, a noseband, and winkers. Let’s explore their individual functionalities in detail. Components of a Bridle The Headpiece The headpiece is placed on the horse’s head, specifically over…
Understanding Horse Neck Collars A neck collar is a crucial piece of equipment in a horse’s gear. With an oval shape, cushioning and leather exterior, it’s designed to lie ideally flat on the horse’s shoulder. Further enhancing its functionality, two metal hames snugly inserted in a groove around the collar connect to the traces. Quite…
Let’s dive into the unique characteristics of the Pair Harness, also known as the Double Harness, and how it fundamentally differs from the Single Harness—primarily due to the type of vehicles employed. The Role of the Vehicles In the world of horse-driven transportation, the choice between a Single and Pair Harness often comes down to…
Understanding Tandem Turnouts: Driving Two Horses in Perfect Harmony Driving horses in tandem is not just a means of propulsion; it’s a mark of skill, a test of clear communication and a witness to an age-old form of discipline and training. In tandem horse turnout, two horses are linked one in front of the other,…
Among these horse-drawn vehicles, we can distinguish primarily between state coaches used for ceremonies and three other varieties: mail coaches, road coaches — also known as stage-coaches, and private coaches, often referred to as drags. Varieties of Coaches: More Than Just Carriages Mail coaches and stage coaches were essential for communication and transportation in yesteryears,…
The Single Heavy Horse Harness The single heavy horse harness, also known as the thill or ridger harness, plays an indispensable role in horse-drawn transport. It’s important to understand its construction and its function. Components of the Single Heavy Harness The single heavy harness comprises several key components, each with a unique purpose: Understanding these…
Light Trade Harness A light trade harness is essentially the same as harnesses used in private driving; however, there are notable distinctions. For single horses, the saddle is heavier, and the traces have chain ends. The harness is designed to be both functional and visually appealing, making it a popular choice for a variety of…
Two-Wheel and Four-Wheel Vehicles Vehicles designed for harness horses can be classified into two main types: two-wheel vehicles and four-wheel vehicles. Both single horses and ponies can be harnessed to either type; however, pairs of horses are typically used exclusively with four-wheel vehicles. The only exceptions to this rule are the curricle and the Cape…
