Driving harness....?

Question

what is the difference between having a collar on your driving horse or the brest strap... i can see that they would pull from diff. parts of the horse but how do u decide what one to use? does it matter? i want to drive my percheron/ shire and i dont know what harness to get..

Answer 1

I believe that unless the horse is out in the fields plowing for long periods of time, a breast strap is used.  

Pulling of heavy equipment or cart or carriage with a lot of weight for long periods of time, might necesitate the use of a collar which would put less strain and abrasion on the horses chest.

I  think that "the look" might have something to do with it also.  If in a class trying to re-create a certain time period of what would have been used back in the day.

I'm sure there is more detailed information on the internet or where you would be purchasing your equipment from.

Good Luck

Answer 2

The collar is for plowing and pulling wagons of heavy loads.  The weight is distributed completely around the neck as they pull, helping them to thrust their weight into it.

Breaststyle collars are more for lightweight pulling, like 4 wheel lightweight vehicles and smaller.  

I personally use breastcollar harnesses, but I never do 'work' such as plowing and pulling wagons, we just show and pleasure drive out on trails.  My mule pulls a 2 wheel cart.

I have to add however *disclaimer time* that collars have to be properly fitted to your animal as a saddle would.  I learned this the hard way and injured my mule by pinching his subscapular nerve with an illfitting collar.  Months of chiro and accupuncture treatment fixed it eventually, but I learned a valuable lesson.  That is the other reason why I dont use collars, but if I ever resorted to working my guys, I would have to.

Collars come in mule, donk, horse size so thats the other consideration to get a collar that fits and isn't a different type.

Answer 3

I'm not an expert on harness, but I've done some.

Generally, I believe the collar is used for heavier pulling and the breast strap for lightweight or fancy harness pulling. I've rarely seen big drafters in anything but the collar.  It distributes the force of the pull over a much wider area and comforms to the horse's conformation better as well.

Different breeds use different styles of harness, too.  You can tell what breed it is just by looking at the harness.

For general driving with a draft horse, I'd get the collar type.  It's more versatile in the long run, and more correct as heavy draft horses are associated with heavy pulling.

Does it matter?  Depends what you want to do.  Horse pulls, get the collar.  Driving shows, get your breed specific collared harness.  Pleasure driving, get whatever you like.