# Harness ??



## greg_n_ga (May 4, 2012)

I am lookin at Amber Hillside's horse harnesses (nylon). Has anybody had any dealings with them ?? Or can anyone suggest a nylon harness brand preferablely in the Southeast U.S. ?? I am a little leary of outta the country website buying !! They do a good sales pitch at their website I must say, and their wares look good, in pictures anyways. I am going to be using a buggy harness to hook my Haflinger to a small (9x4 ft) wagon. Anybody see a problem using a buggy harness instead of a collar and hames ??


----------



## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

By "buggy harness" do you mean breastcollar harness? If so, then know that kind of harness is only for the lightest of driving applications - a light buggy or a cart. A narrow breastcollar is not nearly as efficient as a collar and hames. If we take a well-fitted collar and hames, with correctly adjusted stout harness and say that this optimal setup allows us to tap into 100% of a horse's pulling and braking power, then a breastcollar harness for light driving probably gives us somewhere in the 60-70% range. This is adequate for carts and light buggies. Even then, if you start pulling up or down steep hills and you will be concentrating the weight of the load on a narrow band on the horse's body (the breastcollar when pulling and the britchen when holding back the load).


----------



## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

duplicate post.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Lots of Amish make harness. Will be lots of new on display and sale, as well as used sold at auction at the Topeka, IN Draft Horse Auction. Also sales in Dover OH and other places. Search for sales at Draft Horse Journal web site.


----------



## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

As for nylon harness recommendations, I'm afraid I don't have any. I do not like nylon harness. Dirt gets ground into it (although I'm told that a pressure washer and a cement slab will take care of that), it never develops a good "lay" to it that conforms to the horse's curves, it has a tendency to chafe and remove hair, and - compared to the "body" that a leather harness has - is a floppy wet-noodle pile of straps when you're trying to throw it onto a big horse. This might be less of an issue with a smaller horse. I like my heavy leather harness. When I heave it up just right, it practially wraps itself around the horse. It has a memory that develops over time. Leather on horse hide is also very kind. It is work, for sure. I understand why someone would choose nylon over leather. There are benefits - lighter, less expensive, less work to care for it, stronger and more durable than a cheap leather harness. But for myownself, the benefits don't outweigh the drawbacks.


----------



## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

greg_n_ga said:


> I am lookin at Amber Hillside's horse harnesses (nylon). Has anybody had any dealings with them ?? Or can anyone suggest a nylon harness brand preferablely in the Southeast U.S. ?? I am a little leary of outta the country website buying !! They do a good sales pitch at their website I must say, and their wares look good, in pictures anyways. I am going to be using a buggy harness to hook my Haflinger to a small (9x4 ft) wagon. Anybody see a problem using a buggy harness instead of a collar and hames ??


I bought a harness for a miniature from them when they were called Ron's Horse Harness.
Very very good harness was WAY better then I thought it would be.


----------



## Bret4207 (May 31, 2008)

Just looking at the pictures, it's a real cheap harness. Maybe not the chintzy-est, but cheap. It might do to get you started until you can figure out what you really want.


----------



## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

I just went and had a look at it and - for a nylon breastcollar harness, it's not too shabby. The vinyl on the breastcollar and britchen bring it up a notch. The tree in the saddle is helpful. The bottom-tier Ebay harness they show for comparison is really the bottom of the bottom; the crummiest of the crummy. I don't think it really gets any worse than that one.


----------



## Farmer2B (Oct 20, 2011)

I don't mean to be unhelpful but if you can afford it, nylon might not be the best choice.
I like bio better if you can't get leather


----------



## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Nylon isn't safe....

I would recommend Beta or Bio Harness if you can. There are many good makers out there.
One of them are..
Country Carriages USA is a great place to look for a harness. They are in NC. 
http://www.countrycarriagesusa.com/


----------



## Bret4207 (May 31, 2008)

I don;t know if I'd call all nylon harness "unsafe" Shari, why do you say that? I have some Amish made nylon that's pretty good stuff.


----------



## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Seen horse's in accidents with Nylon... the better sewn Nyoln harness can cut a horse up bad if it doesn't break in an accident.
And I have seen poor quality nylon break when it shouldn't and cause an accident.

Yes, horse's can have accidents in leather or Bio, but there tends not to be the damage, Nylon can cause. Just from what I have seen over the years.


----------



## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

bergere said:


> Seen horse's in accidents with Nylon... the better sewn Nyoln harness can cut a horse up bad if it doesn't break in an accident.
> And I have seen poor quality nylon break when it shouldn't and cause an accident.
> 
> Yes, horse's can have accidents in leather or Bio, but there tends not to be the damage, Nylon can cause. Just from what I have seen over the years.


I agree even I bought a leather one for my mini even though I was not going to show her at all. Just use it for general driving.
And the one I ordered from Amber Hillside's even though it was the lowest priced one there were sections that had nice shiny patent leather on it. All stainless steel hardware, which was great.


----------



## greg_n_ga (May 4, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I was looking at the stuff because of the prices and the lack of monies for a new leather harness/collar/haines. I still have a little time before warmer weather and I get done putting his little wagon together. I have the frame built, and lack the planking of the the bed and seat an etc.. I can keep lookin' , knowing that there is a option out there. I know a few folks here local that have said they will help me when I get ready. I just hate to feel like I am hinderin' them askin so many questions !! I just told them... Hey, I have no clue, I am new to this wagon thing. But I feel like it is going to enjoyable to mess with once I get the hang of things !! I have been around saddle horses all my life !! Thanks again for the replies, and please keep any advice coming !!


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Bio lasts , doesn't fray like nylon or dry out like leather. cheaper, too.
Whrn building a wagon, the biggest concern is making it light, yet able to withstand the abuse of going down the road. Everything must be sturdy, yet light. Easy to build it one or the other, tough to get both.


----------

