all around harness???????

[Deleted]

my mom wanted me to ask you guys about a harness, so here goes.
we built a sugar house this fall and are goin to be sugaring with the horses. :)They will not be pulling anything to heavy at all. most people think a collar would be definete for the pulling, but my mom also wants to beable to hook a meadowbrook or sliegh up to them, so the harness can't be to heavy, she would be willing to get a breastcollar harness and then just get a collar seprately if nessesary.
do you think a lighter collar would be better ?
and for pulling do the shafts need to have much shape to them? any specific harness?
can you pull light loads with a breastcollar?
as for a breastcollar should it be shaped?
and would it be best to have crupper? some harnesses are built so they don't need them.
also what kind of saddle would be best?
sorry for all the questions.

[valerie n scout]

sorry Chloe cant help but am sure someone can x

[Deleted]

And by saying sugaring i mean Maple sugaring.

[cadeby]

Personally I prefer a full collar for farm work (but I have a draft horse background so that maybe influences me ).
I just think you get a better angle of draft with a collar for heavy work and it enables the horse to push with all of its shoulder. It must fit correctly though, so ask for help if you're not sure on correct fitting.
Aaron Martin make excellent tough leather or biothane cob harness, or if your Dales have big necks you would maybe get away with a small draft collar. Their stainless steel hames are fab!
I would always buy a complete set of harness. American Amish-style harness can be modified really easily, so you can remove the crupper if you want, or even ditch the breeching for logging/harrowing.
I think a standard saddle pad would be fine for what you want to do. I don't think you need a padded saddle with central gutter which would be necessary for heavy cart/wagon work.

For exercise vehicles, gigs, marathon vehicles, etc.. a breast collar is fine and probably more popular?
I like Zilco harness with a shaped Empathy collar.

[Deleted]

thank you Helen.

[Deleted]

i drive my horses in Zilco with empathy collar, i know they are only 12.2's but the zilco set is very light, you can still use a light zilco set even if you get a full collar, as long as there the same colour they will still match and look smart