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Post by shiatsudales on Sept 18, 2006 18:37:57 GMT -1
Has anyone any experience of these? I'm hoping to eventually start Rose to harness (once she's produced me a healthy foalie next year I hope  ) and she'll then be used mainly for rolling and harrowing. It's proving mission impossible to find anywhere to get a full collar for her given that I need someone who can come and fit one or two to her as i haven't a clue what I'm doing. She's coming on so well now that I'd like to investigate getting a harness for her and spending some time gently tootling round the arena once or twice a week for ten minutes until she becomes too big to feel comfortable. Given I am worried about buying and fitting a full collar I wondered about a brollar? Has anyone used one of these? Do you think they'd be OK for future rolling and harrowing work? Pictures of them:  and  |
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Post by mabel on Sept 18, 2006 18:40:32 GMT -1
I don't know much about them, but a few had them at Windsor on Saturday. I think they look really smart and it'll be interesting to see what others think too.
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Post by harleydales on Sept 18, 2006 18:49:43 GMT -1
They look smart and comfy, moulding to the horse better than a full collar.
I use a breast collar and like it - it's a Tedex one and is really wideand padded.
The other thing you could look at is an Empathy collar - they're shaped to curve over the shoulder, giving a free-er moving shoulder.
These heavier types really suit a full collar, but what put me off was the fitting. Seems to me there's much more of an art to fitting one than a breast collar.
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Post by tinkerdorisalison on Sept 18, 2006 18:59:45 GMT -1
Cos my dad drives Alick in Trade Turnouts he has full collar harness - they are good if they fit well - but finding a good collar 2nd hand is hard work.
I really like the broller type and will be looking for that when I ever get around to getting tinker some decent harness.
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Post by The Moo on Sept 19, 2006 6:11:50 GMT -1
I know people who have used them on chunky natives and have found them very good, one pony went a little too freely in hers.  I have only ever really looked at one when it was pretty new and while they say 'one size fits all', (within reason) it still looked as if they need a bit of breaking in to get really comfortable. They are definately something I would look into if/when I get to 'serious' driving agin. |
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Post by flintfootfilly on Sept 19, 2006 7:10:50 GMT -1
Interesting thread. At one point I was starting to ask around for what would be suitable to put Megz in to harrow the fields, and the advice I got then was that I would need a proper work collar rather than one of the types of collar which was designed more for driving things with wheels on. I haven't found one yet.
Now I have no direct experience of any of this. All I know is Megz could pull an old gate round the sand school to level it, and she just wore a simple, very cheap breastcollar (if that's the right word) to do that, and that held up ok for the job, but then the gate was light, and it was only skimming the surface of the sand. There was no real ground penetration like you get with harrowing and so much less of a load on the collar at all.
Does a brollar REALLY stand up to pulling a harrow and working the land, rather than just pulling something over the surface? Would be interested to hear from all of you who've done rolling/harrowing with your driving harnesses how well those harnesses have stood up to the job.
Sarah
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Post by kaz on Sept 19, 2006 11:16:55 GMT -1
I would think that one of these brollars would be an ideal compromise between a full collar and a breast collar for the kind of thing that you want to do Heather, (would also be able to be used in a vehicle as well) they are more adjustable and easier to fit than a full collar and I have seen photos (cant remember where !) of two French Percheron Horses ploughing in them, they are used a lot for working draught horses over there.
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Post by dollylanedales on Sept 19, 2006 20:40:14 GMT -1
We have a broller. We do not have a full collar, but felt that the broller may be helpful in pulling carriages up our steep hills, and you can see a difference.
We only use it for exercise, judges do not like to see them in driving classes. I have seen one in an exercise class, and the judge put the turnout down the line (and did tell the driver it was the broller he did not like).
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Post by Debbie on Sept 19, 2006 22:49:56 GMT -1
I'm totally naive when it comes to driving, but why don't judges like the brollers vs full collars? In France is this their version of a full collar? ( keep in mind I know *nothing* about driving!)
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Post by dollylanedales on Sept 20, 2006 19:59:40 GMT -1
I think Debbie, it could be that the broller does not conform to the "traditional" look in the driving ring. It just does not have the right look I suppose. Well, thats in this country, as to how it goes in France I do not know. It may the the norm there to use the broller.
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Post by nativerider on Sept 21, 2006 8:19:01 GMT -1
We use a broller on the Fell and it is brillient it is far more adjustable than a full coller. The bearing weight on it is much less per inch than on a breast coller which is thinner. The horse can go up into a broller much better than the breast coller. Personally I would go for the broller having used both full and breast collers in the past. Donny has been shown regularly in his broller (he will be at the Autumn Garden Show at Malvern this weekend) and he has never been put down the line because of it - as with freeze branding etc it is the judges personal choice. We use it for harrowing the field with Donny too. I will try and get a photo of him harrowing and driving.
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Post by shiatsudales on Sept 21, 2006 11:58:29 GMT -1
HUGE thanks for all you wonderful Dalesfans putting your replies. It looks as if we'll be going for a brollar for Miss Rose.
Next question, where can I get one?
I've kindly had a pm about a second hand one for sale but it's too far for me to go and see it and I'm nervous buying privately when I can't view what I'm buying.
Is there a commercial source in the UK?
Pictures would be fantastic as well if at all possible.
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Post by nativerider on Sept 21, 2006 13:10:22 GMT -1
www.carriagelink.comIf you go to carriage link you will probably be able to find some one to help you - Claire Wigmore has them i will try and find out her details for you - Mrs Clare Wigmore - (IV); HDT; Pleasure & Private Driving; RDA Driving; Scurry Driving Balmer Lawn House, West Grimstead, Salisbury, Wilts SP5 3RR Tel & Fax : 01722 712237 E-mail : clare@carriagelink.com
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Post by The Moo on Sept 21, 2006 13:37:58 GMT -1
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Post by harleydales on Sept 21, 2006 13:39:38 GMT -1
Can you get syntheyic ones does anyone know?
Most interested in one now!! I want to get H pulling in the fields next year, and possibly doing wood work too and think this would be a better option for spreading the pressure
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lol