Can we please talk about synthetic harness?

[buck22]

I know its been discussed before but the search is turning up odd results.

So, I LOVE my driving essentials marathon harness but I’m tired of mold in this wettest of all Augusts-ever. Besides, I need a new saddle anyhow and am interested in a comfort fit breast collar. With a new saddle and breast collar I’m 2/3 the way to a new harness entirely, so I’m starting to shop.

My criteria is: marathon style harness, leather lined, with a comfort style breast collar, custom padded and sized saddle, in russet.

I’ve found two well known harness makers that fit the bill. Both have limited images on their websites, but I liked what I saw of russet for both. Currently needing a kicking strap and trace carriers anyhow, I figured I’d be clever and order one of each from each seller. It would give me a chance to see the material and and finish of each harness maker.

I’ve received my kicking strap and trace carriers, and I have to say I’m not in love with either In fact I could not imagine having an entire harness as represented on either of these items. Though I prefer one over the other, I wouldn’t want an entire harness of either. The feel is very plasticy, more than I’d want in an entire harness.

The photos of breastcollars and saddles looked so inviting on each website though, the material looked like it had a nice feel to it and even a bit of dimension/richness. The strapgoods I received do no reflect what I envisioned based on the images I saw.

Both of these harness makers are very well regarded, so I feel as if I’m missing something.

Am I judging unfairly?

Are strapgoods like kicking straps and trace carriers generally a different, cheaper material and finish (stitching/edges)?

Is russet generally a poor choice for synthetic harness? I’m getting the feeling it might be.

Are there any more harness makers I could consider that fit my criteria?

Am I setting myself up for disappointment in expecting a synthetic harness to ever have a remote feel and somewhat rich look like leather? I’m thinking I might be just expecting too much

Thank you so much for any advice.

[CDE_Driver]

I have several Zilco harnesses. While not leather lined I have been very happy with them.

I have looked pretty closely at the Ideal harness and do like it as well.

[didgery]

Chimacum makes a beautiful marathon harness (the “comfy-fit”). The straps are a different type of beta than the saddle and breast collar. I would recommend contacting them for answers to your questions about material consistency.

[URL=“http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_l40dpZjZDEU/TI5E5fzPKOI/AAAAAAAAB5g/JSCmLKSKyb8/s1600/IMG_0680.jpg”]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_l40dpZjZDEU/TI5E5fzPKOI/AAAAAAAAB5g/JSCmLKSKyb8/s1600/IMG_0680.jpg

[49_er]

Try Yonni’s. I know if you go thru The Carrage House, Pam Knisley, in Florida, you can get whatever you want with different types of beta. Camptown Harness is the only one I know that has the leather lining. Russet is difficult either way as it shows mold and stains more. I have had 4 older Zilcos and did not have good luck with them wearing well. i am not familiar with the new ones. I will never have a leather harness again in my lifetme! I do not have enough time or inclination to clean after every use which is what I had to do with my beautiful Hunt’s russet leather harness before I sold it.

[Cielo_Azure]

I have A&H and I love it -but it wasn’t cheap.
http://www.ahharness.com/

Where ever you buy your harness, be sure to request the very best beta be used. That are something like 20 different grades of it. It will add a lot to the price, but it is well worth it.

If you go to my home page, the pair being driven has the harness on with full collars, and then the mare (same front page), I am driving has the same harness on with the breast collar on instead of the full collar (I ordered both full collars, with short and long hames tugs and breast collars).
http://www.cieloazure.com/

I had A&H make my harness to the specifications of the Smuckers that i liked (although the hames-tugs don’t have as many spots on them), by directing them to this page
http://www.smuckersharness.com/pg17.html

I liked A&H because they custom fit, I got the harness quickly, the quality is fantastic, the stitching is precise and the fit is perfect (I measured and sent measurements per his instructions) and then when I needed more collars or breast collars for differently sized horses, they again matched what I already had. Also, A&H will get their full collars from the same guy that supplied Smuckers -so they look great.

Smuckers (the son) is still making harnesss, you might try there also.

I hate leather harness and am a complete convert. I have sold off all my leather harness and as the last piece left the barn, I thought: “good riddance!”

[AdAblurr02]

Interesting about the differing grades of material in synthetic strap goods. I have had to discontinue use of a bridle I got for a BIG gelding (he’s not a draft horse, but needed a draft SIZE headstall) because of a nasty dermatitis reaction - only where the straps touched his head, the skin got raw and hair sloughed off. I thought it might have been because of not being washed off (he’s a sweathog) after working at trainers, but it happened again when I had him home and was being very stringent about cleaning and etc. Fortunately his hair grew back in the normal color! but he’s only wearing leather from here on out.

[Trakehner]

I recommend Camptown Harness. Leather lined breast collar and other parts (e.g. crupper). I have a russet one and it works great. I’ve bought several of these and they’ve all been very nice. They do have a comfort type of breast collar.

www.camptownharness.com

If you pull up the website look at their nose-buckle halters, they’re great…you keep the halter on your horse while you put the bridle on…much safer.

[buck22]

You are all the best, thank you! I had no idea there were different grades of bio, and will ask now.

Camptown is who I was strongly considering, good design, good price and they are leather lined. Though I liked the design features of Country just a little bit more, but I don’t think they do leather lined.

I really appreciate the other options though and will look all of them up!

I went to see a friend’s black zilco and I sadly have to say I think black does look smarter than the russet I’ve seen so far in bio.

I do have a nose buckle halter, a leather one I bought in the UK a while back, as well as a leather neck collar. I end up using my rope halter usually though as I can easily slip it off the nose to bridle while it stays securely around his neck at all times.

Thanks again for the help I really appreciate it. Perhaps if I get out and about I can see other’s and do better that just envision from behind a computer.

Sadly I do need the saddle sooner rather than later, I just hate the idea of making a snap decision and really regretting it.

[RidesAHaflinger]

I’m late to the party but in answer to one of your original questions, yes, the lower grades of material do seem to get used on the two items you mentioned, trace carriers and kickstraps. That’s something I’ve noticed myself. So those two items would may not be a good way to judge the quality of the rest of the harness.

I used harness for awhile that had what I thought were cheesy (for lack of a better word) straps attaching the shaft loops to the saddle. Had an incident with a strong spook on a narrow trail, pony did a rollback-as much of a rollback as can be done between shafts :eek: and sure enough one of those cheesy straps broke under the stress. It all turned out OK and I’d have driven back home except for having no place for that left shaft to go. So I ground drove the pony home while the guys who caused the spook (not intentionally) loaded the cart in their truck and brought it back for me. Moral of the story: if it looks and feels poor quality, it probably is and don’t use it, especially on the pieces of harness that experience the most stress while driving. Trace carriers, bridle teardrops- OK, use the cheesy stuff, they don’t generally have much stress placed on them. But kickstraps, girth straps, shaft loop straps, breast collar, traces, etc. be SURE your harnessmaker uses the best, strongest material for those.

[didgery]

Buck22—I sent you a PM.

[ironbessflint]

I love my Country Carriages USA harness - very pleased with the quality and fit, and even moreso with the customer service.

[Chewbacca]

I purchased 2 biothane harnesses from BigBlackHorse this year, and a few extra sets of colored marathon reins and bridle accessories. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my harnesses. they were in a price range I could afford, and I’ve never had anything biothane before, but now I’m hooked.

http://www.bigblackhorse.com

[paohatch]

Love Yonnis… I have both my single and my pairs from him… very easy to work with and if you have something that is ‘not off the rack’, it will fit perfectly!

[BelgianHalfDrafts]

I only use leather, custom fit harness. I don’t show, but drive professionally in an urban environment. That’s my own preference, for what it is worth. My horses never have “trace rub” marks or sores of any kind, in over 10 years, and I give credit to leather harness.

[IronwoodFarm]

I am very happy with my Camptown synthetic harness. I don’t do leather-lined nor have had any need for it. What I really like is the ability to hose off the harness after use. I can’t imagine dealing with leather. My horse have had no problem with the synthetic at all…I’ve used it on 5 different horses without issue.

[Molasses]

Another thumbs up for Zilco, yes there is an unfortunate plastic feel, but hosing off it a godsend when every day you drive in rain. When it comes to harnesses I honestly don’t have time to clean THAT much leather:D I can just about handle a leather saddle and occasionally cleaning the show (leather) harness. But the everyday zilco is a godsend in not having to clean

[BelgianHalfDrafts]

Maybe I’m just weird. I love cleaning and oiling leather harness, polishing the brass until it gleams.

[buck22]

Thank you guys so much!

I like cleaning leather too, but this year has taken the cake with mold. I’m completely taking apart and cleaning my harness 1-2x per week with a wipe down 5 days a week. Its insane, and time consuming, and cuts into my time to actual enjoy or drive my horse.

Like I said earlier, I need a new saddle anyhow, I’ve been eyeing a shaped breast collar. If I purchase those two items I’m 2/3 the way to a new synthetic harness so I figured why not.

On the flipside though, I LOVE leather. To me the feel of good leather is like the look of a well groomed horse, the smell of clean fresh hay, the peace and quiet of the barn… its part of the whole gestalt for me. While I have seen synthetic tack that felt really nice, plasticy feeling harness would just irk me every time I looked it and I would end up resenting it and never use it.

Didgery was so kind to send me her breast collar and neck strap so I could see the design and feel the material. Thank you so much!!

It appears black does seem to be the better choice for synthetic. While I didn’t care for the synthetic padding, I was very impressed by the neck strap which was leather lined, and the neck straps which were made from a softer more natural feeling material. I also really liked the black with russet lining, looked very nice and I think would look fantastic on my liver chestnut.

So, thanks to everyone! Helped me learn and make some decisions so I can proceed a bit wiser and more sure. Thank you!