I did not want to get too convoluted. The OP was focused on the picture at the top.
I 100% agree that breaks are a good thing having been in the FEI CDE world for over 15 yrs. And breeching is good on varied terrain, but again, the OP was using the people mover on rails as her base question.
red mares Well that shows how often I watch big league fine harness classes!! Small, neighborhood shows must be using elderly harness. Ha ha Thanks for the correction and updating me!
Sounds like we’re living in the same neighborhood, where some harness is on its 3rd generation and still looks wonderful.
If you want out dated, I know a guy who bought a set of russet fine harness last year. It’s actually lovely harness, but no one has used russet fine harness since the '80s and not frequently then. Forty year old harness on a green horse sounds like a great plan to me. (NOT!) Some big name horse showed in russet harness, 40 or 50 years ago, so they thought it was fine. Never mind that it was 40 or 50 years ago and his horse would never be the caliber of of the horse they referenced.
I didn’t know russet was outdated. I see people looking for it occasionally on the CD-L Facebook group. Both of mine were black; one was leather and the other was biothane. I far preferred the biothane. But they were for two different ponies and not interchangeable as the ponies were very different sizes.
Rebecca
In the saddleseat world, russet is dated. In regular driving, it’s still appropriate for a natural finish vehicle.
Thank you.
Rebecca
Length of harness usefulness can depend on leather quality and care, storage, during the years. Well cared for leather can last a very long time, be safe to use. Attention should be given to the parts made to be replaceable, rein and saddle billets. Then check for wear at other buckle-in straps, buckle tongues for bending or rust.
Nothing feels as nice on your hands as smooth, soft, well cared for leather! But styles change, even in harness, shaping of parts, browbands, coverage, can give you an age by looking at it.
The synthetic harnesses are wonderful for their easy care properties, light weight, strength. On the minus side àre that they wear faster, never conform to the horse body like leather does as it gets used. We have both leather and synthetics, like them both for their good qualities.
Keeping russet harness brown is hard. Used often the leather absorbs sweat at different rates to show different brown colors over time. The quality of leather is usually higher than black harness because every mark on the hide shows. Can’t be covered with dye. Leather colors are matched closely when a russet harness leaves the shop. All part of why russet leather goods cost more than black items. I just saw a lovely, russet, 4-in-hand harness by Freedman for sale at $12,000! Probably is still much less than what it would cost to get one made now.
Whew!
I was about to go look at the pics I took at Villa Louis in 2015-2017.
There were several turnouts with droolworthy russet harness 
2DogsFarm At places like Villa Louis, they are more traditional in vehicles and harness. Using Carriage Association thinking for harness styles and colors when they present themselves for Classes. The natural, wood finish vehicles were “Country” carriages that required less work to look nice driving roads where they could get chipped with stones. Same with harness, brown/russet did not need to be polished to a mirror shine. It reflected that folks driving were relaxing from city society, this was the “casual” look for being out at their summer homes.
There are picayune rules about natural vehicles having brown or black trim, which then call for russet or black harness to match the vehicle. This might be what separates two equally LOVELY turnouts in a class, to decide first and second places. We learned this from old-time carriage folks. We have 3 natural vehicles all with black trim, so we can use black harness with them.
CDE folks are more casual about color. Does this look good with my outfit? The much more modern black and russet harness is a new innovation! Looks attractive to me! But I am not a Pleasure Judge.
That is called “jumping the chain”. The mules/ horses are taught this to manouver a long train around corners
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