I couldn’t find any past posts on “harness rein ring spreaders” in the search. Anyway, my question is… Are all the rings except for the very last ring for decoration? I do get that the rein line is pulled through the last ring. Do the other rings have a function? I couldn’t find anything on google search except for vintage spreaders for sale on selling sites. I’m asking because I just recently seen these, but don’t know how the item functions.
Harness ring spreaders are most commonly seen on draft horse multiple hitches of 2-4-6 etc, pulling farm equipment, wagons, maybe stagecoaches. Not used on a single horse. Pleasure driving doesn’t use spreaders at all. Pleasure driving is the carriage horses and ponies pulling carts, large carriages, fancy coaches (Park Drag, Road coach), but not hitched to big wagons.
Spreaders move the inside rein over further to the center between the pair of horses and reduce the coupling rein angle from one horse’s hames on the full collar, to the other horse’s bit. Drafts move a bit slower paced in work than carriage horses, so rein interference by spreaders usually is not as crucial in driving control.
Forgot to add that spreader straps should be readily available from draft horse harness suppliers. I would not trust an old set with white rings (plastic or celuloid). Likely to break with stress on aged materials. Metal spreader rings would probably be OK if the leather parts are soft and flexible. Problem with old harness parts is they LOOK fine but had no upkeep for years, so they dried and leather is dead. Will fail you when stressed, then you are in trouble!.
I am NOT looking to use one. I don’t need one. I’m guessing you did the same thing I did… used google and you got the same info I did. I already knew it wasn’t used on single horses, as I have a cart like the one in the pic. Someone asked me what the item was, and I made a guess at what it might be and did a search. The info you gave me isn’t what I’m asking. One can purchase a spreader that only has one ring or a spreader that has multiple rings. I already get that there is a buckle at one end or a hook and it is buckled or hooked to the hame. The reins go through the very last ring at the other end.
What I’m asking basically is what are rings 1 through 7 for on an 8 ring spreader for example. I’m already guessing that if the reins are threaded through any of the other rings other than the very last one. that there is the opportunity of the last ring or rings that would be dangling of getting caught or hung up on the harness or something else.
Let me rephrase my question. Do the middle rings provide support or are they simply there to be decorative?
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Did not Google anything about them. My information is from experience, seeing them in use. Interesting to hear I was giving the same explanation Google did! Ha ha
Only the bottom ring, largest, has a rein run thru it. Other rings are decorative, plus adding length to the strap. Bigger horses might require a longer spreader strap to get coupling rein out away from the horse for a straighter line to the bit. Ponies, smaller horses would need shorter spreaders than large drafts, so they would have less rings on their spreader straps.
