New Comfy Fit Harness

[DJohn]

H![]( All!

My Comfy Fit Harness arrived in the mail today (yay!).

And upon first inspection, I am IN LOVE with the brown/black colour, the bridle, the saddle and the lovely padding.
I am however, worried about the breastcollar and the breeching.

The breastcollar is gorgeous, and well padded. But the neckstrap looks SHORT. It’s on the last hole and I think even that will be pushing it once it’s on my horse. The backstrap is nice and long, but the breeching (hip straps) are on the last hole and it looks like it’s going to be too short. I am HOPING that my eyeballing is way off.

I am going to post photos tomorrow after I put it on him and see how it goes together! I will then post them here and beg for your advice on the fit!
I am so excited, but nervous if I have to ship things back!

Can’t wait until after work tomorrow so I can try it on. Impatient.

Did anyone else have that issue with theirs? My horse is large (16.2). I measured him and sent them in before I ordered it. I will see if I can add a photo of just him.

Actually, I can’t figure out how to attach a photo of just him…

[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/appyjumper89/portpic.jpg)

[5chestnuts]

You need to be a Premium member in order to attach a photo.

And may I saw what a gorgeous horse you have!!! Total eye candy!!

What type of vehicle will he be put to?

[DJohn]

He is put to a Meadowbrook! And thank you, I just love him. I’ve had him since he was a 2 year old. He is also very nice under saddle.

[Myta]

Congratulations! I’m debating purchasing a Comfy Fit. Frontier Equestrian can get me one for the lowest cost, but Chimacum tack is only about an hour away from me, so it would be much easier to exchange parts (or maybe even haul my horse up there and get everything to fit from the initial purchase.) Where did you order yours from?

I think that shade of bay will look great in the two-tone, we’ll have to see pictures when you get him all harnessed up!

[dreamswept]

Welcome to the world of Comfy Fit. Best decision I ever made with my tack because I am in love with this thing. Now to save my monies to get a euro collar.

Myta, dooooooo eeeeet. You will not regret!

[2ndyrgal]

Your horse is gorgeous

He’d look fabulous with his head hanging over a stall gate.
In my barn

He’s a very pretty boy!

[Chewbacca]

He’s BBBEEEEEAAAAUUUTIFUL! WOW!

What a lovely horse.

I love my Comfy Fits! I have one for my 16.2 QH and 12.2 Hackney. They are just awesome!

(The harnesses and the horses)

[DJohn]

Thanks ![](uys! That is how he looks in the summer when he is actually in work! All muscle-y and shiny! Right now he is a fat, hairy blob with a long mane haha. But it’s ok, I love him no matter what!

So, we had a massive blizzard today where I am. A foot of snow has fallen SO FAR. And I, being a driver examiner, was sent home early because all of the road tests were cancelled (thank goodness).
So I rushed to the barn in the worst possible conditions to try my harness on. Of course, my horse and I RAN from the paddock to the barn so we didn’t lose our eyes to the horrible gusting snow.

Once we got in the barn, my horse was a wild beast! Hearing the wind, and being cold makes him an unhappy boy. He, of course, had blankets on, but he is a horse of little hair.

Soooo, here are the photos, this is with everything on the LAST HOLE (longest). I am hoping that everything in JUST big enough. The saddle has a few extra holes, so that is good (plus he is at his “fattest”). I have little experience with proper harness fit, and though I have begged the one guy in 100kms of my farm, he says he is too busy to give me a lesson or two in proper fit.

From my newbie perspective, the breast collar seems to JUST fit, it clears his point of shoulder and rests just below his windpipe. I’d like to have more adjust-ability, so I think I may return the neckstrap for a larger size. The breeching seems odd to me. It criss-crosses over his bum. I moved it to the closer slot (there were two) and it sits much better on his hips than it did before. In the other slot, it sits too far back.
I think, in the photo, that the breeching is too low, but I am not sure just where it is supposed to sit. I imagine in the crook of his stifle? Does anyone have photos of where the “perfect” spot is?

Okay, now your turn! Pick away! I want to make sure this puppy fits!

I’m sorry, the photos aren’t very great, and my horse looks like a wild animal, but they are the best I could gather!

From the right side:
[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/appyjumper89/IMG_0395.jpg)

From the front:
[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/appyjumper89/IMG_0397.jpg)

From the left side:
[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/appyjumper89/IMG_0400.jpg)

Just the breeching from the right side/butt:
[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/appyjumper89/IMG_0399.jpg)

[dreamswept]

That combination of brown and black looks smashing on him. I went with straight black for mine because of my Haflinger’s color, it really contrasts against him.

I’d probably bring your breeching up another hole or two. Mine’s set on the 5th or 6th hole, I think (I’m eying my pictures and it’s hard to tell without actually seeing the harness in front of me) I’d even think you could probably go 2 up in the front and 1 in the back, but someone might be able to chime in on that.

I have my hip straps in the back slot, and shortened my backstrap a little to get it to fit better across my Haffie’s hip. You might want to try that if going up a few holes doesn’t even your breeching out a little more.

You probably will need a longer neck strap, I got great advice about putting the front buckle down a hole to drop the front of the breastcollar a little to clear the windpipe better, and if you’re on your last hole there, then yeah, you’ll need a longer one.

[Myta]

Your breeching you probably want to bring up on the tail-side strap to make it level and it might be right. You basically want the breeching to rest maybe a hand below the point of his rump.

as seen in this reference diagram

I can’t really tell much on his neck location. Overall the harness looks good on him!

[Chewbacca]

As others said, breeching needs to come up. I think it looks good on him, and if that’s what you consider a fat, hair, “wild animal”… you should come meet my horses! lol

I think fit wise, the harness looks fine. I’d almost like to see the breast collar just a hole lower on the front straps and see how that fits, but, you said they’re on the last hole? I think it does fit him fine, however, if you really are out of straps to add any more holes, you might run into adjustability issues if he changes shape, adds muscles, or gains weight.

The nice thing is you can buy separate pieces. I have 2 girths for my pony’s harness (his “summer girth” and his “fat girth” … I’ll give you 1 guess which one he’s wearing right now :P)

He really is a beautiful horse!

[olehossgal]

Yes, the breeching is quite a bit low behind; also, I believe you might need to lengthen the back strap a bit to bring where the breeching straps ‘drop from’ a bit further forward…not much, but a bit. If your neck strap is on the last holes, you definitely need a longer one; ideally, you should be able to use the ‘middle’ adjustment holes on any adjustable strap; you do need there to be holes available to adjust longer or shorter. Hard to say about your breeching holdback straps, but my experience has been that it is better to have longer than shorter!
You will find that often when you adjust one thing, one or more other things will need to be adjusted, too…just keep tweaking it until it’s right!
(BTW, I am a longtime ‘Driving’ member; just haven’t been around for awhile, and the COTH Forums ‘forgot’ me; had to redo my log-in to post!)
Great looking horse; good luck and ENJOY driving w/your new harness!!

olehossgal, AKA Margo in New Mexico

[DJohn]

First off, thank you all for chiming in, it is MUCH appreciated. I really wish I had driving friends here in Ontario.

I have sent the neck strap and the breeching straps back, to exchange for longer straps. I’d like to have a bit more adjust-ability than just a hole or two. I will take updated photos when I get the larger ones in.

The first thing I notice about the harness, other than how gorgeous it is, is how HEAVY it all is. I can’t believe the weight of it! All that padding, I suppose. I love it

[cabz]

Congrats on getting your harness. I agree with everything that has been said.
Depending where you are in Ontario, check out www.driveontario.ca to see if there is a driving club close to you. Even if you are not interested in showing etc, there are other activities and maybe then you can"hook up" with some driving people. OCDA is a having a beginner driver clinic in early May.

Good luck and have fun.

Cabz

[4inhandfarm]

Love my Comfy Fit harness also. I use a Horseman’s Edge spray to clean it and it comes up looking like new every time. Best non-leather harness out there IMOP

[DiamondJubilee]

Where are you in Ontario DJohn? I love the 2 tone harness and it looks great on your guy I agree with the others about the breeching sitting too low and its hard to say with the breast collar, but it looks to be sitting high in the pictures.
I agree with cabz about the driveontario site, there are some people around that might be able to help out. I live north of Newmarket and I wouldnt mind coming out to help if you are close. Also the clinic in May at Jeff’s place just outside of Barrie would be a great place to sta

[DJohn]

I am seriously considering going to the clinic! I don’t have to bring my horse, do I? I don’t prefer to trailer him as it makes the both of us very nervous. I would certainly like to go and learn, though!

I am in Oakville! Not too far away from you, but not close either! I am excitedly waiting for my replacement straps to come in the mail! Janie at Chimacum Tack is one of the BEST sellers I have ever dealt with, and everyone could learn something from her customer service skills.

Should probably have updated photos when I get my new straps (probably in the next 2 weeks). Hopefully by then, we will be seeing some better weather. I am SO ready to pack away my horse’s winter blankets!

[DiamondJubilee]

Yay! I hope your new harness parts come in soon.
You do not need to bring your horse to the clinic. They have some well broke horses and ponies that they use
And I hear you. Come on spring and summer!! Especially after these last super cold days…

[DJohn]

I got the parts!! Going to the barn to have my horse’s feet done tomorrow, but may not have time to try it on until the weekend!

That was FAST!

[DiamondJubilee]

Awesome!