So, I popped into an estate sale today and mixed in with the junk was a very very small harness which I grabbed for $3.00. It is nice leather, but small. I mean smaller than a mini horse size. I got it to hook one of my dogs up, but when I brought it home and took it apart, there was a teeny bridle. I think it is actually a goat harness, but I had no idea they used a bridle and bit?? The mouthpiece is very straight and narrow (skinnier than a pencil)
Anyone know?
Breyer Horse?
May have been a salesman’s samples. At one time, when sales reps went to shops to gather orders, they would carry miniatures of items ranging from shoes to clothing to household goods to toy sized machinery, many of them exquisite in detail. All this stuff would fit neatly into the sample case he carried on his trips.
I don’t think it is a salesman sample as it has most certainly been used. Well, perhaps it is, but it has still been used, the headstall included! I would call it a working harness, not a fancy one. I don’t know how to do pictures here…
NOT for a Breyer. The size of it would fit a Dalmatian, or similar sized dog. Not wide enough for a really big dog like a Newfie or such.
I thought it was a dog harness, but the bridle threw me. Especially the bit!
I really think with the width of the thing it would fit a goat!
Perhaps I should be on a goat board, bits and bridles for goats?
I’ve only ever seen one goat harness (well, actually, it was a 4-goat hitch!) but it was (a) red and (b) didn’t have bits. The goats wore a sort of sidepull affair instead.
Pics??
A lot of the old goat postcards did show bits on the goats. Old catalog advertising showed goat harness with bits too. One of the driving magazines had an article about training the young driver, using goats. Taught the child to be light on the reins, goats are VERY touchy with heavy hands driving them. They had photos of goats as Pairs and Fours!
Harness does sound like a goat harness, about large dog sized. Other goat driving articles told how the kids used their goats and made them work hauling things, so harness could be quite used.
We didn’t have any goats, so the poor dogs got turned into “horses” for us to drive with the cart and wagon. You always had to keep an eye out for cats and squirrels, dog would get distracted!! WE didn’t have any bits or reins, just a leash!
Have you got a photo?
I’ve a customer who drives goats! For sure they have bridles. In her case they’re bitless though I can’t see any reason why they might not have bits.
I have confirmed that it is a goat harness! Called someone I knew who knew someone with lots of goats.
Now I want a goat! I always have anyway…so now that I have this harness…
Side thought. In the pile of items at that estate sale there was not one thing that let me know the owners had anything to do with ANY animal. No dog items for sale etc. Just lots of lace doilies and those horrid little dolls old ladies knit skirts for so they can be used for toilet tissue covers…
I would love to know the story of a very well used old goat harness…
Trust me… you really don’t want a goat!
We had a wonderful goat named Wilbur. He was a real “people” goat and I really wanted to teach him to drive. However, I couldn’t find a goat harness any place.
I remember watching re-runs of the old Our Gang movies where the children drove a goat … it set up a long time desire to drive them.
However, keeping a goat inside a fence is an on-going battle. Personally, I think all goats should be named Houdini or Merlin!
We had a pet nanny goat, she was great! Loads of fun, but could escape from anywhere.
^ THAT’S the reason I said you don’t want a goat.
All of a sudden that fencing you already have becomes totally and woefully inadequate!
Thomas,
Mr Horsegeeks is an example of another variation of your statement “don’t approach a goat from the front”. He is an example of “don’t walk away from a goat you’ve been playing with” … and had the bruises to prove it. 
We still loved Wilbur, but learned … err … umm … caution.
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