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Post by Shelly on Jan 25, 2015 0:19:19 GMT
So today Rob and I where able to go play with the horses!! So happy! Well sadly I didn't get the chance to play with Sheldon (hopefully tomorrow) But.. We got Ollie pulling for the first time since we've had him  Very proud!!! Getting him hooked up though was definitely a two person job today, should be easier in the future. Still have a lot of adjustments to do on the harness too. pictures    Videos of Oliver pulling the harrow this was his first pass  Some improvement  And a random video of the horses running around in the field today... Nobody was injured!!!  |
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 25, 2015 1:28:26 GMT
I know you are making adjustments to the harness but if you can lower the breeching {strap the goes around his hind end} by adjusting the loin straps {they go down the flank area} it would allow him to push better with his hind end. Right now he is pulling himself on his front end, a harness horse needs to push from behind for traction and stopping ability.
And if you could put some kind of a soft pad under the "pad" section that goes around the belly he would be more comfortable. That belly strap should also hang straight down, not actually where you would secure a girth/cinch.... We never made ours tight either, but could put a easy fisted hand between horse and harness.
If the harness slides forward you may need a crupper strap {goes under & around the tail}...now getting the horse to accept that I have no idea how to do that.
I drove Percheron teams many years ago, so some of the harness stuff is the same and some is different.
Ming I think worked with Standardbreds so she is use to lighter harness horses, she could offer insight if you asked.
Not that you are doing badly... 
On the contrary...looks pretty darn good for a fist time out and your horse looking at you like, "You want me to do what???" 
now shutting up and going to lurk....can't wait for the next update and video.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647 
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Post by hugs on Jan 25, 2015 1:52:15 GMT
Ollie is gorgeous! He sure picked up on the concept and stayed with the program, little foibles here and there are no big deal when they're trying. That was so neet to see, thanks, wish I had a better connection though
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Post by Shelly on Jan 25, 2015 2:05:47 GMT
Actually HL4L right before checking the thread out my fiancé and I where looking at the pictures and starting to nitte-pick adjustments we need to do (and the bum strap was one of them) I tried so hard to get the girth tighter!!! Oh gosh, the leather was so stiff it was near impossible. That thing needs Oil, really badly. It's the first time we put it on him since we bought it and I had to interchange a bunch of parts between two harnesses. So you could say I definitely jimmy rigged it this time lol Luckily the grater we had behind him was just cutting through the  so it wasn't very heavy. Definitely planning to get him extra pads for the withers and a collar pad. I need to go online and special order a clip too that connects by his chest and underneath. We also are looking at getting a single tree made so we can have his load pulling evenly behind him and lengthin the chains that connect directly to the harness. It's almost good we don't have a single tree because right now with the chains that length it would hit him at hocks which would not be good at all. Oh and I want a nice paid of biothane reins... Lead ropes can only cut it for so long lol Next time though definitely going to adjust him back/bum straps. That horse is so long! LOL |
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 25, 2015 2:44:07 GMT
Till you find the pads you need and can have them delivered, use a fitted English saddle pad to cover his spine....a little unsightly but it will work and do the job of protecting that spine... or a English girth cover may give more coverage and some more added protection.
If you can get the harness where it is warm it will absorb "nourishment" easier.
Using a quality saddle soap in paste or glycerine bar was what we had on hand and used.
We used the hottest water we could as it removed the grime but also nourished the leather deeper than just surface cleaning/conditioning cold water does.
So a combination of harness in a warmed environment, hot water and sadle soap and then some kind of sparingly applied conditioner {Pure Neatsfoot Oil or Mink Oil} worked well for us to soften those stiff buckled areas and the entire harness.
BTW...I clean all my tack with glycerine bar and hot, near boiling water, as hot as my hands can stand touching it.
Make a lather, elbow grease and rub, then rinse well, allow to air dry, apply only when necessary, very sparingly Neatsfoot Oil.
As you can see from my breastplate...hasn't failed me yet. smilie dancing
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 25, 2015 3:00:16 GMT
I don't know a thing about pulling, but I really enjoyed the videos, and thought he did great. I can't wait to see some more.
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Post by Shelly on Jan 25, 2015 3:09:20 GMT
Ya with my good saddle I do the glycerine soap (usually warm water) and oil religiously- like after every ride (ok sometimes every second ride but never more). I rotate Mink oil and Leather Therapy restorer and conditioner. Never tried Neatsfoot Oil though. I will admit, the harness had been pretty neglected since we've gotten it and we bought it dirty which doesn't help. We haven't given it any "love" yet. Today I was taking parts apart from an other harness since this one came almost complete. I also need a 1616 Clip for the front too.
Ahh so much to think about LOL
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 25, 2015 7:51:53 GMT
That horse is absolutely stunning. Keep the good work. :-)
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 25, 2015 14:24:29 GMT
I would give you my comment, but I do not have a idea of what are some parts called( in english). So yup. Maybe just give him to pull something a bit heavier so that he does not feel so lost, like he is walking with no purpors. Just to feel he is doing something. Maybe a tier?! Wu use a tier and old harness to start a young horse in driving.  how to do a screenshot on a pc image hosting 10mb limit |
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Post by Shelly on Jan 26, 2015 0:23:12 GMT
we where actually hoping to get a big tractor tier for Ollie to pull just need to get a single tree first to hook him up properly  Definitely a start, now that we got the taste of driving him a bit we're gonna start investing a bit more so we can get all the proper equipment for him. Apparently Ollie's first owner broke him to drive and had him under harness until the age of 4 or 5. |
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Jan 26, 2015 2:30:26 GMT
;-|Looking good!!
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 26, 2015 2:45:12 GMT
Oh I have two big tractor tires I would love to give you, if only I could. I might have missed it, but do you have a wagon or a sleigh, that you intend for Ollie to pull?
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Post by Shelly on Jan 26, 2015 3:15:57 GMT
Sadly right now we have nothing at all. We kinda put what we had together to create this set up. lol
Lots of future plans!!
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 26, 2015 11:04:39 GMT
You could get three or more tractor trailer or school bus tires, lash them together so they are triangle shape and that would be a start...
Horse and you would learn how to turn as a unit not with a bend at the ribcage....
You could then start to make adjustments with your trace lengths....
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jan 26, 2015 13:58:33 GMT
I know nothing about harnesses so I can't help you there but it sure looked like he was trying to figure out what you wanted. Who is that that wiped out in the other video? I had to chuckle at that. I'm glad he had the nice soft to fall and slide on.  |
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Very proud!!! Getting him hooked up though was definitely a two person job today, should be easier in the future. Still have a lot of adjustments to do on the harness too. 
so it wasn't very heavy. 
