Horse harness for horses

The maintenance of horses for harnessing requires not only careful care and high-quality feeding, but also good equipment. Some horse breeders absolutely do not know what should be harness for horses. Let's look at the specified accessory, select its main elements.

A short excursion into the history

According to archaeological data, the first primitive harness for the cart was invented even several thousand years before our era. The construction of the device was extremely simple and consisted of only a few elements that were responsible for the traction of primitive two-wheeled vehicles.

Significance of the design and beauty of the harness began to attach to the ancient Persians, who rode on closed waggons harnessed by four horses. At that time, attention was paid to the creation of harnesses, which provided a uniform distribution of traction for each animal and had an external appeal.

A more perfect harness was used by the ancient Greeks. During this period the harness consisted of a chest strap, which was responsible for the draft of the cart, yoke, girth and reins. The richer the owner of the horses, the more refined was the harness. The same can be said of the harness of the Roman Empire, when chariots were the common transport.

In the Middle Ages, the harnessing of decorative elements lost its former relevance, since the wagons had a purely practical purpose and were used mainly as a truck transport.

Similar features with the modern harness acquired in the middle of the sixteenth century in the time of widespread light and comfortable passenger carriages. With the advent of carriages, the harness became even more perfect. At this time, harnessed in order to use in solitary wagons, pairs, sixes and eight.

What is harness?

An outfit harness for horses is a set of devices that are used for harnessing draft animals into a cart, saddling and steering. Based on the number of horses in the harness, a pair, one-horse, non-arc and harness harness is distinguished. A set of adaptations is selected for each animal individually.

Precisely tailored harness for horses, made of quality, reliable materials, will not only provide safety during movement, ease of handling, but also will not cause discomfort to the animal. Therefore, the choice of harness is a responsible task, on which the working capacity and health of the horse directly depends.

Elements of harness

The harness for the team of horses consists of the following elements:

1. Clamp - one of the most important devices, the task of which is a uniform distribution of the load on the shoulders and neck of the horse. This element is placed on the neck of the animal in the withers area, in the lower part it passes at the very base of the neck. The shape and width of the yoke is chosen individually.
2. Шлея - allows to avoid sliding of a yoke during movement. It is presented in the form of several sloping, longitudinal and transverse belts.
3. A bridle is put on the head of a horse. It is used for animal control. A bridle can be with one, two or without bits. The device without the needles is used to hold the horse while it is moving outside the harness.
4. Reins are used for remote control of a horse. Performed in the form of long, smooth, easy to hold belts. The ends of the reins are joined to the rods.
5. The saddle is a structural element of the harness that is designed to support the shaft.
6. Cross-dresser - is performed in the form of a belt that runs from the shaft through the saddle.
7. Girth - used to fix the saddle in a static position. It is a wide, elastic strap.

Types of harness

Let's look at the varieties of harness for horses. Photos of each of them are presented in this material.

According to the intended purpose, these types of harnesses are distinguished:

• Exit;
• Transport;
• Agricultural.

Transport harness is used for harnesses for carrying people and small loads. In view of the relatively low loads, such designs differ in insignificant weight and are made with respect to multi-horse teams.

Agricultural harness for horses can be single and steam. The structures of the traveling harness are very different. Their structure depends on the number of horses that will pull the wagon. Below, consider other common types of harness.

Single-row

One-harness harness for horses is performed in several variants - arc and non-arched. As follows from the definition, such adaptations are calculated for one animal.

Arc arches include arcs, crochets, clamps, supones, nurses and striders, frenzied sneakers, reins. As for non-arcuate products, in such constructions the main weight of the wagon is taken by a strong, wide helmet. Often, along with a single-harness harness, truncated shafts are used, which are connected directly with the saddle, and not with a yoke.

Constructing

The construction harness is the most simple construction. Therefore, one can easily make such harness for horses with their own hands. However, despite this advantage, its use brings considerable discomfort, since during the forward movement it is not always possible to control the movement of the wagon.

Stretch harness for horses provides traction due to locks and clamp. In view of the minimum number of structural elements that are responsible for the stabilization of the wagon, it is recommended to provide such a harness with additional brakes.

Constructional and drawworks

It is used for both single-line and for steam harnesses. The use of such a harness provides increased control over the movement of the wagon.

If we consider the parts of the harness of a given character, the main element here is the drawbar. For this reason, the construction-and-draw construction is not a very suitable solution for agricultural use. The main drawback here is the increased pressure of the drawbar on the yoke, which causes considerable discomfort in animals.

Horse harness sports

Acted as a widespread variety of harness in the last century. Today it is quite rare to find horses harnessed to two-wheeled carts.

It consists of a drawbar and struts. In this case, one horse or several animals are harnessed on the sides of the drawbar. At the same time, the lines are connected to the waggons.

Combination harness

The combined variety of harness is a West European development. Apply it to equip wagons, which harness from 6 to 8 horses. In this case, the animals are located in the wagon according to size, strength and growth. For example, at the very cart there are stocky horses that restrain movement. Next, we harness the animals of the running rock, which are connected with the drawbar by rows. Ahead are the weakest extended horses. The latter set the direction of movement and are also harnessed by lines.

Zug

It is a German invention. It is used for harnessing six horses simultaneously. Similarly, harness sports type, these devices are not used today often. When the train is used, horses move in pairs or in single file.

Finally

Speed of movement, traction capabilities, ease of control of the cart and comfort for the horse during the ride is largely determined by the quality of the harness used. The fabrication and adaptation of the harness to the individual parameters of the animal contribute to the continued and effective operation of the device. A balanced approach to choosing a harness contributes to the safety and performance of the tasks assigned to it.