How to fit a Collar on a Draft Horse!! // D-Ring Harnesses

[@TubbyLadyDallas]

This is very interesting and I have never had horses and at age 72 it is highly unlikely I will ever have a horse, but I find this really interesting. Even the parts on how to place the equipment on a horse are extremely fascinating. I've watched Jim do this, but until he explained it to Chris, I didn't understand the nuances. Thank you.

[@abr6480]

O really enjoy what you do with the teams . It reminders me of when I spent time withy grand parents as a young kid.

[@shelleyyates6855]

Hi Jim, Brenda and Chris, hope that you're enjoying you stay Chris, do you have a KZbin Channel, Jim thank you for sharing, sending hugs to all and kisses for Lady, Princess Bree Joy, Ken, Bill, Baron, Duke and earl I think that's a job for you Brenda, I'm sure it's your most favourite job to do, lol, sending hugs from Shropshire UK.💗

[@hughperkins707]

Jim your knowledge and patience is incredible. Anyone who has ever worked with horses can learn from you simply because there’s always something new to learn..

[@susiejett8289]

Jim can explain things so well. He is very easy to understand with his easy going way. Love all the videos and look forward to every one of them. Brenda you are very relaxing too when you are telling us things.

[@thirzapeevey2395]

You are absolutely correct about the fitness issue. Some things that help, besides getting the horse fit, are washing the shoulders with liniment and keeping the collar very clean and wiped with oil so it stays smooth. This isn't instead of working, but while you are conditioning so they don't get a season ending sore while they are getting fit. Back in the day, it wasn't uncommon for a farmer to keep a (sealed) coffee can with a neatsfoot oil soaked rag where he hung his harness, and wipe over the collar face every time he put it away. Don't leave an open can with an oily rag. That was before collar pads were common, of course. I used to find collars at auctions all the time, where the face looked brand new, and the hame side of the collar was rotted and worn away to shreds, because that was the side that didn't get wiped daily. Having a smooth face against their shoulders is of prime importance. Another thing people don't think about is having the hames correctly fitted to the collar, and having the point of draft at the right place along the hame. On many hames, that point is fixed with the trace riveted onto the hame, but on the old Tennessee harnesses, such as Zach Odom is using, it was common to have a hame hook to attach the trace chains, and that enabled moving the trace chains up and down by as much as six inches. That meant that if your horse developed a sore shoulder, you could move that trace chain up or down find a better spot. I just went and checked Zach Odom's channel, and he does have hame hooks on his harness. I suspect that nicety might have been developed because there were a lot of mules and saddle horses in use in that region, and what fits one doesn't necessarily fit the other. Many people had a team of mules for heavy work, but used their little saddle horse for extra power, or for cultivating the tobacco or the garden. I wasn't in Tennessee, but rather in southern Kentucky, but that was the type of harness everyone in my area was using. My harness was some my grandfather had gotten for me in Pennsylvania, so I was the odd one out in my area. No one else had harness like mine. Mine was what you've been calling western harness, but it was made in Eastern Pa and was Amish harness. Besides the point of draft, having that bottom hame strap or chain TIGHT is paramount as well. Not only will the hame shift around if it isn't tight, but it can pop off the collar, which can be disastrous, depending on the type of harness you have. It might not be so bad with your D-ring harness, but with a "western" harness, as you call it, you lose your brakes, and if you have a slip on neck yoke, it can give you enough slack for that yoke to slip off the tongue. Bill has a much more sloping shoulder than Ken, and that will make the collar shift back more than a horse with a straighter shoulder like Ken. Baron has a very sloping shoulder, and he's a stallion as well, so he has a massive neck. Collars are regular or straight, half sweeney and full sweeney. I always had an issue with my team on this account. Kentucky Mountain Saddlehorses tend to have a very straight shoulder, and mind was no exception. It makes the collar fit very differently, and it makes their action/gait different from a horse with a sloped shoulder.

[@leesvision]

That makes sense, and that was interesting. It seems like the different harness systems were developed with the kind of work load that was being done. And even to some extent the culture or location too.much ❤️

[@leesvision]

I did notice with Jim's horses the one he was showing had a very straight shoulder , I have seen other horses that had more of a rounded shoulder. So it makes sense the build of the horse does affect at least to some degree the different harness systems.

[@thirzapeevey2395]

@@leesvision That is true, but straight shoulder in this instance isn't in opposition to round, but rather where it falls between 60 degrees and maybe 80 degrees. A horse whose shoulder is more vertical will carry a collar differently than a horse whose shoulder slopes more toward horizontal. The collar will want to push back more toward the windpipe on a horse with a sloped shoulder, and will hang from the neck on a horse with a more vertical shoulder. The difference in shoulder slope also effects gait and shock absorption. A horse with a sloping shoulder is very prized in riding horses, because they jolt less than a straight shoulder. It will change how high they lift their feet, how likely they are to get navicular disease, and many other factors.

[@leesvision]

@@thirzapeevey2395 that's Interesting i didn't know that. I dont have a whole lot of experience with horses but that makes alot of sense. Thank you for teaching me :) and also sharing your life experience. I love learning and I find that one can learn alot from others experience. I also have a intrest in the farming with horses or mules, and the equipment used to do it .

[@thirzapeevey2395]

@@leesvision My pleasure.

[@gaylesmith1738]

First thing I saw at the beginning was the cane!! 😮 But, when Jim explained what it was I thought it was so cool!!! 😀 All this info is SO interesting! Jim, you really have a way of teaching things plainly! 🙂

[@territn8871]

I'm enjoying your explanations on sizing up the proper size collar and sweat pad. I wonder if Chris will be able to find collars and harnesses in Germany like the ones Jim uses. Baron started pawing as though he was saying "let's quit talking and get to work"! I love Baron, he gets more handsome every time I see him. And he just keeps muscling up and lookin' good! Oooh, I got a peak at Baron's baby girl and Lady!! Hope Lady's milk is coming in more now that Bree has drunk all the colostrum!

[@chrislittlefarm]

It's almost impossible to find these types of collars and harnesses over there. So I'm most probably going to purchase one while here and have it sent to Germany

[@TheGspencer]

Hi I am from Athens TX and for some time I have enjoyed watching you and your working horsed. During the 40's my father plowed thousand of acres of cotton in Eastern Oklahoma (Vian/Sallisaw... Drakes Parrie) When I was around 4 or 5 I noticed my father had a save to rub on the horses. Starting in the late winter / early spring my dad would harness each horse to a log for them to pull all day while they grazed. He said that he was doing this to toughen up their mussels and callous any sores before the work season started. When he was plowing the garden with a single horse he put me on so I could ride... at 80 I still remember the smell of the sweating horse. I am looking forward to more information on the Hems and their fit and purpose. You are showing me things that I never got to learn from my father... Thanks

[@Nordic_Mechanic]

Some people are great at doing but very poor at communicating it. You Jim are both knowledgeable AND able to pass on that knowledge. What a great way to learn than to find someone online who does what you want to do and fly over there for in-person experience.

[@arlysdavis3694]

As usual I enjoy and learn so much from your videos and how fun to have Chris there to learn what they do in Germany . Thank you, but I was so disappointed we didn’t get to see Bree.

[@marionberry6909]

Excellent! Excellent! Great video for us novice "wannabe" teamsters. The details of why you do, or need, certain things is paramount to know.

[@bobogilvie4472]

Even though I will never be able to use this knowledge I really enjoy your videos.

[@joqlady888]

It is going to be great that Chris will have this video as a learning tool also,,to go over and over if he needs to.

[@deannalemburg10]

Yup when you have been doing something for years it becomes an extension of yourself like putting on your shoes so hats off to Jim for being able to explain what he does and why

[@dustincharleyboy]

Oh Jim, schooling this guy, so nice of you

[@tylerwells9953]

Around here horses would generally have the summer off and start working sometime in the fall, as they were usually used for hauling firewood or pulp wood on snow . So their shoulders would be quite fat when they started working. To prevent sores my grandfather would put goat skin under the collar ( hair against hair) just like a sweat pad,because goat skin is so soft. Different times back then, but still did the trick.

[@bain5872]

I sometimes wonder what horses are thinking about us? Every time I do, I can't help but laugh, man we have got to be comical to animals.🤣

[@payntpot7623]

Really helpful, thank you for this. What you say about tighter collars rubbing less on unfit shoulders makes a lot of sense. In English harness it is called a "breast collar" and in English riding tack it is called a "breast plate" or "breast girth". That was what I was taught when I studied saddlery and harness making in the UK. I was taught to put the angle of the square at the bottom ie, on the throat area rather than over the mane when measuring. That way, you have a direct and absolutely straight angle out from the throat to the outside of theshoulder where you then measure from. Using your arm/hand as you had to can be very subjective and the correct angle eliminates this and is more accurate. Having said that, you seem to have it down pat for your own needs. This advice may just help other people.

[@dr.b865]

There is so much valuable info in this vid. I really appreciate you passing all this knowledge along- documented for future gens as well. I have a 4 year old Polish Coldblood I use for dressage, but you inspire me to teach him to pull.

[@thirzapeevey2395]

Driving is very beneficial for a dressage or event horse. Driving develops a lot of power in the hindquarter, back and belly muscles which makes the horse lighter on the front end. I trained a friend's gymkhana pony to drive decades ago, and when she tried jumping him after several months of pulling a carriage, he nearly jumped her out of the saddle. He had so much more power than he'd had before. There is also such a thing as dressage in harness. You'll also find that driving a horse in shafts pretty much forces him to learn to cross his feet, and will be much better at side passing and other such movement after learning to drive in harness.

[@johncollins500]

Jim, you were talking about a framing square and I just thought that a drywall would work very well being that it is 48" long. Beautiful country Germany is. Wasn't in Bamberg Germany in 1972 serving in the U.S. Army loved it

[@sandyboe7344]

Baron really was determined to show his best side for the camera lol.

[@evabetlyon2693]

Good lessons..I really like that Jim showed how to measure correctly..don't know a thing about harnesses or collars but it never hurts to learn..who knows maybe someday I'll have a buggy or wagon and will at least understand something about fit and the importance of toughening up the shouler..as always prayers and blessings

[@MikelJay]

Great instructions, explanations of the hows and whys for proper fit with all the variables was fantastic.

[@malcolmthomas9953]

Thanks too you all , you know your stuff Jim l guess you had many years off working horses 🐎 so you can look at a horse and work thins out , yes hard work will tuffern things up like you said Jim about your hands ✋️ Harding up with hard work 👍

[@nenaddjuric6518]

Great video ! Collar harnesses are superior in every possible way other than being able to adjust to a lot of horses.

[@leesvision]

So it seems like in general with collars if you can put your fist in the bottom Gap, it's too big , and if you can't get a flat hand in there it's to small. So ideally one to two flat hands in the gap is good fit. 👍 I learned something today. Much ❤️

[@jemreandeau3583]

Love all your videos but this one is extra special. I have learned so much, I’ll never use that knowledge but it was fun learning. You’re a great instructor Jim.

[@garywilson12]

jim your explaining of collar size was so interesting and iam sure helpful for chris

[@dianestoltz8502]

You make it look easy when you do it Jim 😊

[@jamesabare4877]

Great teaching video on collars.

[@bhensel100]

Great information and explanation, Jim. Thank you for the time to give me, a novice, your shared wisdom.

[@jamescox8233]

Hi, Jim, Brenda, and Chris. This was a fantastic learning video on collar's, for draft horses. Jim, I have learned so much from you over the years, I learn somthing new every time i am on your farm in the video's. That's what makes your video's so interesting..GOD BLESS >>Jim, Nova Scotia, Canada.

[@chrislittlefarm]

Hi Jim, always enjoy reading your comments! Have a wonderful day! -Chris

[@joqlady888]

Chris so glad you have this opportunity to have such an excellent teacher...lov from south alabama.

[@chrislittlefarm]

SO true!!

[@GeraldCraig-n2q]

Take two framing squares put short end of one on top of neck other short end at bottom of neck hold tight pull off measure inside size of neck

[@tracyjohnson2992]

I found this video very interesting lots of great tips and tricks in how you fit your horses collars. Its always great to hear how the harness fits and how it is supposed to fit. I know there are suttle differences between the size of the horses neck sizes but this has shown it in better explanation on the harness and neck collar fitting. I have never owned a harness horse but harness for working and a harness for racing are two different harness and now i know more about the working harness. It has been enlightening. So thanks for that Jim. I wish Chris all the best for buying the working harness for his horses. Have a great day Jim Brenda and Chris. Take care, God bless. Please stay safe, and see you in the next video.

[@mickholroyd2190]

Hello, I use 2 squares to get a line top n bottom...I also come off the shoulder about 2 or 3 fingers that gives a more accurate measurement...

[@debbievogt9881]

Wow Brenda, all the boys are super patient

[@loriegreene9375]

Once again I learned so much from this video. Although, I do not have a horse, I guess I am just curious how this works. Jim, you are a good instructor and Brenda you are a good videographer. You make a good team. I love the horses!

[@randybutler4772]

This is very interesting and important information. Thank you for sharing.🐴🐴🐴

[@paultighe3735]

Great video Jim and Brenda

[@ericvogel1126]

😂A very interesting video. As always we learn something new about working with draft horses. Thanks, Jim, you explain things in a way that we can understand. A welcome to Chris, we hope you enjoy your visit to the US.

[@chrislittlefarm]

Thanks! Really enjoy the visit. Great people and a great country here!!!

[@Ronald-hx6zn]

Really enjoy Jim's teaching moments proving everyone can always learn something. Thanks. Looking forward to Brees growth.

[@melanierandolph6953]

Really enjoyed this. I had basically forgotten what I knew. We used to have a poney that I harnessed regularly. I was afraid you had injured yourself when you came out with the cane, glad all is well.!

[@benbrown8258]

This video was worth gold. I only had a couple of weeks for a couple of summers to help the teamsters with their draft horses years ago and this helped me understand better what a couple of them had been trying to explain. Gosh... Baron makes me think Suffolk are just massive punch size draft. It could be because he is a stud, but, thinking back, even local Suffolk I've seen look heavily muscled. I wonder how they compare to a purebred heavily working American Cream Draft?

[@stumpy2816]

Very interesting Jim👍👍

[@rodneywroten2994]

very nice video

[@uchiharose9927]

Love the video and your channel❤

[@kentcorbett5436]

We didn't get to see lady and bree lol have to add a minutevor two to every video so we can see them

[@Cricket2731]

There was a glimpse of Lady in one shot...

[@strub6732]

Can you show Baron next to the other two Suffolks. I think Baron looks a lot bigger since he first came to the farm.

[@dianehookham]

This was a really interesting video

[@martyjones9043]

Great job Jim I learned a ton 👍

[@coreywest1183]

Very very interesting!

[@deejochen9106]

So much helpfulness! Learned alot as usual. Thank you

[@laidoffjournalist]

Great info. Thanks.

[@tinachambers4887]

Hi Chris have a day love from TEXAS

[@chrislittlefarm]

Hi Tina, thanks! 😀💜

[@tomstillman7143]

For a new teamster, I’d recommend an adjustable collar.

[@kimcool6327]

Very interesting

[@sueheaman7186]

Very good video. I only occasionaly work mine, fall, winter and spring. I sometimes jump between two different sizes of collars. In winter and spring an inch smaller one as he loses weight over the winter. I still don’t fully understand what you mean by half Sweeney / full Sweeney. I use the western harness and it is sloppy as that is what my dad used. Didn’t know anything about a D-Ring harness until I started watching your videos. Thanks for the eduction on them 🙌🏼 🤠🐴🇨🇦

[@Nordic_Mechanic]

that cane is awesome. Our horses are slow growing and we wait til fully grown to work with. Does the cane go to 20 hands?

[@debbievogt9881]

All Bill wants is a little love

[@sueupham2519]

very good information

[@todd1808]

Master Teamster !!

[@stuglenn1112]

I've seen enough YT video's to know they use neck collars and harness with hames over in Europe, but the construction of the collar looks totally different than what we use here in the States. Does Chris plan on using American Harness? I guess with on-line shopping not a problem.

[@michaelmeyers1827]

I think your reasons why are great

[@richardsurber8226]

there has to be a lot of english to metric conversion if Chris wants to try the western harness parts

[@boscodog4358]

How do you measure a collar?

[@printaboul]

Printaboul = Gaëtan About that stud neck of Baron ... Does a horse made gelding, like your two colt, will develop a less full neck?

[@mariephenix7168]

WoW thanks

[@terrywhitenight9188]

Use to squares held together to measure. Will you have aces to those European neck coalers ?

[@janellevoigt5481]

Ok, Jim, what a half sweeney collar? I might have missed that... thanks!

[@TallPaul1288]

Been nice to see a collar too small or big compared to the one you use on a horse. Maybe, Seems like the shape or size of their shoulders determines the collar size. Yes/no?

[@wildedibles819]

Like working hard in new work boots

[@nicolaraine3204]

In England working horses use the same collars you use.

[@beatapierzchala9428]

In Europe peoples use inch to measured fit collar or hams. Then is not so different than US

[@TigreQuiMiaule]

Yes is true. it is the same tecnologi. Wath are you from?

[@uteschneider3349]

In Großbritannien gilt Zoll. Die anderen Länder nehmen meist dss metrische System. Deutschland hat das metrische System.

[@d.g.n9392]

Interesting video, understand a little better. I’m going to google the English harness and breast plate, breast collar, breast girth, as one other viewer has mentioned, just for my curiosity 🙋‍♂️🐈🐈

[@abr6480]

why do you keep there neck main cit shot On the horse's ?

[@jamesabernathy6470]

Full face which is a mule collar half sweeny and full sweeny for a stud with a thick top line

[@benrogers5808]

Do draft horses pull or push? 🦞🤷

[@carolynharmon7074]

😊

[@susangonzalez6200]

Does he have a phone that he can have Brenda Video record all of this information?

[@sheilapalmer1138]

Love your videos, but where is the baby !!!! 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@christelchristely2816]

Of course collars are in use in Europe. Its a Kummet in German.

[@richardsurber8226]

pretty technical. But please don't take that wrong. I like tech

[@highlyunlikely3698]

Breast harness..we call them breast harness. Here in uk Most of us still measure in inches too

[@gwilliams4444]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@sammybailey5543]

Jim areyou going to breed Lady back

[@chips4974]

Oh Sammy let's have some fun with this . Jim no ,Baron yes or maybe ( if Jim let's him ).My question is how will Jim control Baron once he ( smells) Lady in season .

[@joqlady888]

Dear Jim and Brenda I hope you and your animals and farm are ok...have read about the smoke from Canada coming your way. May God's Angel Army put a shield around your property.

[@robertdonaldson6584]

2 feet is 61cm

[@boathead22000]

jim got his 1,0000 mords in

[@dannygoin6552]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🍻🍻🍻🥃🥃🥃👀👀👀👍👍👍☕️☕️☕️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@smilingsun581]

Hopefully, this horse receives proper shoeing and vet care. Most of this draft horses are literally worked into the ground for years, over-grown hooves, infections, halter digging into their faces and never turned out, the list goes on. Hopefully, this beautiful animal will not end up at the auctions like 90% of them.

[@larrydog9832]

why are you using a cane??

[@chips4974]

This is fun . When is a cane not a cane but a measuring stick ?

[@casinogotthis5462]

Love watching you guys but I still think you need a good dog, a germen shepherd🐕‍🦺

[@uteschneider3349]

Ich dachte auch, wo ist der Wachhund? Ich würde aber einen Deutschen Spitz empfehlen. Einen Großspitz, oder einen Mittelspitz. Das sind sehr gute Wachhunde. Alarmanlagen auf 4 Pfoten. Kein Mensch oder Tier kann sich unbemerkt dem Grundstück nähern.

[@chips4974]

Breed of dog may not be important. But if the dog chases and harases Jim's horses it might have a shortened life span .Upstate N Y is a low crime area .Yes lots of criminals, but they are all behind bars (Donammora) . Plattsburgh . State prison at Burk farm dogs Nick name (the 4 legged doorbell ).