If the beginner horse breeder does not know how to harness the horse correctly, then you should not use the animal, because if the rules and equipment are not followed, the horse and the rider themselves are injured. There are many methods for creating a harness. Their choice depends on the purpose - for horseback riding, cart or sleigh rides, transportation of goods, etc.
The main elements of the harness
The harness for the animal is selected on an individual level - it should not create pain and discomfort. It contains several elements that perform certain functions.
Bridle
This is a complex structure consisting of several parts:
- On the bend of the horse’s mouth, a bit is set. This is a rod of metal, at the edges of which there are rings.
- From the rings there is a selection strap located in the chin area. These reins are quite long, so their middle is always located at the rider's hands.
- The bridle is held by the headband (two straps extending in front and behind the ears).
Halter
This element performs the function of a bridle, but only if the horse is in a straightened form. The halter is a belt covering the face of the animal below and above. The ring on which the leash is mounted is attached to the bottom. At the time of harness, the halter is removed.
Blinkers
The main purpose of the shore is to limit the view of the horse on the sides. They are mounted on the outside of the eyes so that their location is slightly below the level of the visual apparatus. Attached through holders. It is especially important to use blinders when the horse moves along the highway. This reduces the risk of frightening the animal.
Rein
Using the reins, the horse is controlled. They are fixed to the bits, held by the driver.
Clamp
The collar is harnessed only if the horse must pull the cart, since the main purpose of the element is to transmit traction from the horse to the cart. A clamp is made of the following parts:
- The strongest 2 elements (wooden pincers) which are fastened among themselves from below. They are put on the head of a horse. To do this, the lower zone is moved apart, after which it is connected using suponi.
- To prevent wooden ticks from rubbing the body of the animal, a khomutin (lining) made of elastic and soft fabric is laid under them.
- A harness consisting of straps covering the horse’s body in various directions is attached to the clamp. Location: 2 harnesses on the sides, one on the upper surface of the horse's croup, two more vertically. This is necessary so that the clamp does not move in unforeseen situations.
The collar should fit tightly enough to the body, but so that the horse can breathe freely. Using this element, the power of the animal is used most effectively, and there is no vibration when the cart moves on an uneven surface.
Shafts
These are wooden guides that are attached to vertical arcs in the form of a semicircle. Shafts are directly interconnected with a collar.
Tugs
Tugs are belt loops that tie the shafts to the clamp. Thanks to the tugs, the exact position of the shafts is ensured (deviation to the sides is excluded), so the length should be the same.
Experts strongly recommend lubricating the animal parts with tar, which will not allow moisture to accumulate in them (because of which they are destroyed).
Saddle and Cinch
With the help of a cinch and saddle, the deafness is fixed. A belt of increased strength is used, which passes through the rings (along the lower and upper parts of the croup) and is tied to the 2-mm shafts. This element is placed on the body through the rings - above, below, on the sides. A soft felt fabric is necessarily lined up to reduce friction. After mounting the saddle, the girth is tightened from below.
Muzzle and collar
The indicated elements are applied only if necessary. An ordinary muzzle is put on the horse's face in front, and then fastened with a belt located behind the ears. The collar is attached to the cervical region of the horse, and then expanded in the front direction. In this case, the animal will not be able to look around.
Types and methods of harnessing
Ferocious arc harness
This method of harnessing horses is ideal for a one-ton Russian cart. For a harness, you need a clamp, braces, suponi, nurse, scaffold, arc.
1 - bit; 2 - reins; 3 - arc; 4 - occasion with a lanyard; 5 - zga; 6 - saddle; 7 - weekday; 8 - harness: 8a - longitudinal belt, 8b - transverse belts, 8c - sloping belt, 8g - rim belt, 8d - lobe; 9 - shafting: 9a - comb, 9b - heavy; 10 - abdominal; 11 - a cinch; 12 - tug; 13 - a collar; 14 - supony; 15 - reins
Ammunition Equipment Process:
- The first thing that is worn is a bridle. During cold weather, the iron bits are warmed up (first put in a warm room or hold in your hands for several minutes). Otherwise, the metal will transfer cold to the body of the animal, after which inflammatory processes in the soft tissues will begin.
- Then, with the left hand, we take up the harness, and in the right we put the nurse and the weekly. Then superimposed on the back of the nurse. This should be done in a certain sequence: lay on a site located near the withers, straighten the hair, spread on the back. Thus, the upper part should be at the withers, the lower - at a distance from the 9th to the 15th rib on the back. In this case, the harness should descend to the level of the elbow of the horse.
- Next you need to tighten the cinch. A distance of 3-5 cm must be left between the skin of the animal and the harness
- The next step is to attach the clamp. Flip upside down, thread through the horse’s head. In the narrowest area of the neck, turn the clamp over, giving it the correct position. It remains to straighten the mane and throw a helmet.
- Bring the animal to the shafts, the tips of which should be on par with the tug.
- To the shafts on the right, and then on the left, attach the weekly for the loops located on the nurse.
- Then the arc is brought from the lower left zone under the shafts, bends against the clock, the end is threaded into the loop. Round the shafts again and lay the arc on the clamp. As a result, the tip on the right should touch the shafts of the same side. Do the same with the tug loop on the right.
- Pick up the soup, pull the clamp over both edges. Both ends should close. If it does not work out, then you need to lengthen the tug. It happens that the clamp closes, but the arms do not have the correct position. The mistake in this case is that the tugs are too long.
- Fasten the reins to the bridle. Feature: Reins can be threaded through the middle or outside the arc. The first thing to do is when the horse does not obey the occasion.
Useful recommendations:
- tugs should not be in front of the arc;
- the collar is selected according to the individual size of the horse (with an exact match, it fits snugly on the shoulders);
- if the collar that is available is large, felt fabric is sewn on its inside;
- if the clamp is small, you cannot use it;
- it is forbidden to impose only weekly (without a nurse) - this is fraught with injury to the skin of the horse.
Line-draw bar (parock harness)
This harness is used with a pair of horses that are used in agriculture. A prerequisite is the presence of a drawbar on the cart. This is one shafting, located exactly in the center, to which the horses are attached separately. Additionally, take a bib, construction, blouse.
1 - Kochetok; 2 - wag; 3 - roller; 4 - building; b - the front carriage; 6 - a stripe; 7 - a bib; 8 - drawbar
Harness Process:
- put a bridle and a collar on each animal;
- put horses from 2 sides of the drawbar;
- pull the stripe over the drawbar, fasten on the bibs in the ring;
- to fix a collar, to tighten correctly a row;
- attach the bib to the lintel and clamp;
- reins fasten to the bridle.
Riding harness
This harness method is considered the simplest and fastest. Here you will not need a drawbar, no arc, no deafening. Therefore, the method has another name - a tie.
The range of applications is wide - trolley, plow, harrow, crew. The line-wise harness is reminiscent of an arc-arc harness. It is based on attaching the straps and fastening the belt for the cart (there is a special ring for this).
There is also a mixed type of horse harness, the essence of which is to use several types of harness at the same time. It is mainly used for carts with goods and people.
Stages and rules for harnessing
The process of horse harnessing consists of several stages, which have their own characteristics:
- The fastening of the bridle. The detail is taken in the left hand, they approach the horse from the same side. Next, with the right limb, grab the stallion by the neck and pull it slightly towards you. By this you will curb the animal. After insert into the mouth of the bit, so that the corners of the oral cavity were raised by a couple of folds. Be sure to tighten all the belts. Thus, the cheek and corner elements should support the bit, portable and forehead braids should be free so that a pair of male fingers would fit under them. A whole fist should fit under the chin strap.
- Mounting clamp. The clamp must be inserted so that it rests on the scallop at the beginning of the withers. From the side it is laid on the muscles that are on the scapular axis in front. From the bottom of the shoulder blade, a khomutin is installed at the beginning of the neck above the trowel. When the fastening is completed, it is necessary to insert a palm with an edge and draw from the upper zone of the hill of shoulders and shoulder blades to the inside.
- Saddle mount. It should be laid evenly along the entire back, starting from the lower half of the withers.
- Mounting harness. The harness is laid at the withers, and then straightens towards the croup. Next, the buckle is fastened to the straps of the clamp and adjusted to the required size. Correct position: the palm should pass freely between the ischial tubercle and the bezel strap.
- Fastening of the interweek and abdominal. These are different belts attached to a single ring. They must be passed through it so that a loop is obtained that is worn on the shaft.
- Institution in the shafts. You can use different methods:
- step over the pole;
- to roll an element on a horse;
- Settle in detail near the cart.
- Arc fastening. You need to stand in front of the shafts so that the horse's face looks into your face. Put the arc to the leg on the right, and grab the handles with your left hand, after which they need to be stretched and slightly twisted (if necessary), adjusting the length. Lay the tug on the shafts, insert the left end of the arc (it is raised so that the ring is “away from the person”) in the tug loop.
Next, you need to shift the end of the arc to the left in front of the tug through the shafts, turning the ring forward. Thus, the shafts fit into the opening of the arc, which is superimposed on the neck of the animal. With the second shafting we do the same. - Fixing the clamp. To tighten the part, it is necessary to stand on the left side of the horse and wrap the tongs once with the suponya once. Rest your feet on the pincers and pull off the soup, wrapping it again.
- Belt refills. For convenience, the belt is held by the right hand (thumb), and the left - you need to press on the pliers on the right. As a result of this, a gap should form, through which the end of the suponi is pushed down, which must be tightened to the stop, after which the end rises. In the resulting loop, skip another loop and tighten it again and wrap the suponya, the tip of which folds 2 times and is threaded into the loop.
- Mounting occasion. Cross and pull the leash, then put the horse on the neck. Pass the lanyard through the ring located on the arc, and tie it to one tug. The length should correspond to the distance at which the horse can stretch its neck. At the same time, it should not lean too low.
- Reins mount. In some cases, the tugs are equipped with rings. Then it is necessary to pass the reins through them. If there are no rings, then one reins are superimposed over the tug, and the second under it.
Watch the video on how to harness a horse:
Features of a double harness
A pair of teams has always enjoyed increased popularity, especially in Russia. It is intended for walks and agricultural needs. It has its own harness features:
- bibs are initially aligned;
- after a belt from a collar (stripe);
- further belts closing a collar and a roller (bibs);
- then a collar and a bridle are put on;
- the stripe is attached to the ring after laying on the front of the drawbar or roller in front;
- the stitches are first fixed on the inner side of the roller, then on the outside.
How to train a horse to harness?
Every horse needs training and especially getting used to the harness. This can take quite a lot of time, since the process is carried out sequentially. Experts recommend adhering to the following rules:
- The very first thing to do is to teach the horse to obey the owner. For this, various commands are used. For example, turn left / right, stand, walk, etc. Proper maintenance and caring for a horse will help to create a favorable atmosphere for training.
- Even before the harness it is necessary to put on a saddle and take the horse out into the street. Necessarily need an assistant to help deal with a naughty animal.
- After the stallion gets used to the saddle, you can safely sit on it. When driving, try to control it with the reins and teams.
- Be sure to praise the horse for each correctly completed task. Your voice should be soft. You can give your favorite treat.
- Riding in the saddle begins with a short period of time. The first time is enough to drive 10 minutes, the second - 20, etc.
- When traveling, pay attention to the population of the area - it is advisable that strangers and cars are not nearby.
- Weather at check-in should be favorable.
- Before departing, feed your pet well, but in this case it is better to feed with hay and a minimum amount of oats. This is necessary in order to make the horse desire to get a treat.
- Between riding, gradually accustom to the harness - wear all elements carefully and slowly, do not make sudden movements, do not allow uncomfortable and painful sensations.
- When the time comes for the cart to join, pay attention to it - it should not rumble, creak heavily and be in close proximity to the horse's legs.
So that the animal does not experience torment for a long time while harnessing, be sure to read the instructions on how to do it correctly and quickly. In the first stages, if you are a beginner, be sure to use the services of an instructor who will tell and show how the horses are harnessed.
How to harness a horse?
Horses are always harnessed in the reverse order, depending on the method used. Namely:
- untie and remove the reins;
- remove belts from shafts and saddles;
- untie the soup;
- disconnect the arc and remove;
- take the animal out of the shafts;
- disconnect the harnesses;
- remove the clamp and saddle.
An important rule is to care for your horse after harnessing. To do this, in hot weather, sweat is wiped, during colds the body is covered with blankets. After this, you need to feed the horse and give a good rest.
Harnessing and harnessing horses is a long and complicated process. But every horse breeder can master the basic equipment.Over time, these manipulations will become a habit, after which a person will perform each step automatically. The main thing is not to cause pain and harm to the horse, as the next time she will protest.
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