| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Carriage driving mules  |
|
|
StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 11 2012 : 1:45:18 PM
|
Do any of you have a mule that you've trained for carriage driving? I was wondering how you went about finding a harness to fit. Missy is a saddle mule about 15hh, not a draft size. I'll be doing a lot of long reining and ground driving before I ever hook her up to anything. She is turning 9 this month, and I think she is probably getting to a safer age to start training to drive. She was a bit headstrong in her early years, but I've really seen her settle down a lot recently.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
|
|
crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2012 : 02:04:58 AM
|
Oh how cute the two of you will be. I know next to nothing about driving but I see lightweight harnesses at horse.com. It's a very reasonably priced horse supply catalog. I would like to train a couple of my horses to pull a sleigh since we get long winters here and lots of snow. I always think about it being winter income. I have a beautiful white stallion that would look so pretty and also a matching pair of red paints (mother and daughter). The harnesses I see in there don't have collars I have no idea if they need them or not. I have a very old double harness that has 2 collars. But I think its too old for real use cause the leather is too old probably. I would like to sell it for $300, blinders collars and all. Man is it heavy, I hate lifting it...ugh.I think the ones in that catalog are made out of nylon. They look to me that they would be comfortable. I have heard that one should start out by having them pull sticks and stuff so they get used to having something dragging behind. I think in a lot of areas there are driving clubs and people can learn a lot from the other members.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
 |
|
|
StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2012 : 06:39:36 AM
|
Hi Laura,
I have a beta harness for my Haflinger and it is awesome. It never gets stiff when the temps are cold, which would be perfect for sleigh weather, doesn't crack or need special cleaners. The harness she came with was one of those old heavy leather harnesses, and it took all of my 5 foot tall strength to haul that thing from its hook out to put on my horse. When I draped it on her, I could see her kind of steady herself under the weight of it too.
I use a beta bitless bridle for my Tennessee Walker when I ride him, and the material compared to leather has been outstanding. So Missy will definitely get a beta harness when the time comes!! I might even try Birdy's breastcollar on Missy, since even though Missy is a horse-sized mule, her chest isn't much wider across the front than my little 12hh Haflinger. That, a surcingle and a crupper are all I need for now to get me started with her training...and of course a bridle and long reins....it all adds up!
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
|
|
|
crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2012 : 08:28:17 AM
|
Yes I have to wonder what some of those old timers were thinking! I like abetta (wide/ full quarter horse bar) saddles. We raise performance horses and they have very muscular shoulders and we have to use wide saddles that are high on the withers too. Abetta saddles are not very costly and only weigh 19 lbs. I have a couple of old saddles one antique and they weigh 40 lbs, sheesh! I am looking to buy used abetta saddles. We have 23 horses and 6 riders and we are currently sharing 2 saddles..lol. Would safe a few arguments between the girls if we had more. Except for the other 2 old saddles that some of our horses will tolerate but some won't. They're pretty pampered. I used to have more saddles but I traded and sold all the others, they were just too narrow for our horses. I always think I need to get more but it gets spent somewhere else, usually hay. Your horses sound lovely, and a haflinger how cool!
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
|
|
|
prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2012 : 6:37:03 PM
|
Just a thought--you might ask an Amish harness maker if he could make a harness or where to get one. Don't know if there's any Amish around you, but they are the experts when it comes to harnesses.
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Megan
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Megan
Hudson
South Dakota
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2012 : 07:46:58 AM
|
I have a driving mule about 14hds. you will need to find a harness made for a mule, or know how to mix 2 harnesses to make one. My mule uses a mini horse harness with standerd hames, back straps and tugs.... but i found a good team driver to help me gat started with driving a few years ago. i would looking into the amish, or find someone who has driving horses and see if the can help you get started
www.rockriverexoticsandkennel.net |
|
|
|
StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2012 : 11:30:08 AM
|
Thank you ladies for the helpful info! I do think Missy will need some special fitting for her harness. Now all I need is some spare time to get on a regular training routine with her.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
|
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: Carriage driving mules |
|
Carriage driving mules
