[CharlyBonifaz]

how much does the angle of the horses shoulder affect this? can you pick that up with fixing the tugs per bellyband and back pad?

[CharlyBonifaz]

@ grey

Not sure I understand… you move your tugs up and down on the hames according to the height of your hitch point?

yes,exactly

seems like we’re really into a different system; if I understand yours, the bellyband and backpad are used to also hold the harness in place?

The tug should always be centered over the “draft” of the horse’s shoulder. There is one spot on the horse’s shoulder that is above the point of the shoulder (the bone) where the muscle is broad and flat. The widest part of the collar should ride there, and the tugs should attach to the hames there also.

That is exactly where they should be attached
Over here, horse logging is sometimes done with only the harness and chains, may be a wider leatherbelt just thrown over the back, somewhat holding the tugs in line, but that’s it;

When you have one horse or one team and have a low point of hitch and are dragging dead weight on the ground, the adjustment of your harness is not very critical.

that’s may be the case in logging, as above
but when you hitch anything like a cart you come up behind and still the tugs are supposed to run without an angle….
the bellyband over here is definitely to weak to hold much of the tugs; most likely it would also break, when a foot is caught (nevertheless mine never hangs loose 😉 )
so I think it’s 2 different systems applied….
elke

[CharlyBonifaz]

I’ll put up some info & photos of them, if anyone’s interested.

well, of course, i am 😀
welcome back

[CharlyBonifaz]

The belly band and the back pad are adjusted to anchor that tug in a position that holds the angle. Then, from the belly band back to the point of hitch, the tugs may be at whatever angle is required.

please explain the theory behind that, too obvious probably to understand

over here everybody stresses the importance of those tugs running straight back down, from the harness to your point of hitch, no bend is wanted
to accomplish this, most tugs can be attached varably at the hames, so they are easily adjusted….half an inch up/down at the hames keeps it from being pulled up or down under a load
sometimes horses will be harnessed with a bend upwards, exactly opposite to what your picture shows; theory behind that: the backpad can pick up some strain and the load can be “lifted” little ways, making heavy weights easier to get going

very curious and not very strong in physics 😉
elke

[CharlyBonifaz]

plus: in a one-oxen-team it holds the yoke straight

[CharlyBonifaz]

Risky too I would think.

in todays traffic you wouldn’t want to use it (the reason it was forbidden about 100years ago in Germany);
but with logging I think it is ideal: no mixing up of lines, you don’t have to watch their length when you pick up again to go, you have one more hand to use, you can go instantly wherever your position behind the horse is; actually most of the horses worked like this, function by verbal command; this line is sort of an “attention” mode
yes, oxen can very well work like that too
thanks for the video, highly fascinating 😉

[CharlyBonifaz]

Also using a big-wheel arch with a big log.

“mariejanne”
don’t see them very often
thank you for the video

[CharlyBonifaz]

he knows his saddle, he knows reigns, he has had children sit on him for a minute or two, he has carried a little weight, he knows his verbal commands …………that’s just it for now
by the way: have you also noted, when you teach them something and let it be for a while, they will recall even better what you asked of them later?

[CharlyBonifaz]

just email him and ask.

and let us know….now that we are curious:rolleyes:

[CharlyBonifaz]

different oppinion: 😉
have taught mine a lot of things and drive him since he’s a year but won’t ride him until he will be 4 years old (and still will not be grown completely)
I agree wholeheartedly with this though:

I think it depends how big they are and how big you are!

[CharlyBonifaz]

scared the wits out of mine when I just put it on and used it; took him a minute or 2 to comprehend and me some convincing him, it wouldn’t eat him alive……
never thought of it 🙁
so the next one will get accustomed to it properly…….
elke

[CharlyBonifaz]

and there rules for competition there are much different from the rules in the U.S.A.

the rules:
6 different classes:
1. Haflinger+Norwegian Fjord
2. Haflinger+Norwegian Fjord Teams
3. Draft Horse light (under 1650pounds/ 750kg)
4. Draft Horse medium (1650-1870pounds/ 750-850kg)
5. Draft Horse heavy (above 1870pounds/ 850kg)
6. Draft Horse Teams
draft distance: about 44 yards (within 2 minutes), on your first try you have to pass 11 yards in 30sec, otherwise you’re out
weight is added with every inning; the amount will be determined by the judges depending on soilconditions; if within 2 minutes you haven’t managed to pass the 44 yards you’re out; the winner is, whoever pulls the furthest in the last inning in 2 minutes
single horses – single drivers; horse teams – 2 drivers at most
no whip allowed, not even decorative on the harness; while pulling, horses may only be encouraged by voice; pushing at the harness or touching your horse while it’s pulling means you’re out, too

winner in this contest: 3340 pounds of horsepower pulled 3762 pounds

[CharlyBonifaz]

That video is not from the U.S.A. it was from overseas some where, and there rules for competition there are much different from the rules in the U.S.A.

not a clue about the rules but the video was taken in Germany; Bad Kötzting is in Bavaria (Bavarian Forest)

[CharlyBonifaz]

cannot help thinking of Santa Claus…… just possibly the sleigh’s colour…..:)

[CharlyBonifaz]

anyone have experience with willow for bows?

Fabian!may be pm him….

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