Headcollar, halter, names and patterns

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
I grew up calling this thing a "halter" rather than a "headcollar"; dictionaries tell me that "halter" is more an American term, though I've come across the term "Yorkshire halter", too, so maybe "halter" is originally the Yorkshire term for it that travelled across the pond....

Well, I've been thinking about making another one over the winter. No doubt it will turn out better than the one I made a couple of years ago; my stitching has improved both in neatness and in speed and for my birthday my wife bought me a folding harness-makers clamp. It's miles better than the clamp I knocked up last spring; much more precise and gives my hands better clearance around the workpiece.

This afternoon, I've been looking in a couple of my books on harness making, and I'm wondering about the different patterns. I have a few nice illustrations for what are labelled "Newmarket", "Albert" and "Queen's" patterns, and I'm hesitating between them. The Queen's needs a special kind of ring and has more stitching, the Newmarket has a rounded throat lash, the Albert looks like it has less stitching than the Queen's and more than the Newmarket... so in all it would be about the same amount of work, or complication, whichever pattern I choose.

All three have a browband in front of the horse's ears, as well as a crownpiece (headpiece); that's not something that seems to appear on the shop-bought halters I've seen so far... Is there any reason to avoid adding a browband? It's something I could easily add later, even make removable, using Sam Browne studs to faster it in place...

I don't have my own horse, and those at the centre where I ride have heads of various sizes, so I'm intending to make the thing adjustable and to fasten the throat lash with some sort of quick-release fastener.
 

cremedemonthe

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
5,614
Location
Was Caterham on the Hill, Surrey now Wales
Visit site
We made the Newmarket when training 30 odd years ago which is a good traditional pattern and teaches rolled work at it's best. It's nice to see English stop squares instead of the American ones, quite rare to see them these days though. Everything is so cheaply made now whether synthetic or leather and very little is traditional and with cast fittings, instead of pressed.
Patterns are changing all the time regarding all saddlery and is a sign of the times.
I am old school, taught to make threads by hand, a whole saddle by hand and no machines at all, flocked seats and knee rolls, seat serge, pigskin seats, hand sewn skirts and welts, "hand made bellies" to secure to the seat of the saddle, so I prefer the old patterns and old school saddlery.

The clam you made, did you use beechwood and steam bend it and put leather on it top and bottom, bit of panel hide?
Traditionally the clams were made of barrel staves by the village cooper.
Let us know which pattern you choose.
Oz - Saddler est 1988
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
We made the Newmarket when training 30 odd years ago which is a good traditional pattern and teaches rolled work at it's best. It's nice to see English stop squares instead of the American ones, quite rare to see them these days though.

I'm still a novice when it comes to harness making, but I'm lucky enough to have found good suppliers of leather, tools and hardware. I don't get to go and see them often enough, though, because these are suppliers to professionals, more like trade counters than retail shops, only open Monday to Friday, 08h30 to 17h30 or so.


The clam you made, did you use beechwood and steam bend it and put leather on it top and bottom, bit of panel hide?
Traditionally the clams were made of barrel staves by the village cooper.
Let us know which pattern you choose.
Oz - Saddler est 1988

I used some bits of maple that I had, no steam bending, and using a pressed steel hinge for the pivot... I covered the ends with leather over thin foam, thinking it would help not damage the workpiece, but the whole thing was a bit too sloppy and imprecise.

I think I'll do the Newmarket, to try rolled work. The only other time I can see me doing that would be for a crupper or a hand-hold for a saddle, or maybe a bag handle...
 

cremedemonthe

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
5,614
Location
Was Caterham on the Hill, Surrey now Wales
Visit site
Abbey are not the be all and end all for supplies, I finally got so fed up with them, over charging (was cheaper on ebay) and in every 5 orders at least 4 were wrong, after 30 years of using them I finally gave up with them about 2 years ago.
I have my own intensive list of suppliers :) and life after abbey is good.
If you need anything ask me and I can probably find you a supplier , some won't deal with you though unless you are trade.
Who's training you?
Oz
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
Abbey are not the be all and end all for supplies, I finally got so fed up with them, over charging (was cheaper on ebay) and in every 5 orders at least 4 were wrong, after 30 years of using them I finally gave up with them about 2 years ago.
I have my own intensive list of suppliers :) and life after abbey is good.
If you need anything ask me and I can probably find you a supplier , some won't deal with you though unless you are trade.
Who's training you?
Oz

I'm all self-taught, from old books and the odd tutorial on YouTube and advice from kindly souls on webforums. :D

I started out by making leather sheaths for knives, swords and axes, and a bit of stuff like belt pouches, bags and belts. The interest in harness making has come since I starting riding.

I live just outside Paris, and my suppliers are in the city. I work there, too, so from time to time I can either go into work a bit later than usual or I can knock off earlier than usual, and go and pick up some odds and ends.

The last few times I got the chance, I called in and got several big pieces of leather, some reels of linen thread in different thicknesses and colours, a few dozen buckles of different types, and about a hundred Sam Browne studs of different sizes and finishes.

And I had a trip back to the US at Easter 2017 and called in at a Tandy shop where I got a couple of sheets of rawhide, some lacing needles and a lace cutter.

Next tools on the list are a head knife and a half head knife. I need to decide whether I make my own or get them made up for me.
 

cremedemonthe

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
5,614
Location
Was Caterham on the Hill, Surrey now Wales
Visit site
You're better off getting taught in person by a professional if you can find a way. What books, vids etc don't teach you are material sciences and WHY things are made the way they are in Saddlery and Harness making, it is quite different in styles and techniques to general leatherwork, leather goods, shoe making etc and needs to be made as safe as possible. I see people who make general leatherwork try saddlery and use the wrong leather, fittings and techniques and when they are making saddlery to hold half a ton of horse in check it can be dangerous. I'm not saying you will make the same mistakes but from all the vids and books I have seen over the last 30 years , not many, if any, teach you what you really need to know.

I was taught the professional way in Cordwainers college when it was still in Hackney in London back in 1987. It is now in Capel Manor here https://www.capel.ac.uk/saddlery.html if you have any where like this in France, try to learn there.
I make some of my own tools such as flocking irons, pricking irons, punches, awls and looping clams.
Oz
 

OldNag

Wasting my time successfully....
Joined
23 July 2011
Messages
10,997
Location
Somewhere south of the middle
Visit site
^^^What Oz said. I was self taught from books for a few years and then trained 3 years at Cordwainers College. I did my saddlery year the year after Oz. (I did 2 years leathergoods first).

What I learned there I couldn't have learned from books.

I still have the Newmarket headcollar I made there 30 years ago. That throatlash was a pig to do! It was the first piece of rolled work we did. I warn you, rolled work is lovely to look at but difficult to get right! .

It sounds like you are really enjoying yourself. It is a very satisfying thing to do, have fun :)
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
Thanks for your replies.

I don't really have the spare money to take time off from my job to go back into full time training for a year. If I win the lottery, however, this is on my list of things to do, alongside more practice at driving agricultural vehicles, blacksmithing, getting an category C or HGV licence....

The books I use are generally good and really are about saddlery and harness making. Understanding them takes some effort, though. A description written in the 19th century for somebody who already knows the vocabulary and technique is not always understandable today for a beginner; it usually takes me an hour or two of reading, imagining and sketching before I have a good idea of how a piece should be put together.

The harness makers of that time didn't have the benefit of modern alloys and synthetic threads, test equipment and laboratories; all that is going to be missing from my books. I have some synthetic thread, but don't use it much.

But as I mentioned, I get my supplies from companies that supply to professional harness makers; when I go for leather, I tell my supplier what it's for, and he suggests which kind I should use. For hardware, I can usually pick out from the catalogue what I need from the name and description.

And that gets me onto the subject of strength that you touched upon:

I see people who make general leatherwork try saddlery and use the wrong leather, fittings and techniques and when they are making saddlery to hold half a ton of horse in check it can be dangerous. I'm not saying you will make the same mistakes but from all the vids and books I have seen over the last 30 years , not many, if any, teach you what you really need to know.

At the riding centre, there are iron rings set into the masonry; to these we tie loops of baling twine and then tie up the lead rope to the baling twine. The reason being, according to the instructors, that the baling twine will break before the horse injures itself by pulling too hard.

I was once preparing my horse when he jerked his head upwards and pulled hard against the rope. I was surprised at a D ring breaking before my stitching; but I was even more surprised that the baling twine, that the horse was tied up to, didn't break. I talked about this with the instructor, who was also surprised at the twine not breaking, and suggested opening up the strands and using only half of them...

Now, I've read that a halter should be lighter and less strong than a bridle, so as to break before injuring the horse, but wonder if that is only the case when the halter is used as a stable collar to hold the horse in a stall: the lead rope passing through an iron ring (i.e. not tied to the ring) and with a small log on the and of the rope...

Anyway, I've got plenty to work at for the couple of months: plenty of leather, hemp rope, brown paper, thread and needles, ideas, patterns... I just need to find the time!
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
Ah, rolled work...

I had been looking in one of my French books on very basic harness making, it's mostly concerned with very simple gear like the halter, bridoon, bridle, saddle bags and some basic repairs. But it describes something like rolled work.

Now that got me looking around on the web for more information, and I came across two very interesting texts...

One is a thread here on Ho&Ha, and other is an almost identical text but with some nice illustrations on Unicorn Leather's site.

The French book I have doesn't explain using a rounding block, but simply states that you need to "hide the stitches" (the phrase is "utilisez du fil fin et noyez la couture dans l'épaisseur", literally "use fine thread and drown the stitching in the thickness").

I've been looking around for a description or image of a rounding block, but can only find it as a bookbinder's tool.
 
Last edited:

cremedemonthe

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
5,614
Location
Was Caterham on the Hill, Surrey now Wales
Visit site
I'll dig my rounding block out and photo it to show you :)
One book I still have and like you said, when I first started training and didn't know the terms, meanings or techniques, I didn't undertand it but once I had trained it all made sense. It was like it was written in a different language and is written by Paul Hasluck, have you got this one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acceptab...243038?hash=item5d795f3c5e:g:VeIAAOSwD5ZZvBjV

Oz
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
I'll dig my rounding block out and photo it to show you :)
One book I still have and like you said, when I first started training and didn't know the terms, meanings or techniques, I didn't undertand it but once I had trained it all made sense. It was like it was written in a different language and is written by Paul Hasluck, have you got this one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acceptab...243038?hash=item5d795f3c5e:g:VeIAAOSwD5ZZvBjV

Oz

Yes, I have a paperback reprint of that, dated 2013

Another favourite of mine is a facsimile reprint of the 1907 (second) edition "The Harness Makers' Guide" that doesn't have any explanation of technique, but has a lot of dimensions for various bits of tack and harness, some cutting patterns, and very interesting sections on engraving and recipes for waxes, dyes, glues and cements, dressings, varnishes and so on.
 

cremedemonthe

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2011
Messages
5,614
Location
Was Caterham on the Hill, Surrey now Wales
Visit site
Yes, I have a paperback reprint of that, dated 2013

Another favourite of mine is a facsimile reprint of the 1907 (second) edition "The Harness Makers' Guide" that doesn't have any explanation of technique, but has a lot of dimensions for various bits of tack and harness, some cutting patterns, and very interesting sections on engraving and recipes for waxes, dyes, glues and cements, dressings, varnishes and so on.

I have a good library too, most of the books I have are now out of print, most saddlers and harness makers will have a treasured collection of books, never to be parted with. We were taught to make edge stain from pearl glue and powdered stain bought from the tannery, now it's already mixed and in bottles and nothing like what we had to make. We used to make a light brown edge stain from cold tea, put about 2-3 tea bags in a cup of boiling water and let it stand for several minutes. We used it to stain the edges of London Tan bridle butt when making top quality bridles as the stains we had then were too dark.
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
Ah! Wouldn't you know it?

Yesterday, I could only find bookbinders' rounding blocks, but today one of the first pages that Google can find for me is this one, at Abbey.

I reckon that I could knock one of these up from a block of holly or box that I have in my stores. I almost certainly have a router bit or a milling cutter to match the diameter of the throat lash I want to make.
 
Last edited:

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
It's nice to see English stop squares instead of the American ones, quite rare to see them these days though. Everything is so cheaply made now whether synthetic or leather and very little is traditional and with cast fittings, instead of pressed.

Another little question about terminology...

You mention English stop squares, as compared to American.

Is an English stop square the one that is a very simple square shape, with a kind of lip on the inside edge one of the sides?
http://abbeyengland.com/DesktopModules/CATALooKStore/MakeThumbImage.aspx?fileticket=KboX20PwuGw%3d&PORTALID=0&W=200&H=200&ssl=true

And American style a square with a rectangular loops along each of three sides?
http://abbeyengland.com/DesktopModules/CATALooKStore/MakeThumbImage.aspx?fileticket=xF7L3XOQ5Uk%3d&PORTALID=0&W=200&H=200&ssl=true
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
So I'm having a little bit of trouble with sorting out how to go about making up this Newmarket pattern head collar, following the instructions in Hasluck.

I've transcribed what is in the book, with my comments in square brackets after each paragraph.

_______________________________BEGIN_______________________________

HEAD collars, also called headstalls and stable collars, are made in various ways, and one of the most useful styles will be described in this chapter.

For a Newmarket head collar (Fig. 23) three head collar stop squares, a 1 1/4-in. tinned roller buckle, and a 3/4-in. buckle will be required. Make two short straps 1 ft. by 1 1/4-in., and turn them in to 5 in. long, thus having 1 in. or a little more for overlap. Having shaved the ends, prick them eight to the inch, and put one square in the centre between them, and one in each end, with the stops on the same side.
[this list of hardware mentions three stop squares and two buckles, but does not mention the two rings]

Cut a strip of leather and lay it along the centre of each to raise the stay in the middle. Stitch them with beeswax thread, three-cord hemp, and make a strong cross-stitch at the end of each line, finishing carefully. Now cut the noseband 1 ft. 3 in. long when turned down and, after preparing it, put one end forming a chape in each of the end squares in the shortstays. Stitch two rows along the edges of the turndown, and trim the ends neatly.
[the term "short strap" in paragraph 2 has become "shortstay" in paragraph 3, and the hyphen between the number and the unit has disappeared, e.g. "1 ft. 3 in." in paragraph 3 and "1 1/4 in." in in paragraph 4, as compared to "1 1/4-in." in paragraph 2]
["cut the noseband 1 ft. 3 in. long when turned down": does this mean that the finished length is 15"? So allowing for a 1" chape at each end, whe need to cut a piece 17" long and skive the last inch so the chape, against the horse, lies flat.]

Then cut a pair of cheeks 1 1/4 in. by 8 in. when bent in both ends, and prepare one end in each for a buckle, shaving the points of the other turn-down. After placing a runner on each cheek and a loop and buckle on one end, stitch the opposite ends to the two outer squares. Then cut the short upward stay; this is stitched behind in the centre square, and the throat lash runs through it at the other end, the length when doubled being about 4 1/2 in. An opening is left in the top for the throat lash.
[again, if the cheek pieces are to finished at 8" long "when bent in both ends" and we want the chapes to be 1", then we need to cut at 10" ]
[the length of the short upward stay is given as "about 4 1/2 in" finished, assuming that it is made in the same way as the two short straps, with an inch of overlap, we need to cut a piece 11" long]

The forehead band may next be cut and made in the same way as the snaffle bridle forehead band. The top strap must be cut 2 ft long by 1 1/4in.; when finished, punch about four holes on both sides. The throat lash is 3 ft. 6 in. by 3/4 in. with a roller buckle of the same width, and a loop and runner, and with about nine holes in it.
[this seems to mean that the throat lash is simple flat strap with a buckle]

Put the forehead band on the head strap, buckle it on both sides in the cheeks, and run the throat lash from the near side through the opening in the upward stay and under the head strap, then through the opening in the forehead band on each side, bringing the point down to the buckle on the near side. When the head collar is made with only one cheek on the near side, the strap situated on the other side should be 2 ft. 9 in. long.

_______________________________BEGIN_______________________________

I've not seen a way to add an image to my post... I'll see if I can sort that out tomorrow.
 

Keith_Beef

Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Joined
8 December 2017
Messages
11,376
Location
Seine et Oise, France
Visit site
I've found myself another image hosting service. I've been meaning to do this since Photobucket limited access to those of us who had been using the free service for years, making our pictures invisible unless we pay $10 a month. So below, you should see a thumbnail image that links to a full-size image on Imgbb.



This is figure 23 from Hasluck. It seems to me that it doesn't quite match the text I posted a few days ago.

I can only see one buckle in the figure, while the text mentions "a 1 1/4-in. tinned roller buckle, and a 3/4-in. buckle" in the first few lines.

The text states "cut a pair of cheeks ... and prepare one end in each for a buckle" yet I can see only one buckle, and this is on the strap passing behind the horse's ears (what I think is the crown piece).
 
Top