how to harness a pony?

[Dizzy socks]

The pony in question is bomb proof Shetland It is with without the collar. I have a saddle, a breast plate, a crupper, and breeching (Plus a bridle )

Any tips, ideally with pictures?

Would just like reassurance that I am doing right!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Wikihow - How to harness a horse, with some pictures.

Good luck.

 

[EPRider]

There are some inaccuracies in that link. The bridle should be put on last not first. A very important point is that the reins should be attached to the bit before the carriage is attached to the pony.

 

[windand rain]

Traditionally collar first then the saddle part with the breeching then the bridle last the reins go on just before the carriage is put to. I may have been told wrong though as the chap doing it was a bit of a shyster

 

[ROMANY 1959]

This is how I was tought
First allways have a headcolar on under the bridle in case you need jump off and hold the horse, and carry a lead roap handy
Put collar on upside down and turn it the right way as it goes over the head and neck.
Smothe the mane down.
Put saddle on and loosely do the girth
Then lastly the back brace with the crouper that needs be fastened to saddle once in place.
I allways put bridle on while horse is tied up outside, cos of blinkers restricting horses view when coming out of stable door.
I then thread the reins through and loop them up out the way and attatch to the bit last. Then check girth and other straps then put horse to carriage. Always do a last check of girth and bit and collar before moving off with carriage.
Hope this helps.
Then take off in reverse order.

 

[Paddy and Dandy]

PLEASE DON'T ANYONE FOLLOW THE WIKIHOW LINK....IT CONTAINS MANY DANGEROUS INACCURACIES!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

There are some inaccuracies in that link. The bridle should be put on last not first. A very important point is that the reins should be attached to the bit before the carriage is attached to the pony.

Sorry, I didn't think about that.

I also found this on YouTube - How to harness a Miniature horse, but I don't think she attach/fasten the breastcollar to the girth?!

Another YouTube video How to harness a pony, but she has a horse collar, not a breastcollar, and personally, I don't understand why she's standing between the camera and the horse, thus hiding a lot of what she's doing.

Step by step guide with photos, but this is also with a horse collar Heavy horses - Harnessing. I like this, but I don't understand why she puts the collar on first, before the pad, I would have thought it would be less risk of getting wrinkles on the pad, if you put that on before the collar?

A reminder from this site, Axwood Farm Library - Getting hitched, part 1,

WEAR GLOVES. This tip we have discussed before! Your grip is improved with gloves and, should the lines go ripping through your hand, gloves will keep you from wearing a long line brand that really hurts.

By the way, I don't know why, but when I searched for how to put a horse breastcollar harness on, I was suggested this link Camelphotos - Camel harnessing.

 

[EPRider]

The collar goes on first so that it is warmed up before the horse is asked to work. The term cold shoulder comes from the old driving days. It was such a strong requirement that the old coaching boys would refuse to drive a team if they knew that the collars were not put on first.

http://www.discover-horse-carriage-driving.com/harnessing.html

 

[FinnishLapphund]

The collar goes on first so that it is warmed up before the horse is asked to work. The term cold shoulder comes from the old driving days. It was such a strong requirement that the old coaching boys would refuse to drive a team if they knew that the collars were not put on first.

http://www.discover-horse-carriage-driving.com/harnessing.html

Thank you for the explanation, but I must admit that I'm still confused.
In the link, I can only find that it says:

True whips refuse to drive a horse onto which the pad has been put on before the collar, as it is believed that an accident will happen, if it was tacked up in that way.

The way it is written in the quote above, makes it sound more like superstition to me. But to go with your explanation, even if I begin with sliding a collar over a horses head and all the way down to the base of the neck, to then leave it there, surely it won't take much time before I've got hold of the pad, pulled it over the horses head and down over the neck to the collar, so I would not have thought that the collar really could become significantly warmed up on that short time.

 

[Patterdale]

It is a superstition aswell

 

[EPRider]

Think of it a bit like putting the bridle on, then the saddle and getting straight on to ride. Some horses are then classed as cold backed as they object to this treatment, however if the saddle is put on first, then the bridle and the horse walked around a bit before the rider gets on the same horse is fine.

When coaching teams did the quick changes at the inns if there was a horse in the team that would not go forward into its collar but went up instead there could be a right mullock.

Superstition based on fact.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Thank you to both Patterdale and EPRider for the clarifications.