Metal Parts of a Horse's Harness

Whether transporting dignitaries from a royal wedding or simply taking families on a Sunday drive through the country, a horse and cart can provide entertainment or competitive opportunity to drivers. The harness used to connect the horse to the cart is a complicated system of leather and metal broken down into the driving bridle, saddle and girth, reins, traces or tugs and breeching. To save yourself from potential equipment malfunctions, a working knowledge of the parts of the harness, including the many metal pieces of hardware, is essential.

  1. Driving Bridle

    • Although there are many metal pieces found in the harness, the largest is the bit, which is placed in the horse's mouth and has a curb chain around the chin. In addition to the bit and curb chain, the driving bridle comprises numerous buckles that are also constructed of chrome on brass, solid brass or stainless steel metal. Buckles connect the bit to the rest of the headgear. Buckles allow adjustment of the cheek piece and the throat latch.

    Saddle and Girth

    • The saddle and girth are cinched around the horse's belly just behind the withers and anchor the rest of the harness. The girth is pulled tight using metal buckles.

      On the top of the saddle are the water hook and rein terrets. The water hook is a metal ring to which the cheek reins attach from the top of the horse's head. The rein terrets are also metal rings to the sides of the water hook through which the reins will pass.

      The crupper runs along the horse's back from the saddle to the tail. The crupper attaches under the tail using a metal buckle and stabilizes the harness.

    Reins

    • The reins are leather or nylon straps that run through rings on the saddle and driving bridle and attach to the bit to provide communication from the driver to the horse. The reins will have metal snaps on the ends that connect to the shanks on the bit.

    Traces or Tugs

    • Traces or tugs connect the collar or the breast collar to the cart. Traces and tugs can be made of leather or metal chain. Metal buckles connect the traces or tugs to the collar or breast collar.

    Breeching

    • The breeching is the braking system of the harness. It consists of the loin strap and the breeching strap. The loin strap stretches across the horse's back near the rear and connects to the traces. All the straps are adjustable using metal buckles.

      The breeching strap wraps around the horse's hindquarters and is connected to the traces with metal rings.