What Are the Different Styles of Horse Harness Traces?

A horse harness is made for utilitarian, decorative elegance, parade use or a combination of the two. The traces are part of the tension and connecting parts of the harness linking the breastcollar or hames to the piece being pulled. Traces are made in different materials and styles based upon the use, weight being pulled and even the aesthetic demands of the harness. Traces are used to attach horse, cows, donkeys, mules, reindeer and sled dogs to the object being drawn.

  1. Rope Traces

    • Agrarian cultures make traces out of readily available materials. Rope woven out of straw, vines and other tough fibers are used to fashion traces. In Ireland, straw is woven into ropes that are used as traces. These traces have weight and pulling capacities that are limited and usually employed for a single animal.

    Leather

    • Leather traces are the most common decorative or pleasure type of trace. These are the traces of formal use including military ceremony, cultural events and parade celebrations. They are attractive and are used to attach to light duty breastcollars as well as working collar hames. Leather traces have a high maintenance requirement, but are easy to carry and reliable if cleaned and conditioned regularly.

    Chain

    • Logging and farm requirements use chain for traces. Chain can withstand strain and has a significant pulling capacity. It is easy to maintain and is more weather resistant than leather. Chain is attached with clips making it simple and swift to unhitch the animal from the load, wagon or plow.

    Synthetic

    • Synthetic traces are a modern contribution to the ancient objective of hooking an animal to a piece of equipment. Synthetic traces are strong, weather resistant, resilient and low maintenance. They have the aesthetic and traditional appeal of leather without any of the maintenance demands. Pleasure drivers, competitive driving and dog sledding harnesses regularly use synthetic material.