Instructions
Stand your horse in a convenient place with lots of room to move around. While most drafts accustomed to harnessing are taught to stand still untied, you may tie the horse, but will have to detach the lead rope from the halter before putting on the collar if placing it over the head.
Place the padded collar over the horse's head, turning it upside down so the bottom of the pear-shape passes over the eyes. Up right it behind the horse's ears and slide it into place at the base of the neck. The collar may also be unbuckled for head-shy horses.
Attach the hames to the collar, if not already attached.
Buckle the false martingale around the collar.
Buckle the pole straps, or traces, onto the collar, and tie them up out of the way.
Pass the girth strap through the martingale and fasten.
Place the pad on the horse's back just behind the withers, and lay the backstrap over it. Wait to fasten the backstrap's belly band until the horse is in the traces, making it easier to run the shafts through the tugs.
Buckle the britchen, or breechin, to the neck yoke and pole straps, or traces. Make sure all straps are flat against the horse and fitted without too much or too little strap length. The britchen goes over the rump and the bottom strap hits between the point of the rump and the hock.
Bridle the horse and, if used, fasten the check strap from behind the ears to the top of the collar.
Buckle the reins to the bit.
How to Assemble a Draft Harness
A draft horse harness is different from a carriage horse harness in its purpose to support heavy loads. As work horses, draft breeds are also called heavy horses due to their stout appearance and heavy muscling. The best known draft breeds include Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons and Shires. Carriage horse harness implements the use of a breastcollar, while draft harness uses heavy padded collars to disperse the load over the horse's shoulders. Assembling the harness on the horse is done in a certain sequence and is something every draft horse owner should know.