Horse harness is an essential part of any horse carriage. Harness depends on the type of wagon, as well as on the number of harnessed horses. Moreover, the quality of the harness determines the performance of the animal, so it is important to know its components and be able to choose the right one. According to experts, both a suit on a person and a harness should fit “on the figure”.

The first harness of the most primitive forms was invented by man at the same time as the first wagon. According to archaeological data, this happened about 2 thousand years before our era. The significance of the harness and its beauty were first noticed by the Persians, who used closed carts with four horses. Then it became important to make such a harness that would be both beautiful and would allow even distribution of traction.

After, horse-drawn carts appeared in the Heroic era among the Greeks. Then the harness consisted of a yoke, girth, chest strap, bridle and reins. At the same time, the richer the owner of the wagon was, the more beautiful and brighter the harness was. During the Roman Empire, two-wheeled chariots became widespread. They could also boast of their splendor and elegance.

In the Middle Ages, the painted harness in precious stones lost its relevance, as the wagons were used exclusively as a cargo working transport. However, already after 1568, after the creation of more comfortable and light carriages, the harness also improved. During the heyday of carriages, it reached the peak of its development. In those days, the harness was sewn, as for a single wagon, a pair, a four, a six and an eight.

vintage jewelry

When we see a Greek chariot or a medieval carriage, then, of course, we are surprised by the various decorations on the harness. For example, the noseguard arose in the early Scythian time (7th century BC) and was invented to protect the forehead and nose of the horse from arrows. The headman, which is a bronze cap with a tuft of hair, first appeared among the Alans in the 7th century. However, the peak of popularity reached in the Roman Empire.

But our favorite bells, which are hung mainly on the harness of the triples, it is not known exactly when and why they were invented. There is a version that these were call signs and were first used on Russian lands. Other historians argue that the bells did not allow the cab driver to fall asleep over long distances.

The structure and types of harness

Yes, horse harness has come a long way in its development, but has not lost its relevance. Today there is a separate type of equestrian competition, directly related to the harness - carriage competitions. It is a very exciting and challenging sport. It implies not only the ability, but also to select and decorate them correctly. The crew must be wholly and completely a single unit.

To control the team, you need to know what the harness consists of and how it is dressed. First of all, she must be good quality. And you also need to know its types, since the structure also depends on this. So, today the following types of harnesses are distinguished:

• Single-horn arc;
• Shattering-post-line;
• Line-drawing;
• Post-line;
• Tachanochnaya;
• Combined;

Single-horn arc and arc-free

Such a harness involves harnessing only one horse to the wagon. Its structure implies the presence of an arc, collar, suponi, tugs, shafts, nurses with a saddle, harnesses, bridles with reins.

The arcless harness consists mainly of a harness that takes the weight of the wagon, a collar with horse-drawn lobes, belt gorts, a shaft, and a bridle with reins. The second name of this harness is deafening-linear. Most often, shortened shafts are used in it, which are attached to the saddle, and not to the collar.

Scheme of the structure of a single-horse arcless European harness

Line-drawing

The main component of this type of harness is the drawbar. At the same time, it is suitable for both single-horse and double-horse harnesses. His task is to regulate the turn of the wagon and its movement. The structure of such a harness in more detail, see the photo.

Post-line

This type of harness is different in that it has neither an arc, nor a drawbar, nor a shaft. Traction occurs due to the lines and the collar. It is very simple, but not very convenient, as it does not allow you to keep the cart moving forward. Most often, they are additionally equipped with hand brakes.

Tachanochnaya

This type of harness is a little outdated today, since the cart and four horses are not used. However, we still remember about its structure. Such a harness consists of a drawbar and traces. At the same time, two horses in the center are harnessed to the drawbar, and the side horses are harnessed to the traces. The latter are attached to the wags.

Combined

This type of harness is mainly used abroad for harnessing a large number of horses: six and eight. It includes a combination of a drawbar with traces and a shaft, which can be seen in the photo. For such a harness, it is very important to choose the right horses for height and strength.

So, for example, the roots should be taller and stronger, as they hold back the crew. Harness horses are paired or in troika with root horses and are harnessed by strings. They determine the turn of the wagon. Outrigger horses go ahead of the root, they are also harnessed by traces and set the direction of movement.

Zug

Another type of harness for six horses. In this case, a drawbar is used, to which the roots are fastened. The rest of the horses are portable.

Photo gallery

Let's see some photos different types harnesses from our photo gallery.

Video " Kursk craftswoman sews harness for horses»

The saddler is one of the rarest and oldest professions. However, there are real masters in modern world. About one of these horse harness craftswomen, see the news story.

A harness is needed to harness a horse (or other draft animal) to a wagon. Proper equipment will allow the animal to use its forces efficiently and make it easier for a person to manage. Harness for horses appeared along with the first wagons, about 4000 years ago. Today, the harness is a set of specific elements that, in addition to the main task, can additionally perform decorative functions. The composition and design of the harness also differ depending on the number of horses used and the type of wagon.

Harness composition

The main task of the horse harness is to transfer the traction force from the horse to the wagon with minimal consequences for the animal's body. Harness for horses is additionally a tool for managing the coachman. Basic set harness elements include:

• Collar. The main component to which the main part of the draft force is transferred, then going to the wagon. The collar consists of a tire (upper outer part), a lining under it, a pair of pliers fastened with a belt (lower part), collars and a throat.
• Gouges (horse lobes). Leather straps connecting the yoke to the shafts. A rim strap is also attached to the tugs.
• Doug. Holds the harness around the shaft. The arc is not present in all harness sets.
• Bridle. A harness system attached to a horse's head to which controls are attached: reins and/or reins. Bridles are available with and without a snaffle (a metal element in the horse's mouth). A cowboy bridle is distinguished into a separate subgroup, which is distinguished by its execution from thin straps suitable for repairs outside the stable. Models without a snaffle, such as a hackamore, apply the main bridling pressure to the bridge of the nose. The impact is quite painful for the horse, and such systems are recommended for experienced riders or animals with problems with the oral cavity.
• Saddle. Partially transfers the traction force of the horse from the shoulders to the back. Acts as a shock absorber when driving on rough roads. The element includes a halter strap that holds the shaft, a collar and an arc, and girths with which this part of the harness is fixed on the horse's body.
• Belly (detail of saddle). Stabilizes the yoke with shafts, preventing their sharp fluctuations that can injure the horse.
• helmet. The main element brake system» crew. Responsible for holding the collar in place.
• Reins and reins. already mentioned controls. The former are usually used while sitting on a wagon. For the reins the horse is led by foot escorts.

Belt structures are traditionally made of leather (cow or pig). The reins are a partial exception. Their middle part can often be made of strong braid or rope.

All elements of the harness are selected according to the dimensions of the horse. Inconsistency with the proportions of the animal will reduce its effectiveness as a draft force and create a risk of injury at the point of contact.

Types of horse harness

By appearance Distinguish between ordinary and decorative (ceremonial) equipment. The latter is distinguished by an abundance of jewelry. So, a plume and other elements can be added to the usual elements of the harness. Another criterion by which horse harness is divided is the number of animals used for the harness. Their number varies from 1 to 8 individuals (more is rarely used). By design, the harness happens:

• Arc. All of the above items are present. Shafts are attached to the arc.
• Arcless (shaft-linear). The main part of the load falls on the harness. Shafts will join the saddle.
• Post-line. There are no solid elements in the system like shafts or arcs. The movement occurs due to the collar and lines. For ease of control, hand brakes can be included in the harness.
• Post-line drawbar. A drawbar is added to the belt structure, which regulates the movement of the cart in a straight line and on turns.
• Combined or European. It is used to create large teams - for 6-8 individuals. Includes shafts, drawbar and traces. Horses for such a harness must be correctly placed in terms of strength and height: the first pair are hardy animals, the last are strong ones to ensure braking. Between them are harness horses responsible for turns.
• Zug. The design was developed in Germany - the horses are harnessed in pairs, one after the other. The train is designed for six horses. One or two pairs are harnessed to the drawbar. Zug is rarely used today.
• Tachanochnaya. Another outdated solution designed for four horses. The animals are arranged in parallel, while the central pair is harnessed with the help of a drawbar, and the horses are held on the sides by traces.

Horse harness is a necessary "connector" between a horse and a wagon. It is necessary for the animal to pull the load, and the driver could control it. Harness is divided into several main categories intended for different types wagons and number of horses. But they are united general requirement- convenience and conformity to the dimensions of the horse. Harness that is too large or too small can injure the animal and reduce the quality of crew management.

High-quality accessories are very important when keeping horses, because these quivering animals feel great not only with human care and affection, but also when using the right harness. In this article we will look at how to properly select harness and harness horses.

Description and functions of the harness

Harness is all the elements that are used to saddle, harness and control a horse. The main purpose of the harness is to transfer its traction to carry a rider or move carts of various types in a qualitative and convenient way for the animal. For the owner of the ammunition of his horse for many centuries it was considered extremely important, so a lot of time was devoted to its selection and tuning. Now the situation is much simpler: all the harness can be purchased at specialized outlets both element by element and in full assembly.

The main components of the harness:

1. clamp- is the main component of the head part and the entire harness, transmits traction. It consists of the upper part - a tire, a belt, pincers, a lining for the neck, a collar and a throat.
2. horse-drawn belts(tugs, horse-drawn lobes) - they connect shafts with a collar, the rim belt also rests on them.
3. Arc- attaches tugs to shafts. In some types of harness is not a necessary element.
4. Saddle- a leather softening pad that cushions and helps to transfer the overload from the shoulders to the back of the animal while riding on rough roads or rough terrain. It is laid under the saddle belt, which holds the shaft.
5. Bridle- belts put on the horse's head, to which the control system is attached.
6. harness- a system stopper that holds the clamp in place.
7. underbelly- compensates for sharp movements of the shafts and collar, preventing injury to the animal.
8. Reins, reins- controls. By the reins, the horse is led next to him, and the reins are needed to control the crew from the wagon.

Important! The selection of each element of the harness is purely individual for each horse, since any mistake can lead to serious injury to the animal and significantly reduce its traction.

History of appearance

The first harness appeared about 5.5 thousand years ago on the lands of present-day Kazakhstan in those places where the first human attempts were made to tame the steppe horses. Parts of primitive equipment found in these places serve as evidence - even then a person began to think about how to domesticate this animal and use its power to help in hunting and everyday life.
The earliest well-preserved parts of the harness were found in Altai, where the Pazyryk culture existed during the Iron Age. In those days, amazingly beautiful harnesses were made with felt and leather elements, decorated with preserved metal elements. Harnesses were made by craftsmen who kept their secrets and passed them on only to descendants or close students.

Harness types

The harness is divided into different types according to the number of harnessed horses (from 1 to 8) and according to the application (everyday or front). There are such basic systems for managing horses:

• one-horse;
• wheelbarrow;
• post-line drawbar;
• post-line;
• combined;

Let us consider in more detail each of the listed types of horse harnesses.

One-horse

This type of harness is divided into non-arc and arc. There is no collar in the arcless one; instead, a harness is used, which transfers the load from the cart to the horse. The composition of this type of ammunition includes shafts and belts: bridle, reins, throats. Otherwise, such a system is called a shaft-post-line, while, often, the shafts here are used shorter and are attached to the saddle located on the back of the horse.
The arc harness is a classic European, verified for centuries - a collar, an arc, horse-drawn belts, shafts, saddles, reins, a bridle. In this case, the shafts are attached to the arc.

Tachanochnaya

An outdated type of harness, which was used when harnessing horses to move a cart (tachanka). In this version of the harness, the system consisted of strings that were worn on 4 animals, and a common drawbar. It would be erroneous to think that this type of harness made it possible to develop greater speed. It could be considered relatively large at the beginning of the last century, and even then, everything depended on the load of the transported cart.
This harness is a variant of the line-drawbar harness, when 2 more horses are attached to the sides of 2 animals fastened to the drawbar.

Did you know?The secret of the speed (up to 60 km / h) of the "Russian troika" is the help of 2 harness horses. The rootstock galloped at a trot, and the harness- a gait with the head bent to the side, so all crew members were less tired.

In this version, the drawbar is rigidly attached to the shafts, which is a universal option for harnessing both 1 and 2 horses. With the help of a harness, the drawbar is fixed near the horse's head, and a fastened belt fastens it to the collar. With this type of fastening, all movements of the horse are strictly consistent with the subsequent movements of the cart.

This type of harness, when using a two-wheeled cart, can injure the pet, since the load of the drawbar on the collar is too large. You can reduce the pressure by using a saddle with tightening the belts with the help of a saddle.

Post-line

From the name it is clear that there are no shafts in such a harness, and the animal is controlled using a belt drive. This type of control is very inconvenient and requires a lot of physical strength, since it is very difficult to keep the wagon and manage it even at low speed - the horse's burrows and inertia can lead to undesirable consequences.

Also, without the support of the shaft control, the wagon constantly strives to run into the horse and gets confused under its feet with the threat of injury. With this method of harnessing, the wagon must have a means of braking, which is not always possible to implement.

This type of harness is used in cases where it is necessary to harness a lot of horses - 6–8. When placing animals, a tactic is used in which larger and stronger individuals are placed in front, and smaller horses are positioned behind them. Combined harness involves the use of a system of drawbars, traces, shafts.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the features of managing such a crew. It is necessary to select horses for him very carefully. Strong and calm animals at the head of the "column" will securely hold the wagon, even if the weaker ones coming behind begin to knock down the step.

There are 3 types of horses involved in the combined harness:

• indigenous - keeping the direction and stability of the crew;
• fastened - fastened with strings in a pair or three to the main ones and are responsible for the correct movement during the turn;
• remote ones - the main labor force, are placed ahead of the indigenous ones and pull the entire system in a given direction.

Did you know?In Russia, the harness was painted with both pagan and Christian symbols - from paintings protecting from evil forces and wild animals, to signs meaning various saints.

The train team is not used in our time due to its archaic nature. Exceptions are historical shows, pleasure carriages, filming episodes for films. The system was made up of 6-8 horses, which were harnessed one after another singly or in pairs. This method was invented in Germany and is close to the post-line-drawbar: indigenous individuals are harnessed in 1-2 pairs, and all the rest are fastened with remote ones.
Due to the peculiarities of the train harness, the string of horses moved the wagon very slowly. Therefore, over time, the train was abandoned in favor of faster teams.

How to choose and harness a horse in a Russian harness

The elements of the harness were described above, and now we will consider the procedure for harnessing a horse using the example of a single-horse Russian harness:

1. The horse needs to be cleaned.
2. Inspect all elements of the harness for wear, malfunctions, inconsistencies in the length of the tugs - such things must be repaired or replaced.
3. Pass the interlace and underbelly connected by a ring through this ring, and throw the resulting loop onto the shaft.
4. Put on the animal a collar, a bridle and a saddle, which is located at the bottom of the withers.
5. Straighten the helmet at the withers and pull it so that a palm fits between its straps and the ischial tuberosity.
6. Then the horse enters the shaft: by stepping, reversing, or the system is simply put on it.
7. To install the arc, it is placed near the right hoof of the horse, and the tug is twisted to required size and leave near the end of the shafts.
8. The arc should be inserted into the horse-drawn loop with the left side, and right side throw over the shaft - this way the arc should fall on the horse's neck.
9. Insert the second shaft into the arc and attach to it with a horse-drawn loop.
10. The clamp must be tightened until the angle between the shaft and the arc is 90 °.
11. Tie the horse to the left shaft and insert the collar when the animal steps back.
12. Put on the head part of the harness, in which the horse should freely raise his head.
13. At the end of the harness, attach the reins to the bits, and draw one belt under the tug, and the second - above it.

Important!The clamp is put on up with tongs and only then turned over into correct position. In this way, you can correctly grasp the animal without excessive movement of the collar along the sensitive neck.

The choice of horses for harnessing is based on their endurance and mental abilities. Rigidly harnessed with a drawbar and shafts, individuals are not very capable of demonstrating their temper and, most likely, will obey the commands of the charioteer.
The choice of harness is carried out for certain purposes (in this case, the physical data of the horses must also be taken into account):

• field work;
• transportation of people or goods;
• sports and exhibition events;
• historical reconstructions;
• excursion service.

In our time, horses have already become quite exotic animals, to meet which, even grazing in the field, is a rarity. And there are few specialists left who understand horse harness. Although correct selection and harness adjustment are important both for the health of the animal and for the peace of mind of its owner.

A harness for a horse is an almost indispensable accessory that is used for the convenience of both the owner and the animal. The first, with the help of such equipment, indicates his dominant status and gets the opportunity to control the horse without coercion. The horse, with the help of the harness, learns to fulfill the duties assigned to it.

Today we will take a closer look at what horse harness is - why it is needed, what it consists of, what variations it has. We also offer detailed step-by-step instructions from which it will be possible to understand how to correctly harness a horse.

Archaeological finds have convincingly proved that people began to use primitive versions of horse harness in 2000 BC. It was most widespread in the era of antiquity, when the great military campaigns began.

The ancient Greeks, and after them the ancient Romans, gave great importance equipping their war horses, and therefore the harness for them was made with special skill. In those days, it was customary to make the harness not only durable, but also beautiful.

The custom of ceremonial dressing of horses was adopted by Europeans. In the Middle Ages, during the heyday of chivalry, they began to turn war horses into mobile fortresses, hanging heavy iron armor on them. Fortunately, this type of harness quickly sank into oblivion - not every horse could carry such a load, only powerful, tall, short-legged breeds that were not able to gallop, but were perfectly able to play the role of living tanks and could stomp their opponents.

In the Renaissance and Enlightenment, graceful, thin-legged Arabian horses began to come into fashion, for which the lightest harness was required. Some of its elements came from the everyday life of the Arab nomads, others were invented by Western riders on their own.

In Russia, the horse has long played several roles at once: it was not only a fighting friend, but also a faithful assistant in the household. Therefore, the Russian peasants came up with their own version of the harness, adapted specifically for the plow and cart. And on holidays, horses were harnessed to beautiful carriages or sleighs, if it was winter, for which decorative elements of the harness were used.

The famous horse troikas with painted arcs, bells and ribbons on them, with patterned collars and red tassels on the bridles are business card traditional Russian culture and a recognizable image: "Rus is a troika bird".

Features of horse harness

Horses are freedom-loving and temperamental animals that cannot be subjugated to their will by force. To find a common language with them, people should show patience and care, but also indicate their priority position. You can’t use rudeness in dealing with horses and hurt them, so a person had to come up with another way to control - this is how horse harness appeared.

For young animals, a light version of the harness is an element of education that serves to instill disciplinary skills. No wonder there is still a procedure for "taming" young animals. They go around the horse, putting on a bridle and a saddle for the first time. After that, he recognizes the person as his master and submits to him.

The horse is controlled by a system of belts and auxiliary parts, which are placed on the body in a special order. Harness is used both for riding and for moving in a wagon.

This type of equipment includes many elements, which, depending on the specific situation, can be used in different combinations. For example, in order to pull a wagon, the horse will have to be fully dressed, and to take it to the viewing path at the exhibition, only a bridle is enough.

Most often, the harness is made of good soft leather. Its quality plays a huge role, because the material is in close contact with the body of the animal.

The harness should be light, but at the same time durable, it is placed on the croup in a special way so that the horse does not experience discomfort and does not get hurt. If the straps accidentally rub the horse's skin, he will not be able to work, and such an incident also threatens with serious illnesses.

An improperly placed saddle, too tight a bit, or a tight rein will cause the animal to drop the rider or cause uncontrollable stress. Therefore, it is very important for horse breeders to know how to bridle their four-legged pets.

What is the harness made of?

Equipment for a horse includes many elements. All of them are connected to each other in a certain way, forming single system. The composition of parts may vary depending on the type of harness. For example, a collar is not used for riding, and a saddle is not used for a cart.

Table 1. The main elements of horse harness

Element	Description
	The main part of the draft harness used to attach a wagon or plow. It is a projectile of two wooden curved halves, superimposed on the horse's neck. Shafts from the wagon are attached to the collar.
	superimposed on upper part the back, a little further than the withers, serves to cushion and mitigate shocks while the horse is pulling the cart.
	It is fixed next to the saddle, serves to fix the collar and shafts.
	Shock-absorbing element which softens shocks from a collar during a trip.
	A belt around the croup of a horse that holds the entire harness to the body during hard braking.
	A long thin strap attached to the head and connected to the bit and rein.
	An iron short rod that is pushed through the horse's mouth and fixed between the teeth.
	They are fastened to the bit and serve to control the horse.
	Designed for riding, it also serves as a means of protecting the horse's back from excessive loads. Sometimes this element is also used when harnessing an animal to a wagon.

The main types of harness

There are several classification groups of equestrian equipment. So, depending on the scope of use, they distinguish agricultural harness (for field work), traveling (for equestrian sports) and transport (for wagons). In addition, the division is carried out according to the number of horses in teams, which are single, double and multi-horse (from three to 6-8 animals).

Classification is also made according to the method of harnessing, because it depends on which elements of the harness will or will not be used. In this case, there are seven groups.

1. Single-arc- only one animal is harnessed to the wagon, using a wooden arc and full horse-drawn vestments.
2. Shattering-post-line- in this case, all elements of the previous version are present, except for the arc. The leading role of the horse-drawn part is performed by the harness. Shafts have a shortened size and are attached not to the clamp, but to the saddle.
3. Line-drawing- the main element is the drawbar, with the help of which the rotary movements of the wagon are regulated. In this manner, you can harness one or two horses.
4. Post-line- the most simplified version without an arc and a shaft. The design is fixed with a clamp and trim straps. This type of harness is often equipped with a hand brake, because otherwise it is difficult to stop an overly accelerated horse.
5. Tachanochnaya- an outdated type of harness, designed for 4 animals. Two of them in the middle are harnessed with a drawbar, and the side horses are harnessed with the help of lines.
6. combined type- used for a large number of horses: 6-8. The equipment includes a drawbar, lines and shafts.
7. Tsugovaya- used for six horses. Indigenous animals are harnessed to the drawbar, and remote animals are fastened with traces.

How to properly harness a horse?

Immediately before putting on a harness on an animal, the equipment must be checked. All belts and fasteners must be intact. A damaged harness can burst due to the load, which is dangerous for both the horse and the driver. Also check out the horse. Special attention pay attention to the condition of the hooves and back.

The animal should be calm, if it is nervous and rushing about, then you should first find out the reason for such behavior, which may be the result of stress or an incipient disease.

Table 2. Step-by-step instructions for harnessing a horse

Illustration	Description
	Step one: first, a bit is inserted into the mouth, and a bridle is thrown on top.
	Step two: lift the bridle with your right hand and pass it between your ears, placing the forehead and forehead straps in their places.
	Step three: straighten the structure, then tighten the strap under lower jaw, but not much, so as not to strangle the animal - a fist must pass into the gap. All belts must lie flat, without twisting.
	Step Five: Put the yoke around your neck, pliers down.
	Step Four: Next, place the saddle on the front of the horse's back and tighten the girth underneath. It is necessary to fix this element moderately tight so that it does not move out, but also does not put pressure on the stomach.
	Step six: now go to the animal on the left, fasten and straighten the harness, make sure that between the croup and the belt there is a gap as thick as the edge of the palm of your hand.
	Step seven: then take in your hand the shaft and the halter rein - fasten it with a loop on a wooden stick, throw it over the horse's back and repeat the procedure on the other side.
	Step Eight: Put on the saddle and tighten the girth well.
	Step nine: trim the shafts to the same length, set the arc vertically, connect it to the shafts and tighten the tug with a knot. Do the same on the other side.
	Step Ten: Take the halter strap, pass it under the shaft and wrap it tightly around it.
	Step Eleven: Go to the horse's head, straighten the reins and pull them through the bit rings, first on the left, then on the right.
	Finishing: Recheck all knots and tension of the underbelly and harness.

Video - The process of harnessing a horse

How is a horse harnessed?

After hard work or a long trip, the animal gets very tired, so you need to remove the harness from it quickly, but carefully. First, they get rid of the wagon and weaken the girlfriends, letting the horse rest for about ten minutes. She needs to calm down, otherwise she may kick or bite a person in a fit of irritation.

After the horse comes into a good mood, the reins, underbelly and saddle are removed from it, then the collar and saddle are disposed of. Now the animal must be thoroughly wiped from sweat, and if it is cold in the stable, then cover it with a blanket on top.

Horse harness care

After removal, the ammunition should be carefully inspected for possible damage. The harness comes into contact with the skin of the animal, and therefore is saturated with sweat, road dust and dirt also settle on it. All dirt is thoroughly washed with a damp sponge, and then the harness is dried, after which it is smeared with special wax.

Once every two weeks, all belts are coated with saddle oil, otherwise they will begin to crack. Unused harness is hung on special racks in a well-ventilated room and carefully straightened so that creases do not form.

Conclusion

To control the horse, a special design is used, called a horse harness. It is a system of belts and auxiliary elements that are fixed on the animal's body in a special way. The horse should be harnessed according to a certain algorithm. Immediately before the procedure, you should make sure that the animal is not nervous and does not experience health problems.

The equipment is also carefully checked for integrity. After the harness is removed, it must be cleaned and dried, and then hung on racks for storage.

Video - How to make a bridle

Anyone who wants to have a good equestrian ride is certainly faced with the need to acquire a comfortable and practical harness for, without which it is impossible to effectively use the animal. And as soon as the question of harness arises, the need immediately arises to acquire a good arc for the horse. How to make an arc for a horse with your own hands?

The arc is the most recognizable part of the horse harness, whether it is urban (crew), yamskaya (triple), horse-drawn (draft), peasant, semi-yamskaya or any other. The purpose of the wooden arc is to hold the tugs (leather loops that connect the arc, collar and shafts) perpendicular to , otherwise, the animal will have scuffs on the shoulders and sides. Everyone knows what the quality of our roads is.

At the time when the idea of ​​a horse carriage arose (archaeological finds of the earliest examples of a horse arch in Russia date back to the 14th century), our roads were by no means better than today. The horse had to be protected from shocks and bumps. That's why they came up with an arc for a horse. She softened the blows, as the tugs attached to the arc stretched. From the desire to save the upper ones, an arc arose. And it became not only an important shock-absorbing, protective part of the horse harness, but also its decoration. Arches, especially on parade trips, were usually decorated with bright patterns or simply bows made of colorful fabric. And how many songs have been sung and poems written about the bell under the arc!

Beautiful arc dyeing

To make your own arc for a horse, you need to choose the right tree. Most best material for the arc of horses - willow or elm. Elm wood is very durable, and willow is famous for its lightness. But sometimes the arcs were also bent from oak, birch or hazel. Blanks for arcs cut in early spring when the sap in the tree trunks is just beginning to move.

The wood is sawn into logs up to two meters long and up to half a meter thick. And after that, the ridge is split into pieces, which will become blanks for future arcs. The thickness of the workpiece should be from 8 to 12 centimeters, length - from 150 to 180 centimeters. The ends of the workpiece must be trimmed to give them the shape of a future arc.

Elm wood

When the workpiece is cut and hewn at the ends, you need to prepare the wood for bending. In order for the tree to bend well, but not break, it must be steamed out. Here they acted differently. Some masters soaked the workpiece in water for 2-3 days, and before starting work, steamed its middle part in boiling water for 20-30 minutes.

Others covered the middle of the future construction with fresh manure and put it in a hot oven, where the wood was steamed out during the night. It is even easier to place the arc blank in the bath. For this purpose, in many baths there were poles under the ceiling, on which poles intended for arcs were laid. Under the influence of heat and steam, the wood became more ductile.

After the preparation of the arc for the horse is steamed enough, you can proceed to the most important technological process - bending. To do this, use an arc machine - a block with two parallel cutouts. The distance between the cutouts is what the distance between the ends of the finished arc should be.

The end of the arc blank must be laid in one of the cutouts, and after that, carefully begin to bend the steamed wood. This must be done without jerks and without haste. The work is heavy, so usually two or three people bend the arc. If the tree bends badly, then you can “steam” it with boiling water for greater plasticity. It may take several hours.

And now the bent end of the arc is opposite the free cutout of the block! It must be carefully and accurately driven there. The hardest part of the job is done! Now the outwardly protruding ends of the product must be firmly tied together with a strong twine or even pulled together with wire, and leave the product in this form until it dries completely.

Flexion mount

Finishing

After the arch for the horse has dried, it is taken out of the machine, the rope or wire that was used for fixation is untied. Now the arc needs to be processed. For these purposes, special planers or plows are used. The finished product can be decorated.

In the old days, this was done with the help of paints or carvings. Rich exits flaunted elegant carved arcs, on which one could see geometric patterns in the form of rhombuses and circles, and skillfully carved leaves, flowers, grapes. Sometimes they were painted with paint, and black, red, gold, blue and green colors were especially loved.

However, carving, coloring or simply elegant bows is a matter of taste. But what the arc cannot do without is without a bell or a bell. To do this, a metal loop called “zga” was attached to the upper inner part of the structure, where it has the very middle. Remember: "you can't see a thing"? That is, it is so dark that even the arc on the horse harness is not visible. A bell was hung on this zgu.

Painting and carving

So, from choosing a material to attaching a bell to a bell, you can make a do-it-yourself bow for a horse thanks to our detailed step by step instructions to fulfillment.