Ordering a Harness

I help people with their harness orders every day. I want to discuss a few of the questions that I get on a daily basis

What is a Combo End Trace?

The combo end trace is just as the name suggests. It’s a combination of the slot end trace style and the ring end trace style. I highly suggest everyone choose this style of trace end because it will allow you to hitch to several different kinds of vehicles.

The ring will allow you to use a quick release shackle style attachment for different vehicles as well as dragging things like tires, logs and other drags with your traces. This makes it so you don’t need a separate set of traces for each thing you want to do. Ultimately this could save you money!

The Combo End trace does NOT add any extra length to the trace. So, for example, if you ordered 62″ long traces this style trace will be 62″ long from end to end, the exact same length as the trace with only the slots.

What is the difference between black leather and the black carefree?

The leather lining will require some maintenance. It is a lovely soft, supple leather but you will need to clean it and oil it to keep it that way.

The carefree lining is NOT neoprene, nor does it trap heat and make them hotter. It is a waffle pattern material (that does NOT trap manure) that allows for some air flow between the horse and the lining and does not require special care. You can simply hose your harness off, along with your horse, after a hard work out, or an especially muddy drive.

The brown carefree is exactly the same material only brown in color. The russet leather is a brown color and will require the same care as the black leather. Please remember that we do NOT stock anything with brown lining anymore so those harnesses are special, made-to-order and will take 8-12 weeks for delivery.

I may want to drive a pair later. Do I have to order a pairs harness right now?

No. If you are driving a single horse right now then just order a single harness. The pairs ComfyFit and Pleasure style harnesses are EXACTLY the same as the single harnesses. The pair option is simply two single harnesses with all the parts and pieces to hitch your horses as a pair.

When your order a pairs harness you will receive:

• side pair rigging
• pair driving lines
• pole straps

If you know you want to drive pairs later make sure to order the Pair Ds with your single harness order. This will mean the shop will put an extra set of D rings BEHIND your trace buckle on your breast collar. This will allow you to attach your pair rigging from the breast collar, to the girth to the breeching. The breast collar that has the Pair Ds will also have rings in the front of the breast collar for the pole straps:

Please don’t think that you would order a single harness now for your one driving horse and then need to order TWO harnesses later to drive your current horse and your new horse as a pair. This is simply not the case.

I do not recommend ordering a pairs harness unless you have BOTH horses available for measuring. Trying to guess how big a young horse is going to mature may result in your second harness not fitting. And we can not guarantee fit on a horse that isn’t mature or can’t be measured. Our 100% fit guarantee will only apply to those harness in which the horse has been measured.

Which girth should I choose?

When you are ordering a ComfyFit harness there are three girth choices:

1)The Comfy Curve Girth is one of our newer girth options. This girth is the widest option and great for strenuous driving over varying terrain with lots of climbing up and then down, when the cart will want to tip forward and then back a bit. This style of girth will also ensure the buckles stay out of the horse’s elbow area. This is also a great option for those ponies with a bit of a belly that tends to pull the straight style girth forward into the girth groove, making the saddle sit at an angle, tipped back towards their tail. The shape of the curved girth will allow the saddle to sit a little further back without tipping or with much less tipping. The buckles sit below the end of the girth meaning they will not touch the horses sides.

2) The Elastic Girth is just that. It is a girth made from elastic material. This style is the narrowest of the three options but a great option if you are doing strenuous marathon style driving as it will flex with the horse, allowing it to take deeper breathes, and also will not slip and slide around as the horse is galloping through obstacles. You do need to be aware of how tight you are making. Since it does stretch it can get a little bit too tight. Both of the buckles are backed by our synthetic patent leather material and will not touch the horses sides.

3) The Standard ComfyFit Girth is the old straight, padded girth that has come with the ComfyFit harness for years and years. It’s the great oldie but goodie! This girth is well padded but a little narrower than the curved girth. Both of the buckles are padded and will not touch the horses sides.

The Comfy Color Harness

When you are ordering the Comfy Color harness please note, there is NO vinyl that will match the Hurricane Blue. Also, there is no photo in the product photos that shows Hurricane Blue. The blue colors shown are Royal Blue and Teal.

If you would like to see a few of our strap colors and their vinyl counterparts please head on over to the blog --> How well do the vinyl colors match the strap colors

When you order the Comfy Color harness the parts that will have vinyl colored trim are:

• the breast collar
• the breeching
• the padded neck strap

Also the brow band, the nose band, the neck straps and the hip straps can be colored strap. The lines can also be color. EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE HARNESS WILL BE BLACK. If you would like all the straps to be black please indicate that in the notes section when you order.

Let me repeat that: EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE HARNESS WILL BE BLACK.

Where do I put my measurements?

Once you have everything in your cart, you will click the Proceed to Checkout button:

The next screen will show your billing and shipping addresses. Scroll down BELOW these and you’ll see a box that says Order Notes (optional):

THIS is where you will put your measurements and any other information we need to know such as Brow Band style, what straps you would like what color (remember ONLY the brow band, the nose band, the neck straps and the hip straps can be colored straps…) and anything else you feel is important. This is also where you can ask to have someone call you about your order if you want to discuss it before it gets sent to the harness maker, collar maker, blacksmith or evener shop.

Please understand, we simply can not return/exchange ANYTHING that is made in color. So, be sure to measure twice so we only have to cut once. Also, be sure to do your research, check the blog for more information or call us to ask questions before ordering. We have compiled a lot of information on this website and understand that it can be overwhelming. In that case we are always happy to help! Just reach out through email, mindy@chimacumtack.com or amie@chimacumtack.com or call us at 224-HARNESS (224-427-6377)

Mindy will try to call when orders seem out of place or don’t make sense but it’s simply not possible for her to call for every order. There are times when customers want wider lines due to arthritis or hand issues and checking each order for these discrepancies is just not possible.

We do have descriptions of the different strap widths that are the “norm” for each size equine. Go to this blog --> What size proportion do I need for my large pony?

The driving line products will also have the “normal” width of lines depending on the equine size: Driving Lines

Feel free to write in the notes box (this will show up AFTER you click the button “Proceed to Checkout” found in your cart) that you would like Mindy to reach out to you about your order. This will ensure you receive a phone call!!