These two Euro Style breast collars have been very popular lately! I like them because they are a bit easier to fit than the Deluxe breast collar, for instance, and a little more forgiving. But there are a few tricks to getting the fit just right.

Trick #1

Make sure you get at least TWO collar caps when you receive your harness or collar. I usually ask the shop to send two and will be sure that I call and request this is done on all Euro style breast collar orders.

You should have one that is a bit shorter and then one that will give you a little more length. This will help you fit more than one pony or horse AND will allow you to adjust the breast collar fit during the seasons aka, fuzzy season and sleek season.

The collar caps come in two sizes for each size of horse:

• Mini – 10″ long and 13″ long
• Small Pony – you can use the 10″ long plus have the option of a 13″ and 16″ long cap
• Pony – 13″ long and 16″ long
• Horse – 14″ long and 20″ long
• Draft – 18″ long and 24″ long

Trick #2

Do NOT try to tighten the collar cap buckle above the longest hole adjustment (the first hole on the strap). In other words, if you need the collar to be a little smaller, go down to a smaller collar cap. Do not pull that strap up to a higher hole.

Pulling the strap up to a tighter hole will cause the breast collar to gap at the shoulder. This will cause the breast collar to not lay flat and will mean the horse or pony is pushing into the edge of the breast collar instead of into the flatter wider surface. This will also cause the breast collar to only work on the very front of the chest and not on the front of the chest and the front of the shoulder.

If you are using the shortest collar cap and your collar is still a little too big you need a smaller collar!

Trick #3

Don’t use this style of breast collar to pull a heavy load. If your easy entry cart is heavy and then you add one or two people, this style of breast collar will NOT make their job easier. To be honest a regular breast collar won’t really help either, but I know for sure you won’t be happy with how the euro style breast collar works under these circumstances. Some of the easy entry style carts out there weigh well over 100 pounds (for the minis and small ponies) and this always needs to be taken into account.

I have talked about the line of draft ad nauseam and will not reiterate here but please do NOT use a euro collar with a Pioneer cart, a wagon, a sled, an easy entry with a low line of draft, etc…

And if you missed the other blogs about this you can go read them here:

When can you use a Euro style Collar?

Why a collar and hames?

The Breast Collar

Collars, Line of Draft, Balance of Draft

Trick #4

Always use the false martingale and DO NOT use the neck connector strap.

The false martingale will just help keep the front of the breast collar laying flat, similar to the Deluxe style breast collar.

The neck connector strap will not allow the top of the SuperFlex of the Comfy Collar to lay flat but will cause it to tip. This will not be comfortable for your horse or pony (or donkey or mule!!).

Trick #5

You can use the nicely padded Comfy Collar cap on the SuperFlex and visa versa, the lighter weight thinner SuperFlex collar cap on the Comfy Collar. They are interchangeable. So if you are worried about the SuperFlex collar cap NOT being padded just ask for the padded Comfy Collar cap, or head on over to the website and order yourself one --> Comfy Collar Cap

And lastly here is a video where I show the differences between the SuperFlex, the Comfy Collar and the Collar and Hames:

**Please note: I have a small pony so use him and his harness for the videos. What I am sharing, showing and talking about applies to every sized equine from the smallest mini to the largest draft horse, the smallest donkey to the mammoth donkey and the smallest mini mule to the largest draft size mule.