[drivingpairs] Neck Yokes-Long

I am going to say no to converting your present pole.

There are three general classes of neck yoke poles. 
Each works on the same principles, a yoke between
horses, but poles are NOT interchangable between the
styles of yokes.

The first is the marathon pole for marathon vehicles. 
Usually spring loaded to carry itself on the front of
vehicle.  No weight on horses necks.  Short pole made
of metal tubing, so yoke ends at horses chest. 
Nothing sticking beyond the pole.  Fits MODERN
vehicles, usually mostly metal ones.

Second is the drop pole used on buggies.  Very light,
and pretty long.  This is the one used with light
weight, American vehicles, buggy types, surreys.  Name
comes from being able to drop to the ground when not
harnessed.  Yoke must hold pole up when driving.  Pole
fastened to vehicle front with bolt, clip pins, which
allow an up and down motion for horse movement and
gentle hills in a road.  Yoke leather tab slides over
the end of pole.  Pole end has a cap with a raised
collar about 10" back to prevent yoke from running up 
the pole.  Pole should have a safety strap to fasten
around yoke.  Strap is to prevent yoke from falling
off the end, by accident.  Yoke should stay on until
safety strap is unfastened!  Pole is longer than a
marathon pole would be, plus extra length beyond the
yoke.  This allows horses to be hitched comfortably,
not tightly but not very loose either.  Traces should
be tight before pushing yoke.  Bigger horses would
need longer pole to not kick vehicle when trotting
fast.  Yoke attachment plus straps to collar, will
allow more slack/play, than marathon yoke clips.  I
would recommend using neck collars, not breast collars
for this kind of yoke.  The horses will have to
support the pole weight the whole time they are
hitched.  A neck collar is wider to spread load on a
bigger neck area.  Evener with singletrees is how
traces attach at vehicle.

Third type of neck yoke is the draft horse hitch,
usually seen on big wagons.  That neck yoke is large,
thick with a big metal ring to fit over the heavy
dropped pole used on wagons.  Pole end sticks out of
neck yoke ring a fair length, to prevent yoke coming
off by accident.  There is a stopper on the bottom of
pole to prevent yoke running up the pole.  Extra
length of pole gives horses control of vehicle as well
as preventing accidental yoke coming off.  Draft horse
style hitching is usually pretty loose, since they
have a long time in harness.  Don't want to sore the
horse, but does give more room before horses and yoke
get in draft.  Extra pole length beyond yoke stopper
is REALLY needed.  Also may be used to put more horses
out front, like a four or six, so additional divider
pole and eveners would be hung off the pole's  end on
wagon.  Again, neck collars are recommended.  Wagon
poles are VERY heavy.  Pole weight is on horse necks
the whole time horses are hitched.

Both the dropped pole and wagon poles must have extra
pole length beyond yoke or safety strap to prevent
yoke from coming off. Too long of traces allow horses
out too far. They can push yoke off the end of pole. 
Removing the yoke will allow the pole to DROP
instantly.  It WILL spear into the ground, stopping
vehicle, usually creating a bad accident, since horse
have NOT stopped. Pole might slide on pavement.  I
don't want to picture it!

Fixed polesstick out the front of vehicle, no give,
hold themselves up in front of vehicle, use pole heads
with rings for straps or chains.  These do not change
into any other kind of pole.  Vehicle must first be
suitable for a yoke style pole.  Fixed poles are
HEAVY, THICK, because horses use the long pole to
control the vehicle (usually heavier than a buggy) for
turns, stopping.  Fixed pole should stick out past
horses heads to lessen the angle of pull sideways. 
Long pole makes strap to chest almost staight ahead. 
Horses stopping, are almost straight back, in their
push against the breeching and pole straps of chest
connection.  Martingales ARE recommended.  There is a
mathmatical formula for length of fixed pole and horse
size, to get the best use of animals.  A size table is
posted at the ADS site.  

Perhaps you can post some pictures.  We are better
able to advise, when we see what you are working with.
 However if vehicle has got a fixed pole, it probably
won't change well.  Body designed to work a certain
way.  Many vehicles available with other pole
attachments, that might suit you better, if you wish
to change.  Perhaps someone local can let you see a
drop pole, modern or marathon vehicle in action.  Each
style has good and bad. You may dislike them after
seeing them in use!

Kathy Robertson
 
> Those of you who use a yoke on your pole - that
> seems like a good idea.  My pole 
> now has the loops right on the end.  I looked in the
> Witmer catalog and saw 3 
> yokes.  They all seem to have a little leather tab
> with a hole in it as the 
> center element.  Can I just take the crab off my
> (wooden)pole and attach the 
> yoke?  What kind of hardware do you need to attach
> the leather tab to the pole? 
>   Neither my husband nor I are all that experienced
> with driving a pair, but he 
> is an engineer and _very_ good at making stuff.  I
> did get a very good reminder 
> to have some safety backup keeping the yoke on the
> pole - that certainly seems 
> like a good idea.
> Stephanie
> Blasted Rock Farm
> Naples, NY
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2003 22:44:24 -0500
> From: dogsnponies@xxxxxx
> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Marathon yoke
> 
> 
> My old boyfriend made me one using a spare
> swingletree from the carraige.  Took a little
> ingenuity and a few trips to the hardware/auto parts
> store.  They don't come cheap from the manufacturers
> and unless you are ordering it on the pole to begin
> with- even worse.  I have a very clever metal
> fabricator here in NJ that helps me with a lot of
> modifications.  
> Tracey
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of drivingpairs Digest V2 #27
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