[drivingpairs] Re: tandem stuff



Anne -
I don't use tandem as I just haven't been able to get the hang of them (pun
intended).  I seem to do better by hooking my leader's traces to the bottom
of the buckle on the wheeler's tugs.  Yes, it's a special buckle on the tug
(the leather that comes off the hames) with an eye on the bottom for the
trace snap to go into.  And yes, the trace snaps are special, too!  This is
another correct way of hooking leader to wheeler in addition to the tandem
bars.

However, for everyday training I have sort of cobbled tandem harness out of
two completely different single harnesses .....
Web straps from a western curb chain - you'll need the kind that threads
through the chain, not the riveted kind.
2 large metal rings (mine came from old, broken halters in the 'never throw
anything away pile')
2 Medium sized caribiner snaps

Thread a web strap onto each ring, put a caribiners on the end of your
leader's traces.  Works best if you have the slot end traces.

The web straps fit on my wheeler's breastcollar (yes, breastcollar) one on
each side just behind the neck strap where the trace is sewn to the chest
piece.  I buckle each one so they fit tightly.  Then it's just a matter of
snapping the caribiner's from the leader's traces into the rings.  My
harness maker was kind enough to indulge my tandemania and make two sets of
traces for the leader's breastcollar so I can have a 'normal' single harness
and an 'abnormal' one, too!

However, before I had the leader traces I used an old (but still good) set
of english stirrup leathers threaded through a set of regular single traces
to give me the necessary length for tandem.  I put snaps on the very end of
the stirrup leathers and wrapped each leather with a little electrical tape
to keep them together.  As your leader isn't supposed to be in draft I
didn't want the doubled stirrup leathers to be a potential trip hazard -
when the leather isn't taunt it's easy for the wheeler to catch a leg in
between the two straps.  I later made up some keepers out of old reins to
replace the electrical tape.
I used this set up as my marathon harness in training level and never
received a bad comment about it.

Clear as mud?  I might have some pics around here someplace if you need to
see it all in action!

Debra Halsted
Just Because Farm
Wheatfield IN


----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Albee <storytella@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 5:04 PM
Subject: [drivingpairs] tandem stuff


>
>
>
>
> Thanks for the tandem hooking info. Does anyone have a close up picture of
> the attachment of the leaders traces? From looking at the pictures here on
> Driving pairs, it seems some use a single tree, but others don't, or at
> least I can't see it in the pics. Help with that attachment is needed.
> THanks,
> Anne
>
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