Ensuring a good harness fit really does rely on good measurements. I spent some time today making videos and taking photos of me measuring for different things, a harness, hoof boots and good halter measurements. These videos are for purchasing a harness or a halter from Chimacum Tack and the hoof measurements are for Equine Jogging boots, but I think you will get a pretty good idea regardless of where you decide to purchase your equipment from!
First of all I just recently received the COOLEST measuring stick for measuring horses for a collar and hames style collar. It’s called the EZ Horse Neck Measure!
It makes measuring for a neck collar or a SuperFlex collar so much easier than the two squares. I plan on loaning mine out to those that would like to borrow it. Though they will be for sale over on Chimacum Tack as well!
Zorro above and Mikey below. So even though Mikey is a bigger pony than Zorro is he measures for a smaller collar than Zorro. I have a 14″ collar and hames and they fit Zorro very well but are too big for Mikey. When I used them for our Christmas pictures I had to use a lot of padding to make it work for Mikey.
Mikey’s neck ties in much higher than Zorro’s does which is what effects the collar measurement:
How to Measure for a Harness:
How to Measure for a Halter:
And finally How to Measure for Hoof Boots:
Something else I found interesting was how much Zorro has grown and changed since I took his measurements in April. These changes aren’t just hair and chubbiness because some of them are actually just plain bigger, like his nose band. But I knew that one had changed because around the middle of summer I quit being able to use the nose band on his MaraFUN bridle.
This is part of the reason we like your harness to fit on the middle holes when it is adjusted and on your horse. This will give you some adjustments for when they grow a little bit or get chubby or hairy. Zorro turned three in May and apparently had a growth spurt over the summer!
Some of these measurements are very different. I hope he doesn’t grow much more or he will out grow his MaraFUN harness all together! Though I am sure some of you wouldn’t mind that as it would mean I would have to sell it 😉
So to sum up. Good measurements are very important for a good harness fit. And sometimes those young horses will outgrow your harness even if you have good measurements! LOL!