# Where can I buy a harness?



## Amanda Johnson (Mar 30, 2019)

I have a wether that is training to pull. He knows commands, is already pulling a small wagon, and has no problem with a light load of sticks. The problem is I dont have and actual pulling harness or a real wagon/cart he can pull. I have searched far and wide and cannot find any. He is currently using a horse halter and I use lead ropes to make the rest. If you know were I can get a real harness or wagon/cart please let me know!


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## Lance (Jul 9, 2020)

I was raised with draft horses and had to maintain and build harness. If you have a harness to work with you can Build them for a fraction of the cost and customize them to your needs


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Amanda Johnson said:


> I have a wether that is training to pull. He knows commands, is already pulling a small wagon, and has no problem with a light load of sticks. The problem is I dont have and actual pulling harness or a real wagon/cart he can pull. I have searched far and wide and cannot find any. He is currently using a horse halter and I use lead ropes to make the rest. If you know were I can get a real harness or wagon/cart please let me know!
> View attachment 178959


@Damfino


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

What a lovely little wether! My first harness was also a horse halter. You can get by with it, but your goat is going to grow out of it really fast!

This is my website and I have several driving articles posted: 
https://www.goatorama.com/articles/
The first article, "Why Whiffletrees?" has a lot of advice on how to select and fit a harness. Make sure to also click on the harness diagram following it so you can learn how to identify the parts and pieces.

For a full-sized goat, the best option may be to look for a used miniature horse harness and then modify it a little for your needs. For example, cruppers are pretty useless on goats and the bridle usually won't fit a goat's shorter head. However, the rest of the harness may be just right with a couple of holes punched here or there. If I have a choice, I go for the "Mini A" size since goats lack the bulk of a miniature horse even if they are taller. If you can't find a used mini harness, some horse catalogs sell them pretty cheap even new. If you go for a new option, I recommend nylon (cheapest), betathane, or biothane (more expensive but they look like leather without the maintenance). Don't waste your money on a cheap leather harness. They almost never fit well, the leather is often stiff and/or stretchy, and they usually have dry rot in a few places right out of the box. The only way to get a decent leather harness is to shell out big bucks for high quality new, or else get a lucky deal on a nice used one.

Goat-specific harness are harder to find but they're out there. Caprine Supply still sells one I think. It's not super cheap but it's good quality and will last you forever with care. I still have the one I bought in 2003 and it's as functional now as it was when I bought it, only the nylon is a bit fuzzy after all these years.

I bought higher end harnesses for my goat team in 2016 from Chimacum tack. They will custom make your hareness from betathane or biothane. I prefer betathane for the matte leather look and softer feel. We go in a lot of parades in addition to pleasure driving, so it's nice to have good, serviceable, easy care harnesses that hold up well to everyday use but can still polish up nicely for a fancy event.

Best of luck to you! I love seeing other folks training their goats to drive!


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