Historical information

A horse collar is a part of a horse harness that is used to distribute the load around a horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plough. The collar often supports and pads a pair of curved metal or wood pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached.

Physical description

The horse collar is oval, rather than circular and it is not very flexible. It is padded with a straw- like fibre and the shape conforms to the shape of the horse's body. A strap and buckle is attached to adjust to the horses' neck and shoulders. The other buckle on the opposite side of the collar has no complementary strap to attach to it.