Historical information

The early settlers of Victoria depended on horse drawn vehicles to farm, make roads and railways, deliver produce and transport people. Horse harnesses were an important requisite for all drivers and could be found wherever there were working horses.

Horse Harnesses have played an essential role in different cultures throughout history. Simple, utilitarian horse harnesses made of leather straps and iron rings were being used in early China before AD 500 as well as ancient Greece and Rome, allowing horses to pull chariots and ploughs. The Greeks and Romans were the first to use a "horse collar" which distributed the weight of the harness evenly across the horse's chest rather than relying on a "throat harness" that could damage a horse's throat or choke them. During the medieval period, European horse harnesses became more elaborate and decorative. Variations of different horse harnesses were also found in Native American and Middle Eastern cultures.

Horse Harnesses usually have four basic components which include -
1. Communication - the bridle, bit and reins allows the driver to communicate instructions and commands to the horse, guiding its movement and direction.
2. Draft - the collar, hame straps, hames, traces and chains enables the horse to draw and pull the load efficiently by distributing the weight and transferring the pulling force to the vehicle.
3. Stopping - the breeching band, pole straps and breast strap helps to control or stabilise the horse and vehicle when moving downhill or stopping.
4. Support - the back pad, backband, belly band and back saddle keep the harness in the correct position and proper alignment.


This show harness was used by Mr. Andy Bourke when showing his Clydesdales at shows or demonstrations. Although a more modern example with decorative embellishments, it still has many essential components traditionally found in an everyday working horse harness. The original purpose of the "housen" for example, was to run rain or drizzle off the horse's neck when they had to work in wet conditions - it was laid flat for this purpose on the top of the collar. Nowadays it is purely for show and is often used to advertise a business or stud. Horse brasses and fly terrets were fastened to various parts of a horse's harness. In the early days they probably began as amulets to ward off evil and to bring good luck and continued to be used as a festive decoration. The heyday of horse brasses was between the years 1851 and 1900. Horse brasses are fastened to various parts of the harness with many of their designs being symbolic. The ornamentation on this harness (although not authentic horse brasses) are based on the horse brasses that were popular in the 19th century.

Significance

This horse harness is a significant example of the equipment that was needed wherever heavy horses were being used - particularly in the early years of Victoria's settlement by white settlers. Harnesses such as this example were used with stage coaches, drays, farming equipment, delivery carts and personal transportation.

Physical description

A leather and metal horse harness used when showing a Clydesdale (or other breed of heavy horse). It is made up of a number of components.
1. Decorative leather cart saddle with two large cloth pads underneath (which have a scalloped leather and stud border), a raised leather pommel and a silver and red coloured metal back strap holder across the top. It has two symmetrical sets of ornamentation (silver hearts and circles) in the front and a wide strap or girth (with a maker's stamp reading "R. Mitchell Saddler") and buckle which attaches the saddle to the horse.
2. Pair of steel hames which are gently curved (to fit on a horse collar) and are topped with steel knobs. They have several steel rings and lugs (to hold straps and chains) and a "Made in England Warranted Steel" stamp.
3. Breeching harness which consists of a number of leather straps, chains and metal rings including a wide padded leather strap with a scalloped edge that sits on the back of the horse and a thick leather strap that goes around the hind quarters of a horse which is joined to the back strap with four shorter vertical straps and buckles. These straps feature silver and red patent leather trim and silver heart shaped ornamentation. The strap also features the maker's stamp of "R. Mitchell".
4. Decorative leather bridle with blinkers featuring the same silver and red patent leather trim on the cheek piece, brow band and throatlatch. It has a stainless steel "Liverpool Driving Bit" with a curb chain, a variety of decorative silver ornaments (rosettes, diamonds plus a heart and two circles) on each end of the forehead band, dropper and strap as well as a silver metal bell (sometimes known as a "fly terret" or "swinger") that sits on the headpiece of the bridle.
5. Leather "violin shaped" dropper (or hanger) with two silver rosette shaped ornaments and a stainless steel clip on the top
6. Stainless steel "Liverpool Driving Bit" with a straight mouthpiece which is ribbed on one side. It has three rein spots (spaces) and a curb chain.
7. Leather arch shaped "Housen" covered in black and red patent leather and decorated with silver studs (some spelling out F H) and bordered with a red fringe. It has a leather strap at the back and two leather loops on the front.
8. Leather padded backband (Australian style "Stallion Draught Roller") decorated with two groups of nine metal "horse brasses" or harness ornaments displaying horseshoe, starburst and horse head designs on blue, red and white striped webbing. The backband has three notched straps at each end, a buckle near the centre and the initial B stamped in two places underneath.
9. Bellyband made of leather and red, white and blue striped webbing. It has a set of three buckles at each end (which correspond with the notched straps of the backband).
10. Wide, thick leather strap which has a buckle and notches at each end. It also has the maker's stamp of "R. Mitchell Saddler".
11.One pair of long leather traces - each with a buckle and notched loop at one end, decorated with a small silver diamond shaped harness ornament.
12. Length of stainless steel heavy duty chain with two swivel connectors.

Inscriptions & markings

Saddle -
"R.MITCHELL / SADDLER"
Hames -
"MADE IN ENGLAND / WARRANTED / STEEL"
"MADE IN ENGLAND / WARRANTED / unclear"
Breeching Straps -
"R. MITCHELL / MAKER / R. MITCHELL MAKER"
Housen -
"F H"
Backband
"B / B'
Wide leather strap -
"R. MITCHELL / SADDLER"