source for horse collars?

[10nycav]

Hello all,

Does anyone know a good source for collars for artillery horses that would be period correct? The collars we are presently using were obtained used, and I don't know who made them. We are needing to purchase more collars. One friend of mine who has driven horses for ages recommended Coblentz Collars in Ohio, but the stitching on the collars he got from them is bright white modern thread and I presume that period harness would have used linen thread with kit finish. Also the leather lacing on most modern work collars I have seen is brown or even white, whereas I am assuming that a proper artillery collar should be black leather throughout. Any help finding correct collars would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Ken Morris

[tmattimore]

Re: source for horse collars?

Try Broadhead Collar. Colbentz used to make a driving collar that was closest to the original. The ones with the lace are work collars. At $33.00 per lb versus $12.00 per lb you will probably not find any collar makers who use linen instead of nylon.

[10nycav]

Re: source for horse collars?

The ones we are using presently are work collars. Is this incorrect? If so, what type of collar should we be using? We have some carriage driving collars around, but they are full face and not as well suited to our muscular Canadian horses as the work collars (half sweeney) are.

Thanks!
Ken

Try Broadhead Collar. Colbentz used to make a driving collar that was closest to the original. The ones with the lace are work collars. At $33.00 per lb versus $12.00 per lb you will probably not find any collar makers who use linen instead of nylon.

[tmattimore]

Re: source for horse collars?

The 1851 harness drawings show a driving collar. The only change in the 60's is the saddle. If I recall we use a broad head # 12 in half sweeny which is fuller then a light driving collar. The main consideration being the fit to the horse.