Build a horse collar by steam-bending or laminating two curved arms of ash, oak or hickory, sizing the opening 2-3 cm larger than the animal’s measured neck all round, padding the inner face thickest at the sides where the shoulders bear the load, and covering it with smooth leather or canvas. Any wrinkle or seam ridge on the inner face will cause a sore within hours of work.
Part of Harness & Yoke Making
Making a padded horse collar: measuring, bending the frame, padding and covering it, and shaping it to the individual animal.
The Inner Face Decides Whether The Collar Works
The frame sets the geometry, but the animal feels only the padded face. It must be smooth and evenly firm, with no lumps or thin spots, because the pressure under a collar is high and a single ridge turns it into a sore.
What You Need
- Two curved hardwood pieces (or laminated strips) of ash, oak or hickory.
- Heavy leather or canvas for the shell.
- Stuffing — straw, wool, cattail fluff or salvaged foam.
- Inner lining — smooth leather or canvas.
- A needle and waxed thread — see Saddle Stitch.
- Steam-bending gear — see Steam Bending.
- The horse, standing square.
Method: Collar In Five Steps
Step 1: Measure the animal. With the horse standing square, measure: the width of the neck at the base, just above the shoulders; the height from the point of shoulder to the top of the neck; and the depth of the chest at the shoulder point.
Step 2: Shape the frame. Steam-bend or laminate two curved arms. The opening should match your measurements with 2-3 cm clearance all around. The collar must be wide enough to slip over the head, then rotate 180 degrees to sit in working position.
Step 3: Pad the frame. Build up stuffing on the inner face, thickest at the sides where the shoulders bear the load, to a smooth, even bearing surface with no lumps or thin spots.
Step 4: Cover. Stitch the covering tight. The face against the horse must be very smooth: any wrinkle or seam ridge will cause a sore within hours of work.
Step 5: Shape to the animal. Work the collar against the horse’s shoulders, pressing and adjusting the stuffing until pressure distributes evenly. No two horses have identical shoulders.
Worked Example
Opening size from the measurements. Suppose the measured neck width at the base is 30 cm (an assumed figure for illustration). With 2-3 cm of clearance on each side:
- Smallest opening: 30 + 2 + 2 = 34 cm.
- Largest opening: 30 + 3 + 3 = 36 cm.
So a 30 cm neck calls for a 34-36 cm opening across that dimension. Repeat for height and depth. Remember the collar must also slip over the head, which can be wider than the neck at the base; check that the opening passes the head before covering it.
Common Mistakes
- Lumpy stuffing — a thin spot concentrates pressure; rework before covering.
- Seam on the inside — keep stitching off the contact face.
- Skipping the individual fit — a collar made to measurements still needs shaping on the animal.
- Fitting only the width — also check height and chest depth.
Safety
Hot steam and an animal that dislikes having its head handled
Steam bending uses scalding steam and hot wood; wear gloves and keep the steam outlet away from your body. When trying the collar on, tie the horse with a quick-release knot, stand beside the shoulder, and slip the collar over the head slowly, because a horse that panics with a collar around its head can injure itself and you.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Hames & Traces — attaching the pull
- Combine with: Padding & Cushioning — materials for the stuffing