Hames are two curved wood or metal pieces that clamp to the outside of the collar, and traces of leather, chain or strong rope run from them back to the load: short and attached to the shafts for a cart, 2-3 m long for a plow or log. The hame straps must hold the hames tight to the collar at top and bottom, because shifting hames concentrate the pull on a small area and create sores.
Part of Harness & Yoke Making
The force path from collar to vehicle: how hames hold the collar, how traces carry the pull, and what fails when either moves.
The Hames Must Follow The Collar Exactly
Everything the animal pulls passes through these two pieces. The hames take the pull from the collar at their rear attachment points and the traces take it from there to the load. If a hame sits off the collar’s curve, or a strap slackens, the pull no longer enters the collar evenly, and the animal’s shoulder pays for it.
What You Need
- Hames — carved from a naturally curved branch or steam-bent wood that follows the collar’s curve exactly, or steel hames salvaged from farm equipment or forged by a blacksmith. Steel hames are stronger and last longer.
- Hame straps — one at the top, one at the bottom.
- Traces — heavy leather straps, chain or strong rope.
- Trace hooks or pins — that a hand can release.
Method: Hames And Traces
Step 1: Match the hames to the collar. Wooden hames must follow the collar’s curve exactly. Lay them on the collar and look for gaps.
Step 2: Strap them tight. Buckle the hame straps at top and bottom. They must hold the hames tight to the collar; if the hames shift, pulling force concentrates on a small area and creates sores.
Step 3: Choose the trace length by the job. For a cart: short, attached to the shafts. For a plow or log: long, 2-3 m.
Step 4: Choose the trace material. Heavy leather straps, chain or strong rope. Rope stretches and should be inspected for wear.
Step 5: Rig the release. Attach each trace to the vehicle or load with a hook or pin that one hand can free quickly. Test it with weight on the trace before use, because an animal that bolts while hitched is the worst case.
Worked Example
Force on each trace. The inputs are assumed for illustration: a steady draught of 1,000 N (about 102 kg-force), two traces, and a trace angled 10 degrees above horizontal.
- Horizontal share per trace: 1,000 / 2 = 500 N.
- Tension in an angled trace: 500 / cos 10 degrees = 500 / 0.985 = 508 N.
- Upward component per trace: 508 x sin 10 degrees = 508 x 0.174 = 88 N.
So each trace is nearly the same size as its horizontal share, but 88 N of it lifts the collar instead of moving the vehicle. This is why the harness-design article advises traces as nearly horizontal as possible. Peaks are larger than the steady pull, for example when a wheel catches, so trace material must be sound well beyond the steady figure.
Common Mistakes
- Mismatched hames — a gap between hame and collar concentrates the pull.
- Loose hame straps — hames shift as the animal works.
- Unequal traces — one trace carrying more than its share pulls the collar sideways.
- Using rope traces unchecked — frayed or wet rope can part under a peak load.
Safety
A parted trace or chain whips back
A chain or rope trace that breaks under load snaps back toward the animal and the driver. Stand to the side of the traces, never in line with them, when a load is first taken up. Inspect links, hooks and splices before each use, and rehearse the quick release.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Fitting & Adjustment — keeping the collar where the hames expect it
- Combine with: Harness Design — trace angle and breeching