"LIMBER TEAM TACK" Topic

I am painting French artillery. Iknow that the draft horses wear black bridles, and the blankets are grey. But I have some questions.

Behind the wooden collars is padding – what color?

The rigging by which the horses are attached to the limber is made of rope, so I assume that's a natural tan color, but there are straps over the rump and over the back which hold the ropes in place. What color is that leather tack?

"Behind the wooden collars is padding – what color?"

Are you sure it's wooden? The hames(collar)I've seen and worked with are leather. Not sure what the padding is you refer to. The Clydesdales I have helped harness required no padding under the hame. Maybe French practices differ.

"The rigging by which the horses are attached to the limber is made of rope, so I assume that's a natural tan color, but there are straps over the rump and over the back which hold the ropes in place. What color is that leather tack?"

Are you sure these are rope. The ones I have dealt with are leather with chain at the end. The most common leather color for harness I would say would be black.

yes, the rope of natural hemp colour, the tack otherwise also "buff", the collar is wood indeed, padding – looks like black on my Rousselot plates.

von Winterfeldt,

Thanks for the tips. Your opinion squares with the pictures I've seen.

Matt,

I'm real impressed that you have harnessed clydesdales. My question, however, regards French artillery tack in the early 19th century. Not the same thing. Thanks anyway.