Can a saddle horse be used in harness?

I have some really good saddle horses, I'd like to train one of them to pull a buggy but I don't want to toughen his mouth... can a horse be used for both or will it desensitize the horse?

As a kid I had a shetland we used for both, but she was a tough mouthed bugger, and she never could neck rein or yield to leg pressure.

No discipline should make a horse hard mouthed. If the horse is developing a hard mouth from being reined in constantly, it's because he's not been trained to properly pull a cart and listen to cues. Driving should be absolutely no different then a soft English contact. Tons of horses both ride and drive without ever having mouth issues, so it's all in the training.

one hundred per cent right,most horses I ever drove would turn at the slightest pressure but I find it easier to train a driving horse to ride,then the other way around but as mm just posted theres no reason at all why a rider shouldent be a driver as well

Exactly, since the horse already knows all the cues from the bit, you shouldn't have to be any firmer with your hands in harness than you are from the saddle.

I don't see why your horse wouldnt be light on the cues as long as you did the work right toward making him or her a buggy horse Good luck!

Go have some fun!!! Driving is great and as already said should not make your horse's mouth tough.

Kristine