Q. There seems to be different opinions about when russet harness is appropriate. When should it be used?
A. There was never any precise rule about this; it is really a matter of taste. In general it depends on the kind of carriage being used and whether it is intended to be drive in the city or in the country. Russet harness was used in the country for informal occasions partly because it looked better in dusty conditions and was thought to be easier to clean.
Garland, in “The Private Stable”, advises buying black harness which is appropriate for all occasions, whereas russet has only a limited use. He lists the carriages to which russet harness might be used as including Runabouts; Lady’s Phaetons; Buckboards; Station Wagons; two-wheeled vehicles of a simple character. The latter would include Governess Carts, Road Carts (Meadowbrooks, etc.), Village Carts, Tandem Carts of the ‘Going to Cover’ or Whitechapel sorts. A George IV Lady’s Phaeton with a groom in livery would not be an appropriate vehicle for russet harness.
If black harness is used with a natural wood vehicle, then the leather trim on the shafts, etc. should also be of black leather. This is intended only as a guide for the show ring.
Russet harness of the best quality was higher priced than black, and this could still be the case, especially if pig-skin facings are wanted on winkers and saddles.
From The Carriage Journal, Vol. 18, No. 2, Autumn, 1980