Hardware and Fasteners - Steel Strap for hitching rail

We're putting in a hitching rail and the plans call for steel straps that hold the rail to the two vertical posts. From the picture, they look about 18" - 20" long.

Any ideas where I might find such a thing? They don't seem to be at the local home improvement stores....

You will probably have to get them made up by the blacksmith. :) Is this decorative or functional? If decorative I'd just use glvanized roof flashing. Cut a strip at least 2" wide and while still flat fold over a quarter inch to half inch of the edge to make it seem thicker and less likely to cut someone. If this is functional use at least one lag screw though the rail into the post. Recess it below the rail and cover with the strap. Use a half inch lag screw at least 3" longer then the thickness of the rail.

Thanks, Ray. It is almost entirely decorative - no horses. I like the idea of the recessed lag through the rail into the posts. From there, the flashing would work if its the right color and I can work it to look like my wife wants....:)

again, thanks.

You can distress it with the ball end of a ballpean hammer then paint to color. Actually if you hadn't suggested steel I would have suggested copper roof flashing. Once it aged to a nice patina might look very nice.

Quick update if anyone is still following - I ended up going to the local TSC and found a bin with "welding metal" - strips of some sort of metal 1/4" thick, 1 1/2" wide and varying lengths.

It worked perfectly - drilled easily and once I tied it to the top of the rail with a lag bolt it nicely bent over to bolt to the posts.

Just FYI

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.