Author Topic: Logging with horses (Read 2654 times)

cedarponds · « **on:** February 29, 2008, 03:00:00 pm »

Just spent three days working in my woodlot with a real good Amish logger and a horse team.

We cleaned up all the standing dead and snags of about 8K bf plus cut and skidded one good walnut (a 800+ bd ft, with a good couple of veneer logs) and one 1500bd ft tulip and a 1200 bd ft red oak. Those Belgians worked hard as the skids were about 1/4-3/8 mile each.

Anyway, if anyone needs info on a very good logger and you want it done with horses and are in west michigan, send me a message.

Let's be safe working in the woods.

Cedar Ponds....Phil

Kevin · « **Reply #1 on:** February 29, 2008, 03:18:12 pm »

I just know you took some pictures.

cedarponds · « **Reply #2 on:** February 29, 2008, 03:50:32 pm »

No pictures because I don't own a digital camera. I spent all my money on land and a sawmill. A digital camera is on my shopping list. At 52 years old I do have several fine old 35mm SLR cameras but haven't taken a picture in at least a decade. You can see I don't have kids or grandkids or I would have these DEGs (darn electronic gismos).

Stephen Alford · « **Reply #3 on:** March 02, 2008, 12:42:14 am »

Hey Kevin; hope this will get you by till the others arrive.

Stephen

thecfarm · « **Reply #4 on:** March 02, 2008, 07:00:29 am »

Nice picture,horses right in step,head turned the same way.Keep 'em coming.

rbhunter · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2008, 12:57:02 am »

Pretty team. They look like they are pretty young.

Ron Scott · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2008, 05:45:12 pm »

Canada: Horse Logging Project Underway in Provincial Forests

The Canadian newspaper The Guardian recently featured a story about a horse logging project on Crown land in Dundas, in the province of Prince Edward Island. The province's Department of Environment, Energy, and Forestry is overseeing the project to gauge interest in the practice. Officials hope to expand the project to other properties on Crown land.

For more information, visit The Guardian's website.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=111564&sc=98

oakiemac · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2008, 05:58:34 pm »

Way to go Cedarponds!
A 1500bf tulip? That is one big tree- do you remember the DBH?

We just took down 3 tulips and got just over 2000bf and I thought they were big. Two of them were in the mid twenty inch dbh range.

johncinquo · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2008, 08:58:01 am »

Where are you at in SW MI? Maybe we can send Furby to take pics next time.

i am sure it would make a fine road trip to kill a few hours and watch the haues do some pullin. I'm always looking for a good reason to skip out of work early. If you do it again say somethig in advance.

ibseeker · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:34:55 am »

I've been offered the use of a draft horse for logging. I'm tempted to try it but I don't think I know enough to do it. I don't want to make a mistake and hurt the horse. It sure looks like a fun way to spend the day in the forest.
There was a "Dirty Jobs" segment on logging with mules....looked like you really needed to know the animals and how they worked. It also looked somewhat dangerous.

SeeSaw · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:56:38 am »

Not sure exactly what the draw is for me personally but there is indeed something special about logging with horses. Maybe it's that it's low impact on the forest? Maybe it's that it's old fashioned and historic? Maybe it's just the rythm of the animals as they work? Maybe all of those factors combined. Love it. Keep em coming!!

HORSELOGGER · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2008, 01:28:08 pm »

Maybe you just feel the need for a good beat down

SeeSaw · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2008, 02:43:57 pm »

Horselogger,

You may be on to something here. I may feel different after a good beating.

CLL · « **Reply #13 on:** March 06, 2008, 09:49:54 pm »

Ibseeker, just don't forget , gee and haw, and the most important WHOA!!!!

Warren · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2008, 02:00:04 pm »

Ibseeker,

20 years ago, I had a grade belgian for moving round bales and pulling up fire wood before I had a tractor. Had a lot of fun with that old horse. Never got stuck in the snow or ice. Never had a flat tire. Never had to run to town for parts in the middle of something...

Once you get someone to show you how to harness up the horse, I think if you take your time, you could learn as you go. Just make sure you stay on the uphill side, and not in a pinch point between the horse, the harness and the log.

Warren

P.S. Ya ain't never had fun till ya tack up a big horse and he decides to put his hoove down on top of yours and lean....

Kevin · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2008, 07:52:22 pm »

Wow, that's a dandy Stephen .
Thanks for that!

moonhill · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2008, 10:05:50 am »

ibseeker and Warren, horse logging is a beautiful thing. Please keep in mind both parties need to know what is going on. If you have no experience with horses or the horses are inexperienced, it could be a recicipe for disaster. If you are green and want to learn find a willing horse logger and start with guidance. If there are others here with better advice please share it for the well being of both parties. Once more logging with horses is a beautiful thing. I haven't done a search, but is there a more extensive horse logging thread here in the FF? Tim B.

ibseeker · « **Reply #17 on:** March 10, 2008, 12:48:59 pm »

There is another website about logging with horses..ruralheritage.com. I'l take all of your advice and stay out of the bight! Most likely, I'll never get the chance to work with horses but if I do, it will be as an observer to start with. My FIL's next door neighbor has a miniature Percheron (I think it's a Perheron?) which is still a very larger horse. The neighbor offered "Dan" as an alternative to using equipment. My FIL has expressed an interest in doing it but so far it's just talk. It would be really something special to watch horses work like that.

rbhunter · « **Reply #18 on:** March 10, 2008, 03:15:15 pm »

I would like to try horse logging someday. My Grandfather used to farm with horses and did some horse logging years ago. I like to read about horse logging. If I get the chance to get into it I would like to take a class from Healing the Forest Foundation. You can get information by emailing Jason Rutledge off of Rural Heritage. There is also another man up in New York who teaches logging with horses his site is called Farmer Browns Plowshop. I think I found the link to it on rural heritage also.

I know the class through Jason Rutledges organization teaches from selecting worse first, laying out the skid trail, Chainsaws, safety, as well as using horses to skid.

moonhill · « **Reply #19 on:** March 11, 2008, 05:33:28 am »

I attended a logging workshop here in Maine at MOFGA's home. Some of Jason Rutledge's crew was present. I haven't checked out the web site, am going now..... Tim B.

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Author Topic: Logging with horses (Read 2654 times)