Logging with horses

[rbhunter]

If anyone is serious about wanting to learn horse logging.

http://www.ruralheritage.com/messageboard/frontporch/10330.htm

This is a link to a post by Jason Rutledge about the course he is giving in April along with contact information.

[Deadwood]

I am not a horse man but I do appreciate what they have done for us and the industry. My Great Grandfather, he loved his horses, almost as much as his kids...maybe more. Anyway my Grandfather HATED them. He once told me about a story of logging peeled popil cordwood down in what we call the "bottoms" of our property.

The woodlot there is nothing but swampy ground with lots of cradle knolls and stuff. I guess he had a half cord on or better and when the horses pulled the scoot on the iced road, the scoot would pitch and roll and the wood would slide off. So he would stack it back on, go a dozen feet and have the load slide off again.

After a few tries like this, he went up to the house and told his father (my Great grandfather) that it just could not be done. My Great Grandfather...a man with zero patience...stormed down to the woodlot and insisted the wood was brought out. After a couple of tries himself, he concluded that the task could just not be done.

My Grandfather told me this story 30 years ago, and it was a good 40 years after it happened so I know he was pleased at not being proven wrong. From him though I got my love of machinery and tractors. As I said,I have nothing against horses, but I think I'll just stay with tractors and skidders.

[WH_Conley]

I tried using a mule once, didn't get anything done. Guess we thought too much alike.

[rbhunter]

My Grandfather loved his horses. He did all sorts of work on the farm and off the farm with them. I have heard all sorts of stories and have been there for some. There is even a picture of them using a team to pick up the back of a two ton truck to replace the rear end. I never had the opportunity to be there when he logged with horses some.

He used the tractor on bigger fields but plowed the smaller fields with horses. I loved to go out and help him when I could. I like to hear the stories of some of the horses Actually I like to listen to the old stories when my father and uncles get togather. There are stories of run aways, crazy horses, and one of my favorites one uncle branding the other when they were young sitting around the wood stove listening to stories about old times and branding cattle.

There is a special feeling watching a well trained animal work for me whether it is a good cutting horse, work horse, bird dog or other animal doing what they were breed and trained to do.

[Timburr]

Speaking of horses, in my previous life I used to work for the Forestry Commission (government) here in the UK.  The FC had a team of horses to work the more sensitive sites.

This one horse had been tushing for years and his routine was pretty much automatic.  The guy in the woods would shackle up the logs and send him on his way, alone.   Once at the ride (trail) another bloke unhooked and sent him back.  He'd work hard all day, sweat pouring off him, only stopping for a midday nosebag.  He loved it.  This horse would work hard.

But, come 5.30, with any ammount of forceful coherence, they could not get an ounce more work out of him.   Clocking off time is clocking off time!! 

[theorm]

Must have been a union member horse...

 

[Warren]

Must have been a union member horse...

 

Maybe kinda like a "teamster" ?