Working horses thread

[Lee Winger]

I think one day we'll rely on horses again, fingers crossed!

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

It's a means to an end, working on tonnage rates it increases production so you can be more competitive, profitable, and tender for contracts that would be out of reach due to long extraction routes etc.

 

Yes I understand all that and have much experience in working horses but if the work idea is also low impact ecology then to many people using an loud petrol guzzling engine with a crane on a large trailer seems odd to me. (Might as well use an Alstor 8x8)

 

Horses also cannot wear ear protection although some have tried cork bungs:lol:

[cousin jack]

Yes I understand all that and have much experience in working horses but if the work idea is also low impact ecology then to many people using an loud petrol guzzling engine with a crane on a large trailer seems odd to me. (Might as well use an Alstor 8x8)

 

Horses also cannot wear ear protection although some have tried cork bungs:lol:

 

Try cotton wool if you want to give them ear protection, I work with horses because I want to and they are still the motive power, skidding to rideside for secondary extraction makes perfect sense to me. A Honda 8HP engine is not as noisy as a chainsaw, and it is hardly a gas guzzler, and as you yourself said on another thread, you can't talk to a machine at dinnertime.

[cousin jack]

Found this one from the States

 

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Edited February 26, 2011 by cousin jack
wrong link thingy

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

We used a small lightweight Unimog to move the horses to the work site and then on the long tracks with a Mowi Skog 8 and 2453 crane.

 

Horse work in the woods without engine.

 

Never understood the Armish using numerous horses on a wheeled machine with a large diesel/petrol engine:001_rolleyes: Twice the running costs then as fuel for engine and food/looking after animals which is full time.

[cousin jack]

Tractors, mogs, valmets, will never give you a free replacement,

[ILikeScotsPine]

Hi all, I currently work at a country park/nature reserve in north Bedfordshire and the ranger is looking at the possibility of using horses to extract our timber instead of tractors and land rovers. I was hoping that somebody might be able to give any advice on any licenses needed and such and if there is anybody in the local(ish) area who was involved already, thanks.

[cousin jack]

Hi all, I currently work at a country park/nature reserve in north Bedfordshire and the ranger is looking at the possibility of using horses to extract our timber instead of tractors and land rovers. I was hoping that somebody might be able to give any advice on any licenses needed and such and if there is anybody in the local(ish) area who was involved already, thanks.

 

No licenses required to use horses, I don't know anyone off the top of my head in that area, but I can travel no problem, as long as there is a field somewhere local for the horse to overnight in.

[ILikeScotsPine]

No licenses required to use horses, I don't know anyone off the top of my head in that area, but I can travel no problem, as long as there is a field somewhere local for the horse to overnight in.

 

Thanks, I've passed your details on but I think he is after somebody local

[Andrew Reed]

For those of you who like a nice picture of a working horse, this is Major at West Dean nr Chichester. With Mac in the background. Both dressed for work to pull that carriage in the background. I think their more normal duties are farm work on the estate.