Logging with Heavy Horses

[Lorn Logs]

I saw a picture in todays Glasgow Herald of a heavy horse being worked to remove timber (Scots Pine) from an area that would otherwise have been cleared with a harvester and forwarder- the caption read, that heavy horses are making a comeback to harvest areas that benefit from a light 'footprint', i.e much more environmentally friendly. I must say, I was immediately intersted and it would appear that there must be a market for such operations, especially in the present green climate. However, it seems to me that maintaining a fleet or even one or two heavy horses would be at least if not more expensive than a modest harvester and forwarder. I would be interested to know if anyone has used heavy horses for commercial timber extraction and if so, is it any good !!

[NI Tree]

That is simon lenihan probally he is working at Balmoral at the minute in scots pine, and he done it full time,

 

with a horse you do less harm to the site and the stand and can reduce your costs for re planting risk of wind blow work site a machine can not etc

i think a hoses is most deffently cheeper for some sites,

and the can replace them self by having a foal

they dont cost in excess of 15 an hour in fuel alone

can work with voice comands at time and dont need telling what to do all the time they use there brain too to help / hinder you at times

they fertilise the forest floor

Edited December 13, 2012 by NI Tree

[Stubby]

Mark Buxton keeps Clydesdale horses and has done timber extraction in West dean in Sussex on occasion . Steep slopes etc .

[Lorn Logs]

On the face of it, using horses seems like a great way to work, no problems moving around heavy harvesters etc and I imagine that smaller, more lucrative contracts might be forthcoming.....

[cousin jack]

If you have the long term profit, and ecological benefits in mind, horses are the way forward, if you are only interested in short term profits, they will not compete with machinery simple as that, unfortunately most foresters and woodland owners are only interested in the short term.

As for the lucrative contracts good luck in finding them!