Horse logging

[cousin jack]

Deffinatley not Suffolk Punch..... closer to clydesdale than the suffolk.. I see the ardennes is mentioned already though.

 

Has anyone used shires at all?

 

Shires are ok on the flat, if you can find one that is bred to work, not show. But they are to big, like an oil tanker, if you are working steep, awkward sites you want something small, powerfull, and with brains, the Ardennes are all of that, when people ask what sort of horse I've got, I tell them, " a Sherman tank on legs".

[Highland Forestry]

Shires are ok on the flat, if you can find one that is bred to work, not show. But they are to big, like an oil tanker, if you are working steep, awkward sites you want something small, powerfull, and with brains, the Ardennes are all of that, when people ask what sort of horse I've got, I tell them, " a Sherman tank on legs".

 

LOL they are certainly that alright.

 

If the shire's are too big, I would say that the Suffolk Punch would be immense as if you are relating a Shire to an oil tanker, then the punch has to be a super-tanker!!

[Stephen Blair]

are these the guys that usually go to the apf?

[David oakman]

A man down the road from me does horse logging but he uses welsh cobbs he was trying to get a Suffolk punch but as an endangered breed they are hard to get hold of

[Saw-sick Steve]

I know a bloke who had a stint horse logging a few years back when it first came in vogue with the likes of the National Trust, wildlife Trusts and Natural England (or whatever they're calling themselves this week). He used Ardennes, I think Percheron (sp) was the other breed of choice. He knocked it on the head after a while as he could'nt make it pay and went back to a Valmet.

Nice idea in theory,but at the end of the day you cant beat a comfy seat and a heated cab:001_cool:

The Environmental bods always used to pontificate about the alleged benefits of using horses,i.e less damage to the ground than machinery, but so much of that is down to weather conditions and time of year.If they were a little more flexible regards summer extraction there would'nt be an issue. A forwarding tractor in dry ground conditions does'nt make half the mess a pair of horses does in winter - ever looked at a well used bridleway?

[Stephen Blair]

its just such an idylllic idea though. but i reckon a day walking behind or trudging behind those horses will be hard going. fair play to those guys

[geoff]

Deffinatley not Suffolk Punch..... closer to clydesdale than the suffolk.. I see the ardennes is mentioned already though.

 

Has anyone used shires at all?

 

Had and worked a 'vanner', he was shire cross heavy cob, a 15 and half hands,all body with shortish legs,try & post a pic if I can find one.

[cousin jack]

are these the guys that usually go to the apf?

No, that is a chap called Doug Joiner, he makes a living from running courses doing demos and bracken bashing and suchlike, but he is not a full time horse logger. Simon is unique in that he will often buy the timber standing and market it himself, therefore he lives or starves by his judgement, and skill.

[cousin jack]

its just such an idylllic idea though. but i reckon a day walking behind or trudging behind those horses will be hard going. fair play to those guys

 

you are dead right, it is hard going, especially if you are working on a tonnage basis, but saying that, it keeps you fit as well.

[cousin jack]

I know a bloke who had a stint horse logging a few years back when it first came in vogue with the likes of the National Trust, wildlife Trusts and Natural England (or whatever they're calling themselves this week). He used Ardennes, I think Percheron (sp) was the other breed of choice. He knocked it on the head after a while as he could'nt make it pay and went back to a Valmet.

Nice idea in theory,but at the end of the day you cant beat a comfy seat and a heated cab:001_cool:

The Environmental bods always used to pontificate about the alleged benefits of using horses,i.e less damage to the ground than machinery, but so much of that is down to weather conditions and time of year.If they were a little more flexible regards summer extraction there would'nt be an issue. A forwarding tractor in dry ground conditions does'nt make half the mess a pair of horses does in winter - ever looked at a well used bridleway?

 

It's a niche market, there is a chap in Scotland, Jim Johnstone, he would be a full timer if he could but FC will not give him any work with the horses, so he drives a conventional forwarder for a living. As to the benefits, horses can work where machinery struggles, damage to the floor is superficial, no compaction, less damage to residual crop, no noise/pollution, brilliant for use on regen sites, and PAWS. We can't compete with conventional equipment, and we don't want to,but we can work alongside it, as in the pictures, steep site, horses to ride and landing, then pick up by conventional forwarder. Simples.