effects of log arch?

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  • This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years ago by Anonymous.
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  • April 8, 2012 at 2:36 pm #43712
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I was wondering what amount of advantage is gained from a log arch?
    I am trying to decide on a new horse. I have worked with full sized drafts and I have a feeling of what they are capable of but Im not sure if I can justify one right now. I have the opportunity to get a good deal on a haflinger if I think he can handle the work. I wouldnt feel as wasteful putzing around on a cart or riding with a pony as I would a fit full size draft,
    Basically I know the haflinger can handle 80 percent of the work but will I be able to pull the occasional big log (12 foot oak around 24-30 inch dia.) with him using a log arch. In this next year most pulls will be downhill. I have worked with horses my whole life so I understand the other many variables involved with fitness, size, attitude, health, etc. I just trying to apply some back of the envelope numbers to a log arch advantage.

    thanks
    jared

    April 8, 2012 at 3:39 pm #73365
    Tim Harrigan
    Participant

    I don’t work with an arch very often, but I have measured the pull an arch compared to ground skidding and in general, if you short-chain the front of the log so it carries off the ground, you can increase the size of the log by 1/3 and with an arch and move it with the same effort, or move the same log with less effort. In your example, going from a 26 inch to 30 inch oak log is a size increase of 1/3. If you long-chain the log and just drag it with the arch I do not think there is much of any advantage for the drafts.

    April 9, 2012 at 11:11 am #73364
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    @JaredWoodcock 34051 wrote:

    but will I be able to pull the occasional big log (12 foot oak around 24-30 inch dia.) with him using a log arch.
    jared

    Jared:

    I have a stout 950 lb halflinger that I ground skid firewood with. She is a great animal and pulls, pound for pound, more than either of my bigger horses (1700 -1800 lbs). Even so, I don’t think she could move that oak log which weighs in excess of 2000 lbs http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/calculators/calc.pl?calculator=log_weight. Based on my experience, I think a single halflinger is better suited for firewood (arc or no arch) than for hauling out saw logs.

    George

    April 9, 2012 at 4:35 pm #73368
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    yeh I figured that would be on the upper limit if possible at all. I was thinking that a horse is capable of pulling twice their weight for a very short period, and the horse weighs around 1000 lbs, if I added the arch and was skidding a short distance mostly down hill then he might be able to swing it in theory… I wont be pulling any big saw logs this year but, I probably should wait it out and look for a bigger horse…

    thanks everybody.

    April 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm #73366
    Tim Harrigan
    Participant

    Good idea. 🙂

    April 10, 2012 at 8:14 pm #73367
    Baystatetom
    Participant

    I know nothing of arches and less about horses, however I will say my oxen can pull a huge load down hill on snow. If your in a place with a real winter, just carefully time when you go for the big ones.
    ~Tom

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