[Mark Cowdrey]

Ixy & Near Horse,

Thanks for posting readable, well presented thoughts on this issue. I know it takes time to do so.
From my perspective, the issue of affordability & access to health care & health insurance is very similar to the centralized food production system in this country; short term corporate profits is the government backed primary goal. In this situation access to quality, affordable goods & services suffers. The few benefit, the many “pay”.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Carl,

Nothing like fussing with something to give you an appreciation for what it looks like when it is right. Those two photos of your pair look like a well tuned rig.

I tried a 23″ inch collar in place of the 24″ on my off horse this afternoon in the barn, using a deerhair pad as before. I did not try him in it yet but just looking at it & feeling the fit with him just standing there I like what I see. We’ll see how he goes in it. The spread hand measure thing you do; it would be handy to have a photo from both the side & the front of you doing that (in your spare time, of course). Are you holding your hand vertically and eyeballing into the shoulder point? Or are you holding your hand at an angle (viewed from the front) and actually touching both shoulder point & harness?

I also re-watched the collar fitting segment of Doc Hamill’s Fundamentals II DVD tonight. It was helpful and consistent with your comments.

Thanks,

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

BF,

Yes those are eye bolts that secure the rear bunk to the beam. They give the assembly the ability to move a little up & down & forward & back.

It is probably a little top heavy but the body is all pine & SPF so not too bad. The sides flair out so that the riders can face in with their legs stretched out and have a bit of an angle to lean back on, an idea I got from Jay Bailey.

I wonder if the old timers ran 36 inch neck yokes/eveners? It makes no sense to me that the runners would be on different centers than the neck yokes & eveners.

Good luck with your sleigh.

Gordon,

If there were 2 of me I might think about drawing it up:o. If you have specific questions let me know & I can get you the info. (George, if you are reading this, how did you mark up that photo of your modified Forrest arch?)

Thanks for your comments,

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Thanks George, I think I’ve got it.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Thanks for your replies.

I raised the D’s today.

I find the whole issue of collars a mix of art & science, heavy on the art. That off horse (picture #2) is wearing a 24″. I tried a 23 on him tonight (w/o harness) with first a deerhair pad and then felt pad. Neither seemed big enough, too short. With no pad it was sloppy on the sides.

Doc Hamil has an interesting article on manipulating collar shapes in the new SFJ “Ask A Teamster”. Think I’ll review that & other collar info.

Carl if you can & are inclined to elaborate on “forward and a little low” I’d be interested.

Thanks again,

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

George, thanks for this. Perhaps we can clarify a little here for the benefit of all if you are inclined.

The first paragraph about the yoke itself is clear to me. I lose you a little on the mounting arrangement described in paragraph 2.

“The piece that receives the yoke and plug is 3″ long looking down at the yoke and 2″ wide. This is eventually a u shaped piece that fits around the main yoke with minimal room that the yoke can move back and forth. Drill through both the u-shaped piece and the main yoke, nut and weld a 1/2 bolt. Before you do this, drill a 5/8 hole in the bottom of u and [insert??]5/8 x 5″ grade-8 bolt and weld it. This is your plug. Drill a 11/16″ hole [into the end of??] your pole and secure all the way around with 1/4″ stock, carriage bolted through the pole with a 5/8 hole to receive the yoke.”

“secure all the way around…” Does this mean another “U” shaped piece that “caps” the end of the pole? Or more of a box shape that entirely covers the end of the pole? Or something else?

Thanks George, I hope you’re feeling better.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

DD,

I’m not sure what you are asking. This is a D-ring harness. If you are not familiar with the style there are various threads on this site that discuss it as well as articles in SFJ & Rural Heritage. The benchmark article I would say is Les Barden’s video which is an in depth discussion & demonstration of it. Hope this helps. I believe the video is available from Les in Farmington, NH.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Donn,

I know your motivation, it is one of the reasons I came up with the PiggyBack Arch. After watching Carl use a single bob, I wanted to be able to lift the front of the log to skid it out, but I didn’t want to have to load it on a bob. I wanted to back up to it, chain it up, & go.

The attached photo shows the beta version of the arch at the get together at the Ames’ in March of ’07. You might notice the extended tails on the back of the stock Pioneer runners. I found that as supplied they would not back in loose snow 8 or more inches deep.

Pictures of the current version of the PiggyBack FireWood Arch are at http://www.raggedviewfarm.com/index.php?nav=40

Good luck with your rig.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Jen,

What about using a tire harrow similar to the one Carl has posted pictures of? That way you can make it any size you want, both width & weight.

Jay Bailey uses a “sports car” (his term) for grooming his sleigh trails: 2 wood pallets chained together front to back with a seat secured to the front one. With a team it really moves. I have also seen him use a double disc.

I have chained a pallet with a few sticks of cordwood on it to the back bob of my sleigh to groom trails & give the horses some exercise.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

George,

Some excellent ideas & actions. I used a Forrest arch one winter around here & am familiar W/ all the draw backs you mentioned. I would say for me the step would be the biggest one. I often thought one could be bolted to the holes for the draw-bar on one of the standards. Here’s an “atta boy” for you!

BTW, can anyone tell me how to post pictures that don’t come out huge?

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

George,

The bobsled idea sounds like a good idea in your situation but I just thought I would mention the 2 choker hitch for getting the butts of big logs off the ground more effectively when using an arch. I was amazed when I saw it done for the first time at Carl’s at his 2-day Fall event several years ago.

Set each of two choker hooks down low on opposite sides of the log and run the slack up to the arch. The effect is like a “cradle”. Since you are lifting from the bottom of the log, you have more chain to provide lift as you draw the load.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Bill,

Consider yourself pushed!

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

While I would not contradict anyone’s experience, and while I have sometimes bought from “away” rather than pay Meader’s prices, I try to make sure that I buy a portion of what I need each year from them as I want them to be there (meaning, here) when I need them. I also find the there staff courteous & helpful when I do shop there.

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Brad,

A direct side shot photo showing the D-ring location would be helpful if you can post one.

Thanks,

Mark

[Mark Cowdrey]

Bradley,

You can cut down your own front tugs to the size you need and re-install the trace clip W/ rivets or small machine screws/”stove bolts”. No need to buy them exactly the right size.

Mark

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