[Rick Alger]

I too would spread uphill, but I would also start spreading each load in relatively flat areas so I wasn’t pulling too much up hill. Set the spread rate low on the steep grades. Load light. Go often.

[Rick Alger]

Where are you located?

[Rick Alger]

Hello Simon,

1. I haven’t noticed any difference in friction or ground disturbance whether hitched high or low.

2. I’ve never used one.

3. I don’t have a problem on moderately rough ground, but in really rough going I ground skid.

I think the biggest advantage of a two wheel cart is that you can skid tree-length for longer distances. The down side is it requires a bit more time to hook to the hitch, it requires a wider and clearer trail and it requires more space and time to sort wood on the landing. (as opposed to cut-to-length forwardng)

If you

[Rick Alger]

If you have a forecart, you can pull that walking plow with it. You’ll still need someone guiding the plow, but once you’ve got things adjusted, you’ll be able to plow straight.

[Rick Alger]

Hi Neal,

You may know this, but anyway, the Vet can do a fecal sample and tell you if your mares have worms.
Pasture rotation is the only alternative that comes to mind.

[Rick Alger]

Hi John,

If the price was right I might consider a mare, but I’ve already got two. What have you got?

Rick

[Rick Alger]

Jason,
Neither fits the bill, but thanks for the info.

[Rick Alger]

Thanks,

I was thinking there might be a spelling distinction to support the gist of Carl’s #6 post- ie there is a specific breed, “Canadien Horse,” but there are also various grade horses called “Canadian chunks.”

[Rick Alger]

Is the official breed name spelled “Canadian” or “Canadien”?

[Rick Alger]

Hi Jim,

The snow shut me down too. The day I left there was 58″ of snow pack measured at the Errol Dam. The snow banks on the Swift Diamond Road were over 10 ‘ high.

The up side is that it’s great for our sleigh ride business.

On another note, have you ever used the horse to bunch hitches for the machine? I did that a bit last winter on a 30% thinning job where we were chipping the tops. It worked pretty well for long pulls.

There was just one big skid trail through the lot and a bunch of feeder trails for the horses. I traded wood for the use of the machine. Damage was minimal, but production improved considerably. At $6 a ton to cut and skid the tops for biomass that was a compromise I was willing to make.

[Rick Alger]

Thumbs up. Short is good for public consumption. The point about the added value of restorative forestry is crucial.

If you or others could produce readable research on the real costs of conventional logging – such as your apprentice did – I think it would be very helpful to the cause.

Right now in my area, the extractive value of low grade hardwood will not support a restorative forester. Typical “worst first” wood, pallet and tie logs, are worth about $100/mbf roadside. Pulp is even worse. To make the $35 an hour that Jim and LT mentioned, one man would have to cut and skid around 2,500 feet a day and get to keep the entire return.

[Rick Alger]

I get about half my work from foresters, and I’m comfortable with this relationship. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of the old school industrial foresters around who scoff at horse logging. But I’ve been able to connect with some guys who value the ecosystem and value what horselogging can do. I don’t make big money working with them, but the work is long-term and flexible enough so that if a lucrative private job comes along, I can relocate and then return.

[Rick Alger]

I haven’t used a twisted wire snaffle, so I can’t help you there, but I do have a way to settle down an eager horse working single. I run the reins from the top hame ring through the bit ring and buckle them to the bottom hame ring. That gives the same effect as the drop straps that Carl mentioned, and it also gives you some additional leverage if needed. I don’t do this often – usually just at the beginning of a job with a “soft” horse. Long term I think the elbow bits described by Jason in another post are a good option. You can fine tune the pressure to fit the situation.

[Rick Alger]

Some good advice above. At the risk of insulting your intelligence, I suggest you get a very basic horsemanship book, maybe one from the 4-H people. That will explain “ground work” in detail. Follow the steps. Start as if the horse is green. You and the horse will learn together – how to stand, lead, give a hoof, load in a trailer, overcome scary noises, etc. Then you’ll be ready to follow Jason’s directions for pulling a sled. (You can make a sled if you have to.)

If the horse is still rank, you can abandon the project with a good conscience, but my guess is you will succeed if you take it slow and in easy steps.

[Rick Alger]

Thanks for the quick response. I’ll be working off the grid for a few months, so my responses may be limited to weekends. I look forward to hearing from you.

[Author]

Posts