[Tim Harrigan]

Could be an allergy or sensitivity to either something in the pasture or bites from flies or other insects that do not bother the other steers.

[Tim Harrigan]

I use the 0.5% pyrethrin spray that you can get at Tractor Supply or other places, mostly on their legs and withers. I have a small brush that I spray and then put some on their face around the eyes. My sense is that when they are in the yoke they can’t swing their head or do some of the other things that they would normally do to chase the flys so if I can take some of that pressure off it is good for all of us. I have tried some of the mixtures of household ingredients that I have seen in various places on-line. I thought they were relatively expensive and not very effective.

[Tim Harrigan]

@Vicki 9781 wrote:

…there is the possibility that your team may move a step or two, pinning your goad embarrassingly under a hoof, making it impossible to use until you have them step up or back, which you will have to do without goad, and if they are young they may start off without you while you are retrieving said goad, requiring you to rush after them…

😀 Vicki: That’s pretty good, I can picture it perfectly. They know exactly where the goad is, and they know exactly where their feet are. You forgot to add that you will be rushing after them with a broken goad. And the steers will be kicking up their heels.

Like you, I prefer to lay mine across their neck, or hold it more secure with a little tension on it through the bows.

[Tim Harrigan]

Rod
I have heard of putting the goad on the ground but I have never done that. Actually, I have a hard time understanding what the advantage is. If you want your team to stand, teach them to stand because you asked them to, not because there is a stick on the ground. What if they happen to be in a stream or in the mud? What if some kid comes by with his dog and starts playing fetch with your goad? How many goads will they crush before they learn to stand?

The process of teaching them to stand is basically the same as teaching them anything else: 1) introduce them to the command, 2) repeat it until you are certain they understand it, and 3) enforce the behavior you are requesting. First of all, your team has to respond to ‘whoa’ and ‘get up’. A good place to begin is where you yoke and unyoke the team. After you work them and are bringing them in, stop them about 20 feet from the hitching post. That is where they will be anxious to go all the way back. Stop them, and then tell them to stand. Repeat ‘stand’ several times, and if they move at all make them move right back to where they were when they stopped. Start with just a few minutes at first, then increase the time over serveral days until they will stand patiently for several minutes. After they stand patiently, encourage them and call on them to go the last distance and remove the yoke. Within a few days they should clearly understand and be responsive to ‘whoa’, ‘stand’ and ‘get up’.

The next step is to ask them to stand patiently as you increase the distance between you and them. They may want to follow you at first, but if they move repeat ‘stand’ and put them back where they should be. Over time they should be able to stand while you move up to the hitching post and fool around before you go back to them. Always, if they move at all, get right after them, put them back, and repeat the ‘stand’ command.

When my team would stand patiently for several minutes I challenged them by having them stand in the yard while I went into the barn where they could not see me, yet I could see them through the cracks. I watched them until they started to fidget and move, then I yelled for them to ‘stand’ and ran out and put them back where they were to stand. When they stood patiently for several minutes without seeing me I would go out and encourage them and call them up to remove the yoke. After doing that a few times, if they started to get antsy and I yelled from inside the barn they would settle down and stand nice. I think they believe that I can see them at all times when they are in the yoke, even if they can not see me.

I still test them occasionally when we are in the woods by asking them to stand and if they are not paying attention to me I quickly step behind a tree where I can see them but they can not see me (I think, they are pretty observant). If they think about moving I get right after them. My team will stand patiently even if I am not nearby.

If you do this, it requires some common sense. Your team may stand well around the farm, but respect the fact that in strange surroundings they may be easily distracted and not be as trustworthy. And it is not a good idea to leave them standing alone for long periods, particularly if there are strange people or animals around. ‘Stand’ is for your working convenience so you can get a job done when there is nowhere to tie them and without having to tend to them constantly. Early on, when working, you will be better off asking them to stand when facing away from the barn rather than toward the barn. No reason to tempt them, and you do not want them to think they can run away when you ask them to stand. Younger animals will require more patience and repetition than older animals. My team will stand for a long time in the woods or pasture and I have no qualms about asking them to do so if I am working. In strange surroundings, or if a lot of people are around I may ask them to stand, but I stand with them. Don’t get in trouble by asking too much.

[Tim Harrigan]

First of all, you want to be a team so take them out as a team. Forget about working single until they can work together. This does not have to be complicated. Take them out and practice stops and starts, and make them start and stop together. Start, go 30 feet, and stop. Do it 20 or 30 times every day, maybe more. They can not read your mind, but they should be able to stop within one second of your whoa command. Give them a tap on the nose with the goad if necessary. When you are pleased with their response, take them to the areas you mentioned where they get jumpy. Everytime they start to speed up, make them stop and stand for a moment. Same procedure, start-stop right out in to the woods. It may take a few days, and no need to hurry taking them outside the pasture. You will have a sense of whether or not they will behave when you take them out. Repitition, clear expectations, predictable and regrettable enforcement. Like a hot knife through butter. Three or four hundred pounds on a stoneboat will help them stay focused.

[Tim Harrigan]

Victoria: Think of this as a great opportunity to hone your ox training skills. This is his gift to you. You just need to live up to your part of the bargain. The spice of life for those of us who enjoy working with cattle. An opportunity to examine your skill and understanding. 😉

[Tim Harrigan]

I think it depends a lot on their condition for working. The oxen pulling the wagon trains west years ago likely got little chance to rest. On the other hand, my team would be hard pressed to work all morning even thought I would be done long before them.

[Tim Harrigan]

Yes, when they are about 2 they get to be big and strong and they begin to develop a sense of independence. They will begin to challenge you, not necessarily in a malicious way, but will probe the limits of what you will accept as appropriate behavior. This is harder than training calves because calves are usually pretty compliant, 2 year old steers will push back. In one sense you just have to work through this with patience. But you also have to be very clear and consistent in your expectations. You have to think through age appropriate expectations and age appropriate enforcement. 1000 lb steers are quite a bit different than 100 lb calves.

[Tim Harrigan]

I never leave them on. All they can do is get caught on something.

[Tim Harrigan]

Carl mentioned the very dangerous practice of chaining a log when the ox end is linked to the team. ALWAYS drop the chain from the yoke when you are preparing a load. We have been considering the possibility of the team bolting, but in reality that is a rare occurrence. Getting pinched or caught in the chain is a much more likely problem if the ox end is live, no matter what the load or implement. I think about my fingers every time I handle a chain. 😮

[Tim Harrigan]

what’s the advantages/disadvantages of both scenarios (in between / outside)? and how do you get out from in between if anything goes wrong?

Elke:
The advantage of both is that you get hooked up to the load. The disadvantage with both is that you are vulnerable when you are standing either directly in front of the team or in between them and in front of the load. But you do not have many options. When in front you are likely be facing the team. If they happened to bolt you could get run over. There is a chance you could grab the yoke and hang on. Good luck with that. On the other hand, just being in front will deter most teams from jumping in to you. But it is a possibility if they bolt because bolting is a reflexive response and they are not going to consider the pros and cons for very long.

You pretty much need to get in between the animals and in front of the load to hitch a load with a pole. The disadvantage there is if the team bolts you are again in a bad place. Perhaps you could grab on to the pole or chain and hold on but the chance of coming out of that in good shape seem remote as well.

My experience is that if something happens that causes a team to bolt it will happen so fast that you will either be in big trouble or will be left standing there asking yourself “What the…?” The key to staying safe is to learn to recognize the danger zones and be very aware of the environment. If you are going to have a problem it is not going to materialize out of thin air but it could happen fast. You can’t eliminate all elements of danger when working with animals this big and powerful.

[Tim Harrigan]

I have a slightly different procedure when hitching to something with a pole. Have them step over and line up on the pole, have the near ox step out, step in between and set the pole in the ring, set the chain in the calabash ring, ask the team to ease back and tighten the ring and pole stop, hook the chain on the implement end of the pole and step out. I have never had a problem, but if you have a young team or a team you do not know very it well might be best to have someone hold the team from in front just to be safe. Particularly with the first time with a new implement or in a more hectic environment such as I mentioned earlier.

[Tim Harrigan]

What about hooking to a load? Sometimes when I hook to a log, stoneboat or sled for instance I hook to the load first, then come up between the team and hook to the yoke. Other times I hook to the load and come around the outside and hook to the yoke from in front. Each way presents a different set of problems should things start to go wrong. What is your procedure for hooking to a load, and why?

[Tim Harrigan]

Rod: If you step into their horn it is your fault. But they know exactly where their horns are all the time. If they are bumping you then you need to discourage that.

[Tim Harrigan]

So he does know what whoa means. No excuses then. I guess it is his call whether or not he gets wacked on the nose.

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