How many people work their farm with horses

perchie.girl

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I have had horses now 47 years one at a time.... so I am not a horse trainer... Most of this time was spent boarding at boarding facilities.... I rode trail as a young person then moved from western to English when i wanted to learn how to jump. Then I realized I wanted more control of my horse with less effort and started Dressage lessons. My dressage trainer taught me a skill that changed my life.

How to train my horse to Harness. I drove My half Arab Half Standardbred for a good twelve years. One day I though.... Hmmm I wonder if he would pull a log..... I was sooo totally hooked after we did that. It was a big Eucalyptus log the hunter jumper people were using in the cross country course. It needed to be moved about 45 degrees from where it was to be in a better position to jump.

I hitched my horse with a slip knot incase there was trouble. He came to the end of the traces and stopped.... I asked him again and he dug in a little more..... then I said Go Go Go... He threw himself into it and I will be damned he moved it. When I un hitched him He was sooo excited and proud of himself...

ONly after I bought my first draft horse did I find out how much damage I could have done to my gelding.
Especially after I learned about the reasons for using certain types of equipment. I have done some work with my girl Mostly moving dirt and hauling the occasional passenger in my forecart.

The forecart I have is a Pioneer and Amish made. Forecarts are farming equipment kind of the motor part of a tractor with the horse as the engine. you can hook a range of things to a forecart from a Trailer to a mower to gang plow, Harrow, Planting eqipment. Even a snow scraper which can be used on dirt.

Any one using their horses for work?
 

Denim Deb

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Only for riding. But I've been thinking of training the Brat (aka Licorice, my Welsh cross) to drive, etc. Out of my 3, she's the only one that really has a built for it. And I have thought at time about when I finally do get my place of getting either a Halflinger or a Fjord for farm work.
 

frustratedearthmother

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About 20 years ago I had a miniature donkey, a jack. He was pure evil, lol, until I started working him. We didn't have any 'real' equipment, but I rigged up some straps to him and from him to a tarp and used the tarp to haul things on. I'd clean out the barn and pile the used bedding on the tarp and we'd haul it out back to the big ol' compost mountain. It only took a couple times of me leading him there and back and he got the routine down. I didn't even put a bit in his mouth - just a halter with one long lead rope. This guy was S.M.A.R.T - scary smart even. There was even a time or two when I would start to rake out a stall and he'd come stand in his spot - ready to work even if I hadn't planned on using him. Geeze, those are memories I'd forgotten all about!
 

Denim Deb

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Now if only you could have trained him to clean the stalls as well!
 

frustratedearthmother

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Now I'm starting to wonder if I could get one of the mini's to do something like that....hmmmm. I'm sure they'd get crazy stupid if something behind them started following 'em around, lol. The jack was so good that as soon as he'd start walking I didn't even have to be behind him - he'd take it to the dump spot and stand there and wait on me. He was pretty much unspookable. I can't see one of the mini's EVER being that responsible! They are totally useless - but oh so cute as pasture ornaments!
 

Denim Deb

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You have to work w/them. I saw a guy mowing a yard w/one B4.
 

frustratedearthmother

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Well, that's one thing mine can do without any training, lol! Just turn 'em loose in the yard and they mow everything in sight!:lol:
 
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