plowing with horses

[FarmerChick]

I 'think' Bird already owns a horse?? regular size. trying to get the equip. to fit that horse.

hey Bird, do you already own the horse?

 

[GhostRider65]

Yes most larger tack stores carry or can order harnesses for any size horse, I also agree with the check with the Amish if you can get them to talk to you, in some places they seem rather unwilling to yack with us yuppy people. Though near here there are lots of Amish and quite friendly, had one do a 2 week check out on our horse/pony Lia, to make sure she was safe and sane for the kids when we first got her. also because AI was too busy taking care of my parents and didn't have time to do it.
I also would like to do what you are asking about we have 3 horses a AStandardbred who originally came from an Amish farm in MN. a big Appy and a welsh halflinger cross pony, who is sturdy as can be I ride her and she is tough a little girl....... supposedly drives as well as the ASB, but I also have no harness can't afford one they are quite pricey, at auction here used crappy old brittle ones go for hundreds, new your looking at 6 or better Kim

 

[terri9630]

I don't know about the plow type harnesses but you can order the cart harness from most of the catalogs and their websites. Jeffers, valley vet, country supply usually have hem listed.

 

[lorieMN]

most of the harness you get out of a regular tack store will not be heavy enough for farm work,you will need a collar type,not a breast strap type,,and the kind of work you plan on doing will decide what type of harness you need,,there are many types,comfort is most important to the horse,a sore horse will give you trouble and not work,,a QH type horse will not be able to do much in the way of plowing,a team of QH will be better but still not what an actual draft horse can do,,,they just arent made for it,,a QH draft x would be a better choice,or a haflinger is a great choice,,I have a team of haflingers and love them,also a draft type horse has a much better mind for doing farm work,,light horses just again,are not made for it so many just wont work for that,that being said,,some would do a wonderful job,depends on the horse,but a light horse just cannot do AS MUCH WORK in a day as a draft.Fjords are said to be pretty good once you get them going,but seem to be more tempermental to me.As for getting harness,it would be best to find someone to help you if you dont know what your doing,as a green person can get ripped off pretty fast just because they are ignorant on the subject.I being from MN,,LOVE going to waverly Iowa draft horse sales,they have a website,and really,anything a person needs you can find there,and I have gotten new,never been on a horse amish made harness for about half what you would pay in a tack store.there are several sales like that around the country,maybe just google draft horse sales in your area and see what you come up with.

 

[BirchHatchery]

we already have a paint horse im actuly thinkin of just getting a mule for farm work. im only thinkin of runin one standard botton plow just sumthin to turn the dirt up in the garden and plow a acre or lil more

 

[BirchHatchery]

what think of mules?

 

[Dawn419]

I am anxiously awaiting the point in time when we can get a pair of mules for working on our place.

I have been a horse lover since I was a kid, never owned one but had been around them the whole time I was growing up.

Once hubby and I moved to AR, we saw more mules than draft horses and once I got back on-line, I started researching them and am sold. From my researching, they are supposed to be a lot less skittish than horses and a few other positives but I will hunt the info back up instead of running off at the mouth.

Doc_gonzo works with a guy that let him know the horse action not far from us in MO occasionally has young (3 - 4 years) Amish working pairs for just over $1,200 - 1,500 a team.

My family thought I was crazy when I brought this up to them, that usually means I'm on the right track!

Edited to add a link or two:

Why Mules?

Mules "The Foundation of the World" ***I have a copy of the book, Bittersweet County/Country (it's at mom's) and the section on mules really got my interest up when I had no internet access.

 

[hqueen13]

A mule would be a good choice, they come in a variety of sizes, including up to draft size (that would be the Mammoth Jacks!)
To quote Pat Parelli "You must treat a mule the way you should treat a horse." If you do right by them and work with them the way that horses and mules need to be worked (from their perspective) then they'll be quite loyal and hard working. It will pay great dividends if you spend time working with psychology and understanding how they think.

I also agree that the work will require a work harness, not a show or cart harness. I know nothing about harnesses beyond that!

Best of luck, please post pictures!!

 

[desertcat]

OK, the subject of mules has finally made me say something!
My family has used mules and draft horses in the recent past, and mules can be a challenge. A lot of the time, it's because of the way they have been treated, but mules are simply a lot smarter about somethings (and a lot less forgiving of human foibles) than horses. If you've never worked mules before, it's really helpful to find someone who has a good relationship with theirs and spend time with the mules (person, too) in a work environment BEFORE committing to mule ownership.
My stepdad loved his mules, and they loved him, but my relationship with them was more of an armed truce!

 

[hwillm1977]

OK, the subject of mules has finally made me say something!
My family has used mules and draft horses in the recent past, and mules can be a challenge. A lot of the time, it's because of the way they have been treated, but mules are simply a lot smarter about somethings (and a lot less forgiving of human foibles) than horses. If you've never worked mules before, it's really helpful to find someone who has a good relationship with theirs and spend time with the mules (person, too) in a work environment BEFORE committing to mule ownership.
My stepdad loved his mules, and they loved him, but my relationship with them was more of an armed truce!

Yep, the owner of the barn where I kept my horse has a team of belgians and a team of mules... the mules are incredibly smart, but they seem to use that smart to see how they can get out of having to work I always thought they looked a lot harder to work with than his horses... but that's the ONLY experience I have with mules, and the only pair I've met... others could be completely different.

Dirty Jobs (TV show) did a segment on working with mules for logging... it was really fun to watch.