[Carl Russell]

So once again we need to think about finances. Last year we raised almost $700 from individual donations, and $600 from GMDHA for the banner advertisement on the main page.

I want to see at least that much again this year. We have over 1600 registered members with a regular user base of over 260 or so.

I have found a lot of spammer activity this year, so I now monitor every user application, which has significantly reduced spam on the site, but it has increased my administrative time.

We will also be including funding for this site in some of our grant applications for NEAPFD and our network association, but the granting organizations like to see that there is internal support as well.

Please consider whatever you feel reflects the value you receive from this site. You may mail me a check, or use our PayPal account. Click on the donate button in the upper right hand corner for information on both these methods.

Thank you all in advance for your support.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Vicki;13251 wrote:

I described this on the Rural Heritage front porch, and posted photos in the Photo Gallery here under “Equipment.” Thanks, Carl, for letting me know they are called bridle chains.

Vicki, the photos you posted look like you are describing chains that limit the swing of the pole on your sled. Bridle chains are actually designed to drag under the runner to keep the sled from sliding on its own.

Downhill on snow you can easily haul 3-5 times the weight of your animals. That kind of weight will push even the best team into the brush without something creating drag.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Glad to see you’re headed to the woods Donn.

The only two cents that I can throw out there is that even though you may have some learning ahead of you in the forestry knowledge department, it is my own preference that horse-logging be sold on the merits of the services provided, more than on the aesthetic/pastoral and supposed environmentally superior aspects of animal power.

There may be some intrinsic truth to these sales pitches, but there are also many examples that contradict them, and they are easily argued against.

Whereas a superior service based on knowledge, skill, and caring, speaks for itself.

Oh yeah, I also enjoy working on challenging terrain, but it needs to be cost effective for it to be enjoyable.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Changed it Taylor.

I think we should make sure to vote officers into office. I only accepted the nomination, and don’t mind performing some secretarial duties, but I think we need to stick to protocol.

Carl

Snow here too. Possibly 8″, followed by rain, then wicked cold, but even though the ground is stiffening up, it is still very very wet. Worked the horses yesterday, and they are 1/3 covered with mud, feet to bellies, frozen on. I love this weather….not. Maybe some frozen snow will help.

[Carl Russell]

This is the list as I have it, Carl

Rick Alger-NH, Tim Carroll-(?), Cousin Jack (Ralph?)-UK, Gregg Caudell-WA, Jason Cruze-NZ(recent member), Jean-Leo Dugast-France(hasn’t joined DAP yet), Scott Golden-CO, Wes Gustafson-WA, Ben Harris-WY(never responded), Taylor Johnson-WI, Tim Kendall-MO, Simon Lenihan-UK, Jim Ostergard-ME, John Plowden-ME, Dan Rasmussen-MN, Jason Rutledge-VA, Carl Russell-VT, Ian Snider-NC(never responded), Ben Sumner-VA(never responded), Ronnie Tucker-TN(never responded).

[Carl Russell]

I will work on Networking, and I’ll accept being nominated as Sec. not VP.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Welcome to DAP. Please join in.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Rod, it works best if you use a chain made for the task. They are called bridle chains. They have a large D-ring clevis that attaches around the roll at the front of the sled. When not employed the chain will drag loose on the trail under the sled. In the attached photo you can see the off chain laying in the sled track.

[ATTACH]754.jpg” />

The loose chain is pulled out from under the sled and laid in front of the runner that you want to brake. The end is then wrapped over the runner and back to where the D-ring is attached to the roll.

A traditional bridle chain will have a loop link on the end, and on the D-ring there is a “finger” and ring, similar to the end on a tire chain. The “finger” is slipped through the link on the end of the chain, and folded back to where the ring can be slipped over the end of if.

As the sled moves forward it will ride up over the chain which will eventually tighten up like the one in the photo. It should only be long enough so that the loop ends up positioned just in front of under the bunk.

When you want to release the chain, slide the ring off of the finger. The finger should have a slight bend in it so that when under pressure the ring will be held in place. When the ring is removed, which may require an axe, hammer, or peavey, then the chain lays slack under the runner.

As the sled moves forward, the chain will be pulled out from under the runner from natural action. It is important that you stop the sled before you get on level ground, or at least stop it where the chain won’t cause too much friction, so that you can actually get the sled started because while the chain is being pulled free it is still acting like a brake.

The bridle chain is usually made of large links, bigger than normal logging chain, so that they can really cause extra friction.

Hope that helps, Carl

[Carl Russell]

Launched it. It is posted as a category on the main page. Please give me feed-back on topic titles etc.

Members of the working group, please remember that discussions in that category are open to the whole world, so you will have to keep track of where you want to have which conversations.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Thanks for posting that Bumpus. That is F..ing ridiculous. Those guys are so proud of their machine. Unbelievable.:confused::mad::eek:

Carl

[Carl Russell]

I am only suggesting that we create an open DAPFI category to put a front on what we are doing here on the closed one. I think we will need to keep the working group forum behind closed doors.

I would see the open DAPFI category as a place to put a face on what we have been doing, and as a way for us to get the broad community feed-back that we still need in order to move the organization forward.

I also can also moderate the open DAPFI category in an effort to keep the discussions cleaner. Although that is not my style generally.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

So I can move this category out into the open any time you guys want.

I am soundly behind the post that Jason just made. Although we already have a Sustainable Forestry Forum on DAP, I think that creating one in this DAPFI category will be important.

One thing that crosses my mind is that similar to my posting of the Mission Statement, we could start a forum with a position statement, something that we work out, and post it as a closed thread that is “stuck” at the top of the particular forum, ie. our “Silviculture for Sustainability” position could be “stuck” at the top of the DAPFI Forestry Forum.

I can always edit and modify the layout after I open it to the broader community. I am not sure whether we need to wait any more, as we can still work behind the scenes and the send up position statements and updates any time we get them worked out.

Let me know and I’ll push the button that will make this viewable by any body.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Vicki got me recalling several rodeos that I had with my old Holsteins. They weighed 2700# each, and were nearly 6 feet at the shoulder. I could spend far more time than I have right now retelling them, so I will hold off for now.

But the maneuver that really came to mind when she mentioned the steers turning in the truck, was how I could drive my team yoked through a single-wide swinging door in my barn. I would back them to the door, back the off ox through the opening, back gee their heads through, then come-up gee and the nigh ox would step frontwards through the door. I would follow. Many animals can be amazing in how they respond to our guidance, but there is something notable when such huge animals are so amenable.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

jenjudkins;13134 wrote:

And since I am throwing my D-ring up and over an 18 hand horse….I will solidly stick to my biothane harness 😮

Originally Posted by TBigLug
Leather’s great but man after a day of throwing up on and pulling off of those horses I never want to see it again. Unlike Carl I can’t slide it off my shoulder onto their backs since our “shorty” is 17.2.

You guys make my point exactly. You needn’t be throwing a harness onto any horse. As long as the britchen and jack saddle are on your shoulder when you lift the hames over the collar, then all you need to do is slide the harness onto the horse, not matter how tall they are. If you are trying to toss the whole thing up onto the animal, then yeah, sure, get a light harness. The problem you are having with weight is not a function of the harness, but the way you are handling it.

This is not to dismiss your preference. I respect and appreciate that.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

… The leather is traditional and aesthetically pleasing, but you can’t beat the biothane on easy of cleaning, weight, or price. The leather may last longer, but I am not sure of that at this point as I have not had my harness long enough…

My preference for leather is not based on aesthetics. In fact although I do believe that appearance reflects the level of care one has, it is the care that is more important to me than the appearance for appearance sake.

I really don’t understand the cleaning issue. I clean my harnesses 1-2 times per year. It may take a couple of hours, but it is not a huge chore, and it is an excellent way to take appraisal of the equipment.

I have never paid more than $500 for a leather D-Ring harness. In fact the last two sets I paid $500 and $350 per team set (2 harnesses) and each were in excellent shape and gave me nearly 10 years good hard use. Price is not a convincing argument to me.

I suppose the weight issue can be taken seriously, but if handled correctly there should not be too many situations where the harness needs to be picked up. I just slide it off the hook onto my shoulder, and can carry it easily where ever I wish, and then just slide it back off onto the horse.

The real issues for me are comfort for the horse, maintenance and repairability. I think leather is the most natural material to be against the horse’s body, and I find it very easy to work with when needing repairs.

I have seen a lot of attractive and well-built nylon or bio-plastic harnesses, but they just look make believe to me. Just old school I guess.

Carl

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