[Rick Alger]

Hi Michael,

Did you work in Clarksville, NH last year?

[Rick Alger]

Julie,

I’m going to miss the fishing party this year, but I expect to be back in the fall. They tell me some of those fish move 15 miles up and down the Diamond. This is amazing when you consider all the rapids and falls they have to negotiate.

On neck straps, I have used one on a horse whose nose was chafed raw. It was fine for tie up, but lousy for leading.

[Rick Alger]

Julie,

I leave the halters on under the bridles. When called to other duties, I cross tie the horse or horses between two trees facing away from the landing. If I have to leave for a while I also choke the single or the pair to a tree as well. I have often taken off the bridles and fed hay and water to them while they were restrained as I have described and have had no problems. I do loosen the lower hame straps a bit so they can stretch comfortably.

I leave the harnesses on for a full day every day I work them and have had no issues with galls or whatever.

I wouldn’t recommend putting a harnessed horse in a box stall because it might roll, but having a designated tie up near your worksite should allow you to do as planned.

Good luck.

On another note, I think I met your hubby at the College Grant a couple years ago. He was hunting, and pulled into the landing to check out my Suffolk mare.

[Rick Alger]

I am still looking for a Suffolk to match with my mare. At this point I might consider a pair.

I’m not shopping for bargains, but I do expect some kind of trial period agreement.

[Rick Alger]

That looks like what we call a sidehill plow around here. Lets you plow all the furrows downhill on a contour even if you have to pass back and forth on the hillside. Like Mitch said, there should be a latch you can release with your toe that frees the plow to swing under the handles and set up a “mirror image” on the other side. The latch is missing obviously, replaced by that wire. In the picture it doesn’t look like the point will find its level the way the share is held by the wire.

I’m far from an expert, but for what it’s worth you could try this. Before you use the plow on a loose hitch with the horses, pull it with a forecart or a tractor to see how it behaves. Hitch it low and very short to begin with. It should enter the earth pretty much on its own and plow shallow. Get it so it will do that and then see if it needs a depth wheel by playing with the height and length of the hitch.

[Rick Alger]

But back in the day, the small farmer or the small logger hired help. Often lots of it. Back then there was enough of a margin to allow a small timer to compensate workers fairly (for that time). That’s how many of us who are still trying to work animals learned what there was to learn. And that’s why we’ve hung on.

I like what the Prince of Wales said and would like to find a way to support the agenda he suggests. If I was compensated for what I do and don’t do to the environment logging with horses, I know I could keep a couple animal powered crews going full time and so could a lot of other folks.

Like Ixy said, what we need is more real work for ourselves and our animals. The culture will follow.

[Rick Alger]

Thanks jac.

[Rick Alger]

Great topic.

For about 100 years the Brown Paper Company in NH managed with horses a forested “estate” the size of the state of Rhode Island. They harvested on average 600,000 cords of pulpwood a year and employed thousands of people.

[Rick Alger]

Thanks for the replies. Lot to think about. Obviously from the video the “Hillbilly Hitch” works. I like Ronnie”s idea of the hitch point set back a bit on the tongue.
But any setup sure seems dicey on corners. A second driver appears to be the safest way to go, but they are hard to come by when you work alone. Anyway, thanks again for the input.

[Rick Alger]

Well done. Good quality video.

[Rick Alger]

Jim, Roscoe,
Thanks for the replies.

[Rick Alger]

Hi Jay,

Twenty minutes of grace is more than I deserve, but it’s probably all I would need at any one time. If it worked for you, it’s worth trying. I’m thinking the D-ring harness may help with the draft issue.

Thanks, Rick.

[Rick Alger]

Thanks for the reply. Nope, I’m not thinking of a typical unicorn hitch.

I was thinking along the lines of Jason Rutledge’s four-up tandems that he uses for heavy pulls. Draft would be an issue.

I know back in the days of logging with a set of bobsleds, they would sometimes hook a third horse to the tongue in front of the regular pair to get up hills or whatever. I wonder how high that hitch point was and how they set it. I also wonder if you’d go four in hand or if you’d buck back the team and just drive the front horse.

[Rick Alger]

It’s a Lane #1. Circle saw. Cable carriage. Manual feed.

Oldie but goodie.

[Rick Alger]

Hi Taylor,

I’ve got some weeding and thinning work, and then I think we’re going to fire up the saw mill and make 2 by 4’s out of pulp wood that didn’t move.

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