Oxen Whips

@Rod 8057 wrote:

Does anyone know where do the folks in the “Praise of Oxen ” book get those nice twisted whips with the long lashes?

Do you mean a whip like this ?:
http://www.loesdau.de/websale7/Holz-Sulgenpeitsche..htm?shopid=loesdau&act=product&prod_index=4466&cat_index=04-peitschen-gerten

You can click on the pic for enlarging it.

Wolfgang

Rod, I have one that I bought from a teamster near Bridgewater NS whom I met by tracking down people in that book. I have never seen any in the states made like that. I may be able to get in touch with him if you want. I might want a new one, mine’s shorter now from a mishap.

The long leather lash has a waxed braided cord on the end, that when you get practiced, you can take the seed head of a stalk of grass. The old timers up there tell stories about sticking a match in the crack in a table and striking it to flame with the whip!!

No problem getting the cattle’s attention with one of those.

Carl

The Book, The Pride and Joy of Working Cattle, by Ludwig devotes 17 pages, with photos to describing exactly how to make one yourself. I don’t know if you have the tools or skills to do your own, but he gives the details for anyone who wants to try.

Joe

The whip stock is made out of plastic. Similar to the plastic goads that some pullers use, but carved down to a taper, and shortened. A leather sheath is stitched onto the handle, including a cord wrapped under the sheath for finger grips. A leather loop is bound onto the end with heavy thread, and the long leather lash is attached to that. The leather lash is 1/4 inch thick by 3/8 and tapered to the end. An eyelet is slit into the end of the leather lash where a cord (String) is threaded and starting with a chain stitch of about 4 inches, a single length of about 6-8 inches extends to a small knot at the end. When this cord is waxed, as Vicki describes, it can deliver quite a sting, where ever it hits, human or bovine.

I found this type to be extremely handy as I can place the motivation exactly where I want it. I agree that the body language is the primary code for direction that animals will respond to, but when working in tight situations where I expect fairly exact response, I found this whip to be a very functional tool. The ability to put a snap on the very place on the tail head, or over the flank, or on a particular front foot is in my mind a necessary component to getting the highest response from cattle.

The pain that this type of whip can deliver is beside the point. I found that there may be times when the delivery of specific high levels of pain is appropriate, but in general it is more about getting exact with the direction. This whip can create quite a load “Snap” when whipped into the air, and that becomes a very effective way to get their attention by reminding them what it can feel like.

I can’t remember what it cost me, but once I saw one being used up there, I never even flinched at the cost because I wanted one. I will be looking into it this week.

Carl

Heres one of those good ol’ Bridgewater whips. This one is as old as the hills.

[img]http://www.draftanimalpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=342&stc=1&d=1241300864[/img]

I thought I would unearth this thread discussing whips and goads for oxen. I have been using a driving whip and have become less satisfied with it after a while. In my hands, it have three “speeds”. A “pester” (maybe a 1 on scale of 1-10) a “tap” (maybe a 2), and a “whap” maybe an 8). Often times a tap is not enough, but a whap is too much. I am looking for a tool capable of light, medium and harsh signals with several medium signals so i can refine and adjust my signals a little better. Any thoughts? I can still reach over my boys, perhaps I need a nice and proper goad? Does anyone have a favorite to recommend?