lines in a 4 abreast

I use team lines to the outside of outer horses, and the outside of the center two with short cross checks from bit to bit across the front. It works with well broke horses and steers better than horses checked back to their neighbor’s collar. The Amish here use something similar, even expanded to eight abreast. As they say, “One horse won’t run away with a 10 foot disc.” They don’t worry about not having lines on each horse. I’ll admit it doesn’t sound like the safest setup, but it’s simple and inexpensive. Bob Kidwell

I use a set of triple lines for driving 3 or 4. I have an extra set of long cross checks (12-18 inches longer than the regular cross checks on my team lines) I ad on to a pair of regular team lines behind (closer to me) by about the same distance as the cross checks extra length. For 4 horses I use “short cross checks”- about26-30 inches from the inside bit of each outside horse to the hame ring of the next horse. The “straight through line” (from your hand all the way to a bit ring) goes to the out side of the out side horse on each side, just like in a team of two. This way you have at least one line to each horse and the precision in driving that is possible makes it worth while for me anyway. I like it so well that I now have a set of tripple lines that I use only for 3 or 4. With this set up I feel confident with a greenbroke horse and I don’t have to worry too much.

This is a discussion where a diagram would be more helpful than a whole pile of words. Bob

I use the same method that Donn does and it works well for me too. Actually it was Donn who talked me through it (thanks again). I put 4 abreast on my bigger meadow drag in the spring and also on a bigger tractor disk and a grain drill. Gives you a bunch of horse power.

You make the neck yoke! It is like an evener bolted to the front of the tongue. two horse neck yokes snap or clip on each side. Easy to put on, because you put the two horse neck yokes on first, then pick the evener part up off the ground and snap it on. I have used slip hooks with safety clips on my neck yokes. Did you see the pictures?

You mentioned the three of four sides of a horses mouth. (I am not sure what you mean). On rereading I think you are talking about lines with an extra stub line going to the third horse. This is the method that Jay describes. I think the only draw back (and a small one at that) would be having a special set of lines for the purpose; these line would also drive a three abreast well. In driving with the regular team lines and half of each horse is controlled by a check from another horse, I have found the horses to be very comfortable with it, and very steerable. I have used the three horse lines also and they work equally well. I have never used a jockey stick, but they are so common in Amish farming that they must work ok. I all ways thought it was interesting that an Amish farm farmer didn’t consider the “jockey” horse broke to lines. I have never seen anyone use the four line method of driving four abreast, but I am pretty sure I wouldn’t like it. One of the great things about driving three or four abreast is that it is so simple. If I wanted four lines, I would drive four up.