Forum Replies Created
- AuthorPosts
Brad Johnson
ParticipantTom-
Does this horse have access to salt on a regular basis? Sometimes they will chew harness to get salt lacking in their diet…
-BradParticipantWe are struggling with horse fencing here as well. The damn snow is so high! This has been a good cold winter but the snow is making things tough on us as well as the horses….
-BradParticipantBob-
I am a horse logger and also mark some of the lots I cut with my team. The devil is in the details. I concur with Tom about with his comments about wood quality. I start with $200/day net for my stumpage pricing. My contracts are built from there, assuming travel is not cost prohibitive. In other words I need to average $200/day over the course of the cut after I pay stumpage and trucking. You can call mills and get current pricing and then you can begin to assess whether or not 50% is a good idea for you and the logger. You should think about top wood as well. Will it go as firewood? If so, we pay $10/cord stumpage and then market it off the landing. You should be sure to clarify that with the logger as most hardwood cuts produce a great deal of top wood, the volume greater than that of the logs. The current job we are on is 1/3 logs and 2/3 firewood. One other thing to consider is the ground you are cutting on. How steep is it? How far from stump to landing? If you don’t know what the wood is worth on the stump, I would strongly recommend a forester to at least cruise and tell you what you have. From there, if you trust the logger you can make a cut plan together, but a forester who represents your interests might be a good idea. I frequently tell landowners that I will not mark their lot because I am not sure how to proceed – some lots are just more difficult than others and in that case you will need a good forester to get you started. Hope this helps – good luck!
-BradParticipantIf you have a trough in the middle of the roadway from logs pulled you can angle the drag and push snow into the middle. I have found this works pretty well on the fluffy stuff…
-BradParticipantJay-
How are you and Zeke doing over there? Are you working in the woods? Hope all is well and you are both staying warm.
-BradParticipantI am located in central Vt, so not quite as cold as carl but similar thru the seasons. I also keep my horses out almost all year, but I do have a barn with stalls. Last year my pair was in about 5-6 nights total. I think an outside horse is a healthy horse. Horses come from central Asia, which is pretty cold, snowy, and windy in the winter. They are really hearty, but I do try to do several things to help them thru the winter. First, they need to be well fed, particularly when they are working during the winter months. My team eats 2-2.5 bales a day, plus grain on work days. I have had a horse get thin from the logging season and it was my fault – not enough food for the exertion level. Second, I like to have my team in a spot where they can get out of the wind. Trees, barn, run-in, trailer, hillside, whatever you have works. I only blanket when they are out on a job site and have no windbreak or when they are riding in the trailer on the highway in cold temps. I have had folks come to the farm and complain that our horses are out overnight in the winter. Almost always this is a person who has never owned horses and knows next to nothing about them, or they are riding hors owners who keep their horses in a box stall year round. My response is a kind but firm explanation of how horses temp regulate. Yes, a person would be cold out there but that is a human, not a horse. Third, I watch their body condition carefully to get a sense of how they are doing with the cold. A little extra hay or grain is good insurance, particularly for a working horse in the winter. This strategy has served me well so far. Others have thoughts?
-BradParticipantTom-
How is the self-employed lifestyle treating you?
-BradParticipantTyler-
Having bought only a few horses, I am no expert but I will give you my two cents worth. First, it is very important to remember that no matter what horse you are considering you will get a different horse when you get it home to your barn. Horses operate with us based on relationship and leadership, and they will have to form a new relationship with you when you get them home. I have had several instances where I saw very different behavior once I had the horse, stuff I never saw when I shopped the horse at the owner’s barn. That said, it is important to try to see as much as you can before you buy. It sounds like you have done that already. Second, I have transitioned a horse from lighter duty work to logging and farm work, with great results. I think it really depends on the horse, but my experience has been that most drafts benefit from more work on a regular basis. They are healthier and seem to enjoy the steady work and routine. Third, I do think that the price is high given their age. But, if you have the means to buy them and they are right team then do it. I would not hesitate to buy the right team for that price, but I would be sure to look at a number of horses to make sure a better and cheaper option was not out there available. Finally, I would have someone look with you who knows feet and general health. A farrier or vet is not a bad idea in a private sale. It is well worth the cost to know there are no hidden issues. Do they stand for shoeing without stocks?
-BradParticipantNo matter where you drive from, conditions are challenging right now with such deep powder snow on the ground. I am having a hard time walking up on the steep ground behind my horses. We are skidding single down to Shane’s team who is forwarding, but it is exhausting work for the teamster and well as the horses!
-BradParticipantAdjustment in the cross lines can make a huge difference in how your horses swing a sharp gee or haw. Carl suggested that I shorted the cross line for one of my geldings, as he was out in front and prone to pushing my other gelding around when they turned a corner, particularly to the haw side. What a difference that change made! Now I frequently adjust this lines to fine tune my team. There is little harm in trying an adjustment and you can always go back to where you were before.
-BradParticipantI hitch about 3-4 feet behind arch. I really does work well.
-BradParticipantClark should get in touch with Scott Briggs over there. He is a skilled teamster with good horses and a horse drawn forwarder. I can get him Scott’s info if we wants.
-BradParticipantWe use a 7 foot wide piece of maple (13″ diameter) plunged on both ends with chain run thru the holes. We drag first thing in the morning and last thing at the end of the day. It is simple and very effective. It is dragged behind arch but for oxen you could chain a piece of plywood behind a ride along, provided you can drive with voice commands. Otherwise, you might be walking. Can one be ridden??
-BradParticipantLizzy-
We used a barden cart for years with a single mare for vegetable production. That design is great for team use as well. We did all of our garden work as well as haying with that cart, and the barden is good in the woods as well – a true multipurpose tool. Not sure if there are any around used but would be worth a look. The design really is functional.
-BradParticipantI use the old style hooks that face downward, for the reasons stated above. I have found that this style hook is far less prone to snagging rigging or horses mouths. For a time I was in the habit of choking a tree and then hooking the arch to the chain around the tree – the “Amish Parking Break.” However, when I was working on a cooperative job with Carl and several others one of my geldings bucked because of big, bad flies and the chain came off the arch. The result was a runaway.
So, I now never use that strategy. Instead, in the few cases when I do tie them, I use halters and clip lines to attach them both to a tree. I have never had an issue with this strategy. To some extent I disagree with Carl here, as when I am working every day in the woods I want to have the halters under the bridles so I can tie when necessary. I certainly do not want to be taking off the bridles and putting halters on each time – a waste of time for me. I know many folks are not fans of having halters under bridles, but provided that there is no discomfort for the horse this is an excellent strategy. In my mind, there is no good reason not to run a halter, as there are many circumstances where it is handy and promotes safety for both the teamster and the horses. That said, in most cases my horses just stand there while I cut or work away from them. With enough work, most horses will recognize that when they are left to stand they should take full advantage of that time to rest. And, when they won’t, I tie them as described above.
-Brad- AuthorPosts