[Carl Russell]

Lance, I’m in Vermont, and have some familiarity with the Sterling College draft animal program.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

In my mind the beauty of a farming enterprise is that we can, with some cultivation and manipulation, use a natural process that accumulates organic material and energy in to a biological community that we then can access to meet our needs. The natural relationships between sun, soil, plant, and biological organisms, is the basis for the supposed “closed loop” farm. True there is some transportation and loss of biomass and energy, but the natural process is the ultimate example of such efficiency.

The problems arise for us as we tend to not see ourselves fitting into the food web that is available in a particular region, or if considering commercial endeavor the need to produce salable products for viable markets, we institute a system that breaks up the natural relationships, and is designed to deliver products to outside consumers.

There is an assumption that as farmers we should be thinking about the rest of our culture, and their needs for the items that we can produce, but I see this as a bill of goods we have been sold to get us to mine the energy and nutrients out of our ecosystems. The reality is that even when you are grazing beef to sell, you are in fact managing an ecosystem that supports the flow of energy to those beeves. Energy will flow to the animals regardless of the residual balance of productivity asset.

The challenge that we face is learning how the manage our demand on the ecosystem so that we can accumulate biomass and energy into a site in surplus of our need to harvest. This is a really huge challenge in the face of incredibly depleted soil systems, and the largest demand from human consumers that the Earth has ever had to meet.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

What you guys have been discussing is the basis for much of my objective in getting VPR to focus on small-scale (Back-yard, in their words) farming. As I said in the interview farming is a bundle of land-use and animal husbandry practices that are not limited in their validity by scale alone. Although there is an efficiency with the use of large tracts, it by no means is the defining measure of effectiveness of producing food.

As has been said, I’m not sure what we can do to reverse the trend to subdivide land into smaller lots, but I do know that people who find themselves trying to respond to their need for good food by farming small tracts of land are going to be a big part of any successful future.

I understand the drive for people to cast themselves as farmers, those hardy individuals who wake early and engage in the activities of working earth and animals all day, every day, but this image can be, and probably will be, an impediment to growing a vital food system.

We are losing parcels that can be used for large scale production. In some areas like Vermont, our landscape doesn’t offer much opportunity for such farms. And we have a populace with varied life experiences, and career interests. So opening our definition of “farming” to include all facets of the experience is, in my mind, one of the first steps to reclaiming our farming culture.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

I use my riding cultivator with potato hoes on instead of tines. I can make beds about 2-3′ wide if I make a few passes with just one hoe down and work the soil in. I go over it afterward with a hand rake or hoe to smooth it off flat. We plant our garlic in such a bed. I have used this method for years to make all my rows for potatoes, and other veggies. I level off a raised bed for beans, planting 2 rows of seed per hill.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

boulami;7900 wrote:

…Carl did any kind of distraction or situation let you be in a sort of panic where the horses didn’t or did freak out? ……

Maybe some knucklehead will give me an idea of what to do with my horse or what not to do, …

One of my mentors always said, “you can always learn from someone, whether they do it right, or not”.

As to the first question, I have never been easily rattled, excited, or unnerved. It is just one of my character flaws. I never really got an appreciation for that until I started working with animals, and found what an asset that was.

Now I can get angry/frustrated, and distracted, and these conditions have caused me problems, but when I find myself called upon to respond, I tend to be more calm and methodical, even when mad. I know I didn’t learn that from either of my parents, my dad would get frantic, and my mother would worry herself into a lather.

That being said I have had several, and expect more, instances when the horses, or steers were quite excited for a while as I worked to calm them down, and to accept the situation. I think I have written about that before, it is as much about them following you into de-escalation, as it is about them getting used to a particular stimulus, that is the habit they learn.

The fact is, I know that they will get excited sometimes, and so I don’t let it bother me when they do. I notice this a lot from others who can become quite fixated on the animal’s response, and some can become unnerved by that demonstration of fear/anxiety. I have found that by not validating that response, and working to regain the composure standard that I have already established, we get along pretty well.

It certainly is not the case that my animals learn to be calm 24-7 in harness, just comfortable with my guidance.

I did have a run-away once, because one horse overreacted to my encouragement and when I reined him in, one line on his side broke. I couldn’t slow him down so the off horse started trotting too. I had them going in a wide circle, but I was on foot, and getting closer all the time to the spring-tooths, so I had to let them go. After they wrapped themselves around an apple tree, I approached them, took bridles in hand, and led them back to the barn for first-aid. Even after that rodeo, they were able to calm down quickly as I approached, because I was able to remain calm(if only on the outside).

Carl

[Carl Russell]

My point exactly:)

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Rod, good photos. Like the others, take off the collars, they serve no purpose while yoked, and can get in the way. As has been said, I see the bow too low. It can be so low that it hits the brisket and can cause irritation, which may be what you have been observing. Also as Howie said it allows the yoke to slide back too far, by the base of the neck where the cattle have no leverage.

When the yoke is on them standing still with no load, snug up the bows so you can put a snug hand in under the throat. If the yoke is forward enough, it will pitch forward on top and the cattle can lift their necks up into it, as apposed to it sliding back and choking them. Also cattle that haven’t been working much may just react negatively to the working load, and that adjustment is between the ears.

Also, if you really think you need the rope halters on, make sure they have enough free movement of their heads.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Jen, caring for the animal is all you can do. What else is there?

I have had several animals in my care over the years who had overstayed their effectiveness(??)(not to say that is the case here), but we all have to decide why we have horses, and why we have the ones we have, and what is it that we are really trying to get out of this experience.

For me it comes down to maintaining the sense of presence that is fundamental to the overall working relationship. When that is in line, you will know it, and that is all that matters.

I kept my Ben horse around for years, with a chronic lameness that would come and go, but I had such a rich history with that horse that when he was up to it, I would work him, and the rest of the time I lamented the extra care, and constantly tried to reconcile my need to be cost effective with my need to give the animal what he deserved. When the time came, it was as clear as crystal, and I will never regret the extra effort I made, nor the final decision to give him up.

Life is about more than what we expect it to be, and our lives with animals are made richer by the changes in course that they lead us on.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Hey, I didn’t choose for it to happen!! In over ten years of mowing hay regularly, it only happened that one time, but it could be a lot worse than that, so being fearful is not an option as far as I am concerned.

Hope you regain your composure.:)

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Several years ago I was mowing with my horses in very tall fist cut, just enjoying the smooth operation of the mower, day dreaming and letting my gaze wander back and forth from the horses to the cutter bar, when I was ratcheted back to reality by a brutal screaming of a fawn that had been laying in the grass, and didn’t move……did not move an inch. In fact, on afterthought I was surprised that the mare on that side had not seemed to even notice it. Anyway, I had to stop the horses, who were not phased, catch the leg-less baby, and dispatch it from its misery.

I do have situations where my animals encounter strange and unpredictable things, but I have conditioned myself, and therefore them, to just take it in stride. If I freak out, they will.

I had a neighbor who had very obnoxious dogs, who would bark and bark and bark. When I would stop to talk with her, the dogs would run circles around the horses barking, barking,barking, and dashing in to jump at the horses, and even sometimes nip at their bellies, or flanks. I know……:eek:!!! But my responsibility was not to the dogs but to my horses, and I needed them to stand and remain comfortable. They would watch the dogs, with ears back, but rarely even flinched when the dogs approached. As ridiculous as the situation was, it was my intention that my horses and I needed to be able to maintain effective communication, regardless of the surroundings.

For me it isn’t a matter of desensitizing the horses to certain situations, but reinforcing the leadership every time a distraction occurs, whether it is a zooming school bus, a kid on a dirt bike, or screaming legless fawn,….”This is me…. I’m safe…..Trust me…..follow my lead, and all will be fine!”

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Boy Rod, it is so good to read such satisfaction in your words. I’m very happy for you. You’ve learned a lot in the last year:).

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Rod, yoke ’em, take a picture, and post it, so we can get a better idea of what you are looking at.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Welcome to the site Blair. It was great to meet you and Peter yesterday. I hope you find some useful info and hopefully some contacts here.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Larry I have never used the set up like you are currently using, but I have used the hame strap between britchen rings. I usually only use that in the early stages of ground driving, backing, and turning, say for hitching, stepping over the pole, etc.

Once the horses are on a pole, I tend to disconnect them, to give them more freedom of movement. If the strap is holding their butts together, but the reins are set too narrow, you will be working against yourself. I am more inclined to drive them, and adjust the lines so that they are able to travel straight, rather than using a strap, or line to hold them in position.

Similarly, if they do not travel at the same speed, or one is more aggressive on the bit, or one shy, I find that I prefer working individually to correct the problem by encouraging one, or slowing the other, rather that relying on the strap or such device to accomplish that.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Robert and others, I have parameters set to moderate these posts so that I can keep them organized, so you won’t see them after you post, until I have reviewed and accepted them. Please keep them coming.

Carl

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