[Dennis]

I do custom haying for people. I mostly use tractors because of time and the size of the fields. I have a couple small lots that I use the mules to rake withand the landowners love it. I have never plowed but I have had people talk to me who were interested in having a team do it for them. I think there is alot of work out there for them, people just have to know that you do it.

[Dennis]

So I tried the butt rope today and it seemed to work wonders. It helped out the backing issues and it kept the white mule from stepping out of the traces. With those issues taken care of I was less frustrated which calmed the girls down. Had a very successful day today.

[Dennis]

Geoff, I do the same when they are hook to a cart or arch and it works really good for me. I just haven’t figured out how to do that one handed yet.

[Dennis]

I appreciate everyones comments. I plan on taking them out tommorrow so it looks like i will try a but rope. I had not tried it yet because I had heard it was not good to work them with one. I have been alternating the size of the logs when i skid to keep them from anticipating the large ones as bad. Those were the first two logs of the day so they hadn’t gotten the fresh worked out of them yet. The white mule has calmed down with regular work but shall she wants to do is pull. Out of the two of the m the red one has the least experience, but she is the calmest, I got her about two ears ago and she had never been worked with. These are the first two that I have trained and so far I have had better luck with the red one that was green compared to the white one that I was told worked about 7 yrs before I got her. I feel that I have spent more time correcting her prior training to match what I want. Donn, I saw the pics of your Suffolk mule, when she throws the colors you don’t want ou can send them down to Virginia.

[Dennis]

I have read through this post a couple times and I am having some issues grasping how to hook the chain to load the second tier without getting the chain stuck between the tiers. Ronnie or Carl, can one of you post a picture or a drawing of it. I am using this system to load my trailer for transport and i have been just leaving the chain between the logs.

[Dennis]

I saw an arch on rural heritage that seems to be what you are looking for. It was made by Tim Caroll. It was made from a set of landing gears from a tractor trailer, so the height is adjustable. I have a forecart and don’t use it, i use my arch for everything. The height is nice and makes it easier to see over your team.

[Dennis]

Tom, I’m kind of in the same boat as you. I don’t have a large team (mules), so I try not to overload them and push them too hard. I have a full time job so as long as I’m not losing money I’m happy with it. Even though it seems to move slow for me my team is able to pay for themselves (feed, vet, and farrier) and they also cover all the fuel to run to the jobs with a little left. I think its better to ease into things. Congrats on the start.

[Dennis]

I’ve thought the same thing as you Ronnie, I’ve watched a couple pulls and she does what some of those rank teams do. The prior owner didn’t work her and all he could tell me is that she was worked before. We are skidding pine logs, nothing over 12″ and 14′, nothing too heavy. Her harness fits nicely and she has been conditioned. Waiting on hay season, we have about 150 acres of hay that I plan on having her and her new team mate to pull the rake, giving the old timer a break. Hopefully that will help her out.

[Dennis]

ChrisB,

One thing that I have been looking into is mounting one of those hydraulic engine lifts that are made to mount on truck beds. I am using a 2 horse trailer, so I have to put my arch or cart in the back of my truck. Illegal to haul the arch behind the trailer in Virginia unless you want to buy the permits. The engine lift would make it nice to load and unload.

[Dennis]

Sounds good, thanks.

[Dennis]

I talked to a couple companies that specialize in logging insurance, they have told me that they will only insure a mechanized company. For them the mules weren’t the problem with them, it was that I would be felling with a chainsaw and not a fellerbuncher or other large piece of equipment. I am waiting for a return call from Timbersure, has any body used them or heard anything about them? What companies do any of you go through?

[Dennis]

I walked the property with the landowner yesterday, approximately 45 acres. I counted around 12 or so trees that fell, so hurricane irene didn’t really bother him much. It is a mature stand that has not been touched that I can tell, property owner has had the property since ’65. The more I talked the better it got for me, he now would like his stand improved upon and thinned out a little.

[Dennis]

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely agree with you on the dangers of storm damage. I haven’t had a chance to look at the property yet, luckily we just caught the edge of hurricane irene, so I don’t anticipate it looking like a war zone. I am planning on looking at it on Sunday after I get back from the draft animal days.

[Dennis]

Pebbles, not sure if this is going to be any help to you but I’ll give it anyway. I have a quarter horse that is about 14.2 and 900 pds, I just fitted her with a 19″ collar. I also have a 15 hand belgian mule and a 16 hand percheron mule that are around 1200 -1300 pds and have both of them in a 23″ collar. I can go down to a 22″ with one of them, but I don’t have one. I have entertained the idea of an adjustable collar because my 15 hand mule grew 2 collar sizes when I started working her regularly. So your qh might bulk up more than you expect.

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