[Donn Hewes]

Hi guys, Brad, glad you are testing the hook again. The one I sent you with the harness had a grade 8 bolt. Did you break that or just change it to make it shorter? Did you shorten it by about a 1/4″ or so? Just wondering. D

I have used that half hitch many times as well. I always like starting a load perpendicular to the logs like that when the opportunity presents itself. It is a nice gentle way to get a bigger load moving.

Unfortunately I am out of the game for a few weeks with a bad hand from a table saw accident. I didn’t get cut by the blade, but my hand sure got pushed around.

[Donn Hewes]

Jay, I am glad you are alright. It is an awesome honor we have to work with such animals. It is not without it’s challenges and hardships. I will talk to you soon, Donn

[Donn Hewes]

hey George, I didn’t know you had a horse named after me! I am honored. Or perhaps it is like when my mother used to call us by the name of the child that best represented the crime being committed! You use my name to say “don’t grow up to be like him”.

I don’t think it is the part George was hooked on, but Meader Supply does carry the downward facing hook for your side straps. As i am about to have a local Amish shop make me a couple harnesses I am wondering if anyone knows how to find a in solid brass or stainless steel. I would also like to find that front hook in the same. I am also looking for the D ring that is one piece with no bolt. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

I found the home made ground drive cart I made to be very satisfying. Of course it took me three tries to make it right. Finding the right older tractor to begin with is the key.

[Donn Hewes]

Back forty, Those sound like fun projects. One place you might look would be to see what size motors I & J has put on similar sized equipment. I believe you could even call them perhaps. I don’t think eithier of those would be hard to run, but I would be truly guessing at the power needed. If I were making one I would say 12 to 15hp. but that is because I think in most conditions it would tedd or mow with 7 to 10 hp. but I would would want enough for the days when it was heavy hay or tedding a rained on windrow.

For most equipment having 540 be somewhere in the middle of the rpm range will be fine. you just throttle up until you like the results. I think that will work fine for that type of mower or tedder if you did the math right!

One other important question; what will you want to run with it in the next few years. Small is good because it is light and will make a nicer machine for horses, but it will be a bummer if you decide you want to run the baler next. Just thinking out loud! Good Luck

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Donn Hewes.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Peyton, I am not sure what to say. You want to know if it is worth it? Worth what? Yes, absolutely worth every penny and every minute. Of course, I love working with horses and hate tractors so the math is made somewhat easier for me.

Please accept that the following is just my opinion. A tractor with diesel will make you richer quicker than horses: if… if you are just counting the money. I feel we need to consider some other reasons why we might choose to farm with horses. Like working in community, saving soil, peace and quite. I think we will continue to find more reasons as we work. I am fortunate that I don’t question it each day when I get up.

Now back to your specific questions, Horses can, and are, doing all the things you are talking about. In some cases four horses will work better than three. Four horses pull a gas powered cart with the haybine, or the baler with a wagon behind. When you find someone to walk on the wagon and stack the bales; that is the community I am talking about. When it comes time to unload the wagons they are already there. Good luck, Donn

Let me know if you have more specific questions as I do all my hay making in the manor you describe. I have run a combine in the past with horses and plan to again soon, D

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Jared, Sounds like fun. I always think mules and donkeys are more like cats and horses are more like dogs! Must be the individuals involved. Haflinger in the middle looks nice and symmetrical, but it isn’t necessary. I would go based on how comfortable the donks will be seperated by the horse. If there is any timidness on the part of the donks I would put the bolder on in the middle. Just a thought, it is always trail and error with a thing like that. Talk to you soon, Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Jared, I have always been a fan of working different animals together. While the Haflinger is most likely bigger and stronger than the donkeys that doesn’t mean they can’t work together. When you lift a table with someone that is way bigger and stronger than you, you both still lift half (one on each end). The easiest way to work these animals together is to have them all do the same amount of work. That way a standard tripletree or three horse evener will work fine.

If you wanted to fine tune the system slightly because the donkeys were consistently tiring before the Haflinger you would shorten the haflinger’s end of the evener by an inch or two. That would increase his work load from 1/3 slightly.

For tongue set up I prefer a tongue that moves over left or right to fall between two animals. Usually 18″ will do it, but it depends on the evener. This hitch keeps your animals centered right in front of you and the evener is also centered right in front of you. Often in the same hole a two horse evener came out of. Then you can use a standard two horse neck yoke on the two closest to the pole (with a d ring harness this is slightly different). This is one time where you want the neck yoke to be secure to the tongue as there is nothing preventing it from coming off if your third animal steps forward.

Driving these animals as a team of three should be fun. Don’t hesitate to ask if something I said doesn’t make sense. Good Luck, Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Mike, That is a good question, and I think Carl will know the answer. For some reason I think the may already be public, but I would wouldn’t mind paying a little for them. I need a new forecart this spring. I have about 5!, but they are all different. I only really have one good teaching cart with room for more than one person. I am thinking I will build something along those lines for my new cart. Carl, where do we get the plans?

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Brad, Perhaps $150 for the harness? $50 for the collar. The collar is a 21, so hopefully mine or Erika’s might fit (I have a collar pad with a couple funny holes in it but it still works). Let me know and I will send it with Scott to Essex. D

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Brad, I have a nylon harness that was made for my donkey. it is like new but I would sell it for a small price! just don’t know how I would get it to you. I have friends headed for Essex next week. I could send it with them. I could direct you to some photos if you like. I think it could be adjusted for a Haflinger pretty easily. D

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Brad, That is a bummer. I wish they had used a stronger bolt from the beginning. I think I was led a stray on the first one made with the idea that they were going to be hardened. Unfortunately case hardening doesn’t really strengthen anything. Yes, I think we can make improvements. I think I would make two changes. Welding in a better bolt and using a single slot instead of two. The single slot would reach to the center of the hook and reduce the torque on the bolt head. Brad, did it break at or near the head? I will replace any hooks that break.

At this point Brad, I think you might want to wait for me to make a new prototype! Anyone else with a problem with a hook please let me know. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Miriam, That is a great question and it can be challenging as well. There are so many variables. Just some of the variables that folks consider are; How many horses; soil types; acreage available; Time available to do daily chores.

I personally like a program that varies with the weather, seasons and work load. This may take more planning and work than a plan that turns horses in and out the same way everyday of the year, but it will allow the best balance between how the horses will impact the areas around my barn and farm with how turn out will will benefit the horses with exercise and pasture grazing.

The main way I use a “sacrifice” paddock is in periods where I will not be home for several days and I believe the weather permits them to stay out.

In bad weather, heavy rain any time, or rain or snow in the spring, fall or winter, I prefer to not turn my horses out in “sacrifice” paddocks at all. The best sacrifice paddock for the horses would be large where they would not be subjected to the mud they created or their own manure. of course this is not the best sacrifice paddock for your farm’s environment. the problem with a smaller sacrifice paddock is it can be worse for the horses. Mixing concentrated manure with mud and gravel is worse for the animal than standing in mud alone. It won’t always but can lead to increased number of hoof abcesses, gravels, and parasites.

You can see how this led me to want a flexible system where I could move the animals each day based on what would be best for them and the land. Of course this takes the most time and effort. After several years I added the small concrete pad that I now have out side the horses run in area. This area gives me the ability to leave horses and mules right there, loose; in the worst weather. Of course it is a long term project to add areas like that.

I always have plans of how I will continue to improve my manure and waste handling to increase the nutrients returned to the land and minimize the nutrients lost in run off.

Lots to consider.

[Donn Hewes]

Nice Job Tulie, I personally have fun leading animals, but I have seen it be very stressful for folks. I think that is another way to look at it. Figure out what you are comfortable with and then add to it gradually. There are many days (too many!) where leading is the only contact I have with animals all day. When I come into the the barn yard with a large group, I slowly turn all three, four or six around and make a big straight row looking back at me. I am sure my animals think “this is not the Fair – is lining up like this really necessary?” But I always get kick out of seeing them all watching me while a drop the ropes and slowly pick up a wire to close them in. Then halters off and have drink of water!

I have made a game of leading them.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Carl, I have my methods but I know there limitations with it. I have never lead cows anywhere, but I don’t think it would be much different than leading horses. I regularly lead six or seven horses and mules by myself.

I use lead ropes with three snaps spaced out about 2 or 2 1/2 feet apart. For leading six I have a rope with three snaps that is longer and allows three horses to walk in front of the three in back. Having lead ropes with multiple snaps allows me to work with out 6 different ropes in each hand.

I think for horses and cows I would try to put cows on one side of me and horses on the other. Would there be enough room through lane ways, etc, to lead them all wide like that? That is why I started leading one group in front of the other. leading horses three in front of three (or four in front of four) is really not that difficult. I pick animals for the back row that will listen to me, and they learn that they are expected to follow. That long tail comes up to my hand where I am at the shoulder of the front group.

What are the pros and cons of a lead rope with multiple snaps? I think horses must have some understanding of how to lead properly before they will adapt to this system, because they are moving further away from your direct contact. I use the tail of the rope against the chest / legs of horses far away from me to control them when they are too eager. This only works with horses that are willing to follow my directions from a distance. I feel it is very similar to my desire to be able to work them in larger groups; so the time I take to get them leading like this is well spent when I am hitching four, etc. if a person can’t slow horses down while leading them, a rope with multiple snaps would not be a good idea.

When I go to pasture to lead them in or in the barn yard getting ready to go out; I halter all the animals without putting any of them on a lead rope. if they are not near the point of a gate I will often, but not always, drive / push them to the gate before I put them on a rope. Putting them on a multi snap rope on pasture is one of the tricky parts. Once I start snaping one horse to another they must switch to being in my control, realizing that they are no longer free to go as they please, waiting for me to finish this step and get ready to go. This can take some caution, but the benefit is horses learning to wait. Imagine a four month old mule that is learning to wait tied to its mother while I open a gate in front of all of us.

Actually the biggest challenge, and the part I worry about when others use this method is turning animals loose on pasture. These animals might be eager to eat or roll or check out their new paddock, But they must wait as I let each one go in turn. A person must be very methodical about turning the animals so your back is to the opening and the animals will go away from you as you release them. With young stock, or donkey! or anyone else, I think about the best order to release them. Anyone green or young animals, or intact donkeys! need to be released first so they don’t try to go to quick. A person needs to manage all the halters and rope on their forearm so nothing is on the ground. This is the biggest risk of this method.

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