[Donn Hewes]

Nice work Jean – the link is cool. Robert, I am not an expert on the breast collar or it’s use. I will go out on a limb here and suggest you think of light work as a light load that rolls on wheels, see how easily that pulls. I would be fine if someone else suggested something different. It would probably work for somethings, but you might be happier looking for an auction or a sale for a pony sized harness. If you do be sure to buy a good collar that fits right. I often buy a brand new collar (if I don’t have the perfect fit) to go with one of my old harnesses when I am setting it up for a different horse. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

I am not much of an ebay guy. Never been there. Hopefully someone will take a look at the harness. That type of harness in general, would work for somethings and not for others. Just remember it was made for light work. As soon as you want to skid some fire wood it may not work as well for you or for the donk. As to taking blinders off two thoughts come to mind. First, on most bridles it is pretty easy to cut them of with out hurting the rest of the bridle. I have done it to some old bridles that were kind of junkers anyway. I wouldn’t do it to a good bridle until I knew the animal was going to work well with out them. Should be able to find a simple bridle for riding to try out. Second, you might look for an old thread here that debated some of the pros and cons of working without blinders. Just using my self as an example. I am an advocate for taking them off and admire anyone who is working with out them. Today all my animals are working in blinders. Let us know if you find that thread – questions, etc. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Plowboy and Jean, Thanks, we are excited to have her. Yes, she is my only Suffolk. Maybe a team of Suffolk mules in the future. Funny, but her partner this summer will be a 16 y/o mule. Show her the ropes. My team this summer, from right to left (teamster view) will George (four year old Percheron mule), Susie (four year old Belgian mare), Ethel (sixteen year old mollie mule), and Connie on the left side. I think Connie and Susie might team up down the road. Everyone happily eating hay this morning. Plowboy I know it is last minute, and you are probably working but I have a few friends coming to play with horses and mules on Friday afternoon. Don’t know what we will do but something fun. Come for lunch or stay for dinner. Take care all. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Jennifer, Well, you did exactly what I did! Since it was so fun, I have made a harness from an old back saddle from a harness and a couple straps, Then I made a light weight sled, and finally, a cart with shafts. never really gave him a lot of commands. He will stop (if he can) and I keep him at heal if I don’t want him to spill something. Otherwise I just let him run! Donn

[Donn Hewes]

I as I am constantly reminding my mother, a good old Dem, given the state of our democracy today, voting had better not be the beginning and end of your participation. much more is needed unfortunately.

Jason, on the bright side, I am sitting here waiting for my new horse. A five year old Suffolk mare! Keep up the good work everyone. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

To finish the frame of the deck, add 4 pieces of 1″ or 3/4″ angle steel around the edge facing up these will allow for a plywood deck. Cut out the plywood and drop it in. any old seat will work. Two of my carts have good farmall tractor seats that include a spring in the mount. The school bus seat is great for two as in teaching or an evening drive along a country lane. All the seats are salvaged. DH

[Donn Hewes]

here is my two cents, Forecarts are very easy to make at home and very useful. I have three, and I have enough stuff here to make a couple more. I have one cart with a third wheel, brakes, as well as a motor and hydraulics. My other two are plain janes with an axle, a seat, etc. These plain forecarts are very useful. Their big advantage is in their simplicity. They can do 95% of the different jobs on the farm. Here is how I would build one:

From the axle add a flat deck. Make it small, but big enough to sit or stand, say about 3′ long by 4′ wide. Attach it to the axle either by welding or bolting to make it very solid. This deck may be completely in front of the axle or overhang a few inches behind. This will depend on a couple of things. Your seat will likely be attached to the deck frame and will want to be balanced on the cart, (this may require the rear overhang). second consider how and where you will have a point of draft. A very strong piece of steel, well attached to the deck frame. there are advantages to getting this location for a draw pin out away from the axle, and there are more reasons to keep it close. Measure on a small tractor or a good fore cart.

Consider using 4″ x 2″ channel in the left, right and center of the frame for the deck. this channel faces down and becomes a very strong place to bolt a tongue, seat, or drawbar. By having three channels properly spaced the tongue is easily moved from center to left or right for a three horse cart. Leave the center channel long enough (8″ – 12″ extra?) to hold the evener out in front of the deck.

Don’t add the seat until last. With the tongue in, the seat can be clamped or bolted with a couple bolts and the tongue can be lifted with you in the seat. move it forward and back to balance the cart. remember there should always be some tongue weight. most implements reduce the tongue weight further. I like a snap on, or bolt on neck yoke.

Don’t forget to add a rail in front for safety. Make your first cart very plain and simple, and strong. You will be impressed by how much a cart like that can do. In my snow plow pics on my web album there are some good close ups of a home made cart, made from all scrap material.

let me know if I can help.

[Donn Hewes]

here is my two cents, Forecarts are very easy to make at home and very useful. I have three, and I have enough stuff here to make a couple more. I have one cart with a third wheel, brakes, as well as a motor and hydraulics. My other two are plain janes with an axle, a seat, etc. These plain forecarts are very useful. Their big advantage is in their simplicity. They can do 95% of the different jobs on the farm. Here is how I would build one:

From the axle add a flat deck. Make it small, but big enough to sit or stand, say about 3′ long by 4′ wide. Attach it to the axle either by welding or bolting to make it very solid. This deck may be completely in front of the axle or overhang a few inches behind. This will depend on a couple of things. Your seat will likely be attached to the deck frame and will want to be balanced on the cart, (this may require the rear overhang). second consider how and where you will have a point of draft. A very strong piece of steel, well attached to the deck frame. there are advantages to getting this location for a draw pin out away from the axle, and there are more reasons to keep it close. Measure on a small tractor or a good fore cart.

Consider using 4″ x 2″ channel in the left, right and center of the frame for the deck. this channel faces down and becomes a very strong place to bolt a tongue, seat, or drawbar. By having three channels properly spaced the tongue is easily moved from center to left or right for a three horse cart. Leave the center channel long enough (8″ – 12″ extra?) to hold the evener out in front of the deck.

Don’t add the seat until last. With the tongue in, the seat can be clamped or bolted with a couple bolts and the tongue can be lifted with you in the seat. move it forward and back to balance the cart. remember there should always be some tongue weight. most implements reduce the tongue weight further. I like a snap on, or bolt on neck yoke.

Don’t forget to add a rail in front for safety. Make your first cart very plain and simple, and strong. You will be impressed by how much a cart like that can do. In my snow plow pics on my web album there are some good close ups of a home made cart, made from all scrap material.

let me know if I can help.

[Donn Hewes]

Nice looking mules! I think they will be fun to work with. There is actually a fair bit of training you can do with a rope halter. Teach them to lead, back, lower their head for a bridle, and yield their head to pressure. I know there is a lot more that fancy trainers do but just those basics can do a world of good. All horses and mules will push against pressure to some degree, but I have found mules will push longer and harder than most, sometimes. This provides them with the chance to learn about yielding with out a big fight. It is fun work, and non confrontational. I would be happy to describe more about how I use the rope halter if you are interested. If you want to see some fun pics. of horses and mules working on our farm here is my web album. Good luck and enjoy the long ears. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

I have been told different things by different people. Someone said it helped keep the lines from getting hooked on the end of the tongue. I have worked with friends that used them, but I haven’t used one in 15 years. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Dave, First, I have not watched the video so I am only responding to what I read here. I have some experience farming with, and training, horses and mules here on our farm. I am worried about the combination of their training methods with your limited experience. I think your desire to find a mentor is spot on. I have often said that a mentor or essential. Some times they are hard to find. With out assuming too much about the training video or anything about your mules let me give you one example of how different the training may be, and see if it helps you to question what you have learned so far.

When a young (1, 2, or 3 years old) mule is ready(read previous training) to be harnessed for the first time it should stand quietly in the middle of a pen while I approach it and put a halter on it. I leave a short lead rope over its neck. I put the collar on the mules neck, (not over the head with mules) If it moves a little I remind it to stand. I can walk from one side to the other around the front or back while I am doing this. I approach from the head with the harness, making sure to make a little noise, let the mule smell it and see it, proceed to put it on their back, encouraging them to stand while I do so. Finally I finish hooking all the straps and buckles, again without trying to be silent, and walking around the front and back to finish the job.

Once I finish harnessing this mule I will proceed to driving it. I hope you can see the difference in working with an unrestrained animal. If this animal wasn’t ready to be harnessed it would have been very obvious. Yes, do everything in a safe and careful manor. All ways try to give the animal the chance to tell you what they can and can’t do. Please keep this thread going if we can help you with more ideas to help start your mules. Good luck. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Beth, Do you have any idea how old he is? Where in NY? I am in NY near Cortland. Send me a private message or I will send you one so we can talk, Thanks Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Geoff, The plow is heavy, When I go to put it on blocks for the summer it takes two people to lift it one corner at a time. Maybe 300# or 400# wild guess. I move the hook around a little. I almost all ways start out straight away dead center. Sometimes being able to shift the hook slightly to the left helps the plow push to one side with out spinning out. Sometimes I change the way it is hooked behind the forecart to move the plow from behind the team. If you move it very far from center on the forecart you start to get a lot of side draft on the tongue. Now it looks like freezing rain. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Here are some better photos of how the snow plow went together. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Geoff, My snow plow has a couple of things going for it. It is a little heavy but this helps when the snow wants to push the plow rather than the other way around. We get a lot of wind here and our biggest challenge is deep snow drifts that are quite solid. The other advantage that I have is that it was built for three head. In light snow 8″ deep it is easy to pull, but if I get into a snow drift or something it can use all three. Because of it’s height and bulk the plow has no trouble with the first pass. Sometimes that is when the horses are working the hardest. I think the hard thing to make most plows do is widen the road. Unless they are substantial enough the snow just pushs the plow into it’s original path. The two central beams are long enough and solid enough to give the plow some traction when I am using one side of the plow to widen the road. Our driveway is built up over most of its length. If I can push the snow far enough off the sides the wind will not immediately fill it back in. I will try to take some more detailed pictures tomorrow. We lived out in Wa. for years. I love calling my friends and hearing about all the snow! Good Luck, Donn

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