[Iron Rose]

Tillers does offer a farming class on animal power the end of may near Wykoff Mn. Usually a day each with Mules , Horses, And Oxen. In the Fall they over a logging class with both horses and Oxen. I handle the horses for both the farming and logging class. Ther is another guy near Janesville Mn that work Oxen but will have to look up his name and info. E-mail me if interested.

P.S.
Just learned that one of the oxen at Wykoff Died this winter and they haven’t replaced him yet. Will probably start a pair of calves.

[Iron Rose]

Whenever I start a young team or a team that my have never worked for a living I start them on a light bobsled or breaking sled. Lay out a furrow with a tractor or good plow team. Then drive one horse in the furrow a few rounds untill they get used to the load and your furrow horse knows were he is to be.
Its a lot easier to drive the horses then to try to drive horses and run the plow at the same time.

[Iron Rose]

I have had fair luck welding cast iron . I try to tack the peices together and preheat them in the forge to dull red(if you don’t have a forge a torch with a rosebud tip will work but slower). Then weld with either cast iron rod or nickle alloy rod. As soon as its welded bring back up the dull red color and cover with coals and walk away wait till completely cool. If you try to weld cast cold it will break again right next to the weld.

[Iron Rose]

Never seem to have the time that the Pro’s say you should take to break horses. We start a few horses each year they are never started till they are at least 3 and some are as old as 8 when we get them(older and unbroke = cheap) About the only ground work they get is getting them halter broke then hook them on the outside of a good broke team and go to work. After a week in the field they have a different outlook on things. Usually start on lighter loads.

[Iron Rose]

I can sure fell your grief . A few years ago I had to put down a faithfull horse that I had raised from a colt. To help with the grief I wrote a poem in tribute to and exceptional horse.

Good-bye
Old Friend

Today I said good-bye to a friend of thirty years
A better partner and companion could not be found
Greatly missed will he be
One that may never be found again

Many trails did we travel
Many a Bronc did he help me break
Never a better partner could be had
Always counted on could he be, there when the need be

When stock need to be worked
Well to say he did it all, is all that needs to be said
He knew naturaly what to do
Of one mind wee seemed to be

Thia special friend was a horse
Not a fancy show horse was he
No just a good ole working horse
With a heart as big as all outdoors

One Cold and Windy day
To an accident did he fall
His hind leg was swollen and hot
On three legs he tried to go

To the barn and stall did he have to go
Out under God’s blue sky , is were he wanted to be
Longingly he gazed out the door
But with snow and ice surly he would fall

An escape on that night did he try
Outside is were he tried to go
Though it wasn’t ,eant to be
He slipped and fell, he lay there unable to rise

He called to me that morning
Painabd sorrow filled his eyes
The time had come I knew
To free him from the prison of pain

On that cold and windy day
Sitting on that cold barn floor
We said are good-byes
I helped him go to were we all must go

With gun in hand and tear filled eyes
Twice I tried and twice I failed, to send him on
Then I swear I heard God’s voice say
” Send him home so the hevanly range he can roam”

If good horse’s to heaven go I don’t know
But could it me heaven if that is so
So if it’s there he did go
Then the hevenly herd did just grow

[Iron Rose]

Never found that cauked shoe any harder to keep on flat shoes ,if the shoe is set properly. There are certain horses that are harder to keep shoes on than others. On those you have to figure out what the problem is. I have used clips on some as well as changing the nailing pattern as well as adding more nail holes to the shoe . Also if you are using used shoes check the nail holes if they are worn the shoe will work loose.

[Iron Rose]

My Dad always used to tell the story of the time when he was a kid he worked for a farmer. The first day that he had to cultivale corn with a pair of Mules. The farmer gave him his pocket watch and told him to keep track of the time and if he couldn’t make it to the far end and turn back for home not to try. Seems that if the mules heard the noon whistle from town and they were headed away from home they would just turn around and go home. If they were headed towards home they would stay on the row to they end then go home.

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