[LStone]

I am always alone with the Bigguns’ in the woods. It is an awful habit and probably the most unsafe thing anyone of us here do on a regular basis. My reasons are lack of interest of my family and friends. Would always love company / help with my hobby. I don’t have answers but I try to always remember my cell phone. They don’t work well when you land on them or when your unconscious though.

[LStone]

I make a lot of mistakes, reassessing and second or third attempts. Not just with the bigguns’ but in my life in general. Part of not being perfect I guess. Beauty of making them with hosses is that I am mostly always alone, so mistakes can only be between me the hosses and my maker if I choose.

[LStone]

Couldn’t find any listings on it IRA. I haven’t seen it in my travels either.

[LStone]

Not even sure how it happened in my case, but I don’t have much of an issue with any of my “Bigguns” staying put. many trips in the woods and doing errands I am sure helped to establish acceptable behavior. About once a month I go for a hay run at a local farmer’s and they stand and wait while loading and more importantly unloading the wagon. About a hundred bales worth. The unloading part has an electric tape relatively near their noses but nothing would stop them from backing away. I would estimate, at least 3/4 an hour to load and an hour and to unload the hay. All I can suggest is practice and then more practice. Even now, I trust but don’t trust. We have had mistakes and I always treat it as a dynamic situation but we are always comfortable. Best of luck.

[LStone]

Two poles and a three horse neck yoke for 3 abreast in the D-ring is key for me. That explains a lot! Now I have to set up for it. Thanks again guys!

[LStone]

Hey Ed,

Pretty much my experience too. I let them familiarize to each other over a fence for a week or so then turn them in together. Kids will be kids but so far for me anyway it has settled down on its own within a couple days. They are all individuals granted, but its your farm to run not the horses’. Once in together I split hay into piles covering more area than can be covered by the dominant animals so the lower guys can get their share of the hay too. Unfortunately I haven’t been successful getting everyone fed with just a single pile of hay yet.

Larry

[LStone]

Man, I hope not. But if the wrong people get a hold of this, the pleasure will most certainly be taxable. Nice video Carl.

[LStone]

Hah!!
Much better now, Thanks.

[LStone]

Hi Carl,
So the term “nose to nose” loosly translated does that mean using a pole? I never thought that the “inflexibility” would dictate a method of side to side movement or that the extra swivel connection using the jockey yokes would effect whether a horse sweeps when they turn or not. I always assumed that “sweeping” was something trained not done out of necessity based upon the type of equipment used. But it makes sense when I think about it. If that is the case would it be safe to assume that you have to drive differently in turns depending on the type of yoke used? The reason I ask is that every time I use a single piece yoke the horses are not my own horses, and I seem to struggle a little bit driving around turns. Not so much on curves as taking actual turns. Do you think I might need to adjust my driving style using a single piece yoke as opposed to a jokey yoke arrangement? If so are the differences in styles easily described?

Also Donn I don’t know how many people do this but I encourage my near horse to back into hitching the last tug by telling it to “back” while pulling back on the britchen. I also do this while hitching up a single to a log if I need to back him and don’t have lines corectly in my hands. I figure it transfers pressure to the collar nudging the horse back a little bit. I generally need only a couple incehes and this works well for me. Just something I am finding to work out pretty well for me.

Larry

[LStone]

Hi jen. I have used both types of yokes. I think that the only real difference is purely simpliciity , less moving parts, and cost. I think if you measure vertically the single piece yoke and compare to the jokey yoke situation the pole will naturally carry itself lower on the jockey yokes vs. the single neck yoke as well. Were both poles the same length? Is the pin type, the type that stabs into the end of the pole? That yoke will be further out on the pole and thus the hitch, looser on that pole using the ring style yoke on the same pole by inches. Now this is just an observation from a novice, and I am sure you will get more replies to your question; but it looks like you could have raised the pole a little more by dropping a link or two more links on the tugs in the pic and been fine. Other than that I hope your parade went well. Looks like a good turn out. Oh yes, and a nice team to boot!

Larry

[LStone]

Bump. This is still needed the date is November 5, 2011.

Wedding in Sturbridge MA looking for pricing and availability of HD carriage ride in Sturbridge Commons from the Publick House Inn to the Federated Church, wait, and back. in the first week of November. Contact hellokatie0517@yahoo.com for more information.

[LStone]

Thanks Robert. He has come a long way from a rack of bones as a weanling. Gaining on his older friend in both size and attitude. I think they are a better team together than the big gelding and my filly. I am proud of him.

[LStone]

Speaking of odd jobs I figure this will cover two subjects. This is the first full load on my coming 4yo gelding. We did a hay run the other day. One hundred bales. He did well, just needs to gain about 500 lbs to help with the brakes on the down hill. Up hill no problems.

[LStone]

The link worked for me Robert. Looks interesting.

[LStone]

Absolutely Jen. Sometimes you just have to take things apart and put them together yourself to figure out how it works or if it will work for you. Sometimes when I question myself I just take the pressure to “hitch and go” off. I will simply harnessing to the point of the problem and resolving the issue in my own way through adjustment measurement etc. It works out well for me since I am generally on my own away from any interested or knowledgeable people. Once it gets resolved you can easily find the proper configuration again. A word of caution for what it is worth. I don’t change too many things at the same time, realizing that too many changes at the same time are harder to keep track of and easier to effect things that I already worked out.

Larry

[Author]

Posts