[mathuranatha]

G,day we are on the East Coast of Ozzie

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[mathuranatha]

Chickday, sounds like you are doing real good . Dont listen to the naysayers , once every one had oxen , and in much of the 3rd word they still do . its so easy and natural to train them . Easier than dogs or cats or horses [IMHO] because bovines are so placid and forgiving .And easier than driving a car and everyone does that.Just follow your heart , like you are doing .My wife had never handled oxen and traind a 2 year old ox strait out of the paddock to pull a wagon on the pubic road in 6 days of training [ only30 minutes twice a day for 6 days ]. because I told her its really easy , and no one told her it was hard .

They are very psychic , just be very calm ,affectionate and peaceful [ slow and smooth movments]and very clearly imagine what they are to do .If your are very confident and self assured they just tune into the mood and go along .If they have been around people a bit and not been tortured or trauaatised you will be fine .

Ones that have only seen peole once a year when they round them up on motorbikes and brand them , cut off their horns and testicles are harder , but your Frye will be fine .

Good to teach Frye to lift his feet if you want to use some sort of shoes later on . has he got a nose ring? Nose rings are good in public in crowds and noisyfestivals and in heavy traffic etc .Praising and rewards of molasses , lucern , grain etc when Frye is well behalved .

keep up the good work —mat–

[mathuranatha]

@herefords 35087 wrote:

mat,

do you have any pics of these on or seperate?

yep i found some old pics on my flicker ,
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4439982424_51b2cbfafc_s.jpg ,
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4439978882_c2ccb56b81_s.jpg , http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4439975260_ef3f856cc8_s.jpg

only of the shoes though , not fitted . A 25mm [1 inch] wide well oiled leather strap with buckle goes through the 3 nylon webbing loops and does up snug but not too tight – then it wont rub . might rub if working in the rain all day .

[mathuranatha]

I used to make strap on shoes for my bullocks 15 or 20 years ago , i am pretty sure there was a thread on this site [or a similar site]a few years ago with pictures etc . they used to work quite well . strap them on every morning take them off at night . We were working them on the road every day so shoes were absolutely essential . most we had on the road was 5 oxen at one time , a pair pulling a big cart and them 3 smaller single-bullock carts with shafts . So that was 20 shoes to strap on every morning . They were made from steel in the end with nylon webbing loops and a leather strap . As they would wear down I would just weld fresh bars across the bottom . Still dreaming and planing to get out on the road again , its been a decade . good luck , have fun —mat —

[mathuranatha]

I,ve had a few pet bulls over the years . They can be trained and yolked up same as bullocks .They were always ok with me but would fight with each other sometimes .Have been vegetarian for decades so they probably sense that I am their friend, and were brought up as pets handled a lot etc .They work then in India , I worked a bull and a bullock together sometimes.

You see kids training and showing bulls at shows — doesnt seen a problem .no doubt about it though bullocks are a lot more mellow . Bulls castrated at even 5 or 10 years old do seem to mellow out and act like bullocks after a few years .

Hope that helps — Mat—

[mathuranatha]

@Ixy 19813 wrote:

oh my goodness tell me about these strap on shoes (pictures would be most excellent) I assumed if I did a lot of roadwork I’d need to use the stick on block boot things for dairy cows!

I don’t think the long flat feet our cows have would be good roads, but we don’t get the chance to test it here! I think it would do Angus’ feet good though, his seem to be the only ones that chip off at the toe – maybe because he’s half simmi, and they have good draught heritage and feet better suited to roads?

CharlyBonifan asked me about them a few months ago and I posted some pics ,ill try and copy the post and paste below :-

Teaming up mature oxen 03-01-2008, 05:08 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlyBonifaz
mathuranatha,
been trying to reach you a long while ago
need to know how you fix the rubber/tire-shoes on the oxen….if this doesn’t fit here, may be you want to use pm? thanks in advance

03-17-2010, 11:59 AM
mathuranatha
Junior Member

I gave up on the rubber tyre shoes after a coupler of years and made them out of all steel.Not quite as much grip as the rubber but much more durable and easy to maintain.Sort of like steel sandals with one loop at the front and 2 loops at the back and a leather strap that went around their ankle.We used to strap them on each morning and take them off at night .As they would wear down we would just weld new bars across the bottom.Did thousands of kilometres on the bitumen roads during the 90,s but havent put one on a bullock in probably 10 years .Anyway I’ll find one of the shoes and take a pic.There is one 20+year old bullock left who used to wear the shoes . I might be able to put a shoe on him but I think all the leather straps are totally deteriorated.I definitely want to get a young calf and get out on the road again .I bult a new light weight cart 3or 4 years ago with an axle that winds forwards and backwards to keep the balance neutral for hills.Still havent tried it yet .My email is mathuranathadas108@gmail.com — remind me if I dont get around to posting some pic as I have about 10 life times of things that need doing and lots of half finished projects on our community farm.
—- thanks mat—

another pic , can post more if required-mat-

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ok looks like it might not have copyed the attachments but you can go to the original thread and see them , and also there was a similar thread a couple of years ago .There were 3 pics posted 17and 19 /3/2010

hope that helps –Mat –[IMG][IMG][IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9445121@N05/4439982424/[/IMG]

[mathuranatha]

We found a single bullock and a narrow cart was so much safer on the road with cars and trucks etc.Its possible to keep right over out of harms way .Turning , backing , parking its all easier . Less water to carry , less shoes, and if you use your strongest bullock one animal seems 2/3 or even 3/4 as strong as a pair .
–mat —

[mathuranatha]

We used to use strap on shoes when working on the paved or gravel roads every day .Even the most stubborn and dumb bullocks eventually learn to lift their feet if given the option before being thrown every morning to strap their shoes on .They can learn to balance on 3 legs for a short while any way while a shoe is strapped on .

And yes their toes can get really long and thin and pointy on soft grass and need trimming or working on a hard surface .

The nail on shoes they use in India dont seem to last log at all working on the road every day. But as there are “narlies” every where [or used to be] they just replace the half shoe that comes adrift .After seeing them replacing nails , shoes etc on a pair of bullocks sometimes every couple of days it made our strap on shoes seem not so inconvenient after all.2 bullocks = 16 half shoes , one always seems to be coming loose .Especially the small hoofs and thin side walls of some of the smaller Indian bullocks .

— mat — 🙂

[mathuranatha]

Good Post:)

[mathuranatha]

I have pierced a dozen or so bullocks noses over the years .The best way Ive found is to have a narrow bladed knife sharpened on both sides of the blade really sharp .Secure the bullocks head so he cant move it at all, not even a little bit is best .I cover their eyes so they dont learn what a knife looks like so they wont be afraid of one in the future .Then I just tab it through really quickly , in and out again within like half a second .If your really quick and the knife is really sharp they dont seem to feel any thing at all and just lick the blood from their nose as if to say where did that come from.

Trying to push the pointy end of a nose ring through is very low and difficult by comparison and causes them lots of pain relatively .

mat:)

[mathuranatha]

In India they seem to put a thick strap from the middle of the shafts right around the animals chest and back and it is fairly snug .As the carts are not often balanced very well especially while being loaded/unloaded , going up or down hills the bullock can raise or lower his head and transfer the pressure onto the waist strap thereby stopping the extreme weight from either pushing down onto his neck or from trying to lift him up by the neck and choke him.

And yep strap or rope etc behind the rump is for slowing the wagon down , holding it back going down hills ,or for backing .

–mat —

[mathuranatha]

In close proximity to parked cars etc nose ropes can be very precise avoiding cars by inches confidently . But one of my friends who insists on driving only by voice has scraped and damaged a car sometimes .:p.

I have been to India probably 30 times over the last 3decades or so .The Indians are very practical .They use voice control as well as nose reigns

They say bullocks have their own language and the commands they use are in bullock language .get up is ja-ja-ja-ja , stop is haaaaar , turn right is bu- bu – bu – bu , left is darn- darn – darn- darn .From memory , it was 20 years ago I heard that maybe more .

To shoe them they just call everyone nearby and about 20 people grab the bullock and push him over and sit on him while he is shod.

In India there isnt lots of lush grass right on the side of the road .But in the west the grass they are walking right past is soooo green and lush and untouched if they decide to disobey the voice and you dont have reigns you can roll your wagon . I have rolled my wagon once and my friend also .Lot of work to pick up all your things and get the wagon upright again .

keep drivin them bullocks — mat —

[mathuranatha]

I also want to get a couple . have seen them in India a lot . They need to be submerged in water everyday or at least washed down well every day apparently . Otherwise they get sick . Where do you live? They only seem to live in the tropics and sub tropics — may not do well in colder climates .
good luck — mat —

[mathuranatha]

[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9445121@N05/4439978882/[/IMG]
another pic , can post more if required-mat-

[mathuranatha]

[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9445121@N05/4439975260/[/IMG][IMG][IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9445121@N05/4439982424/[/IMG] @CharlyBonifaz 16761 wrote:

mathuranatha,
been trying to reach you a long while ago 😎
need to know how you fix the rubber/tire-shoes on the oxen….if this doesn’t fit here, may be you want to use pm? thanks in advance

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