[mathuranatha]

@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

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—

[mathuranatha]

Had half a dozen or so trained oxen at one time,a decade or two ago.All dead from old age now. Only used to work a pair at time usually, so I would swap them around with different partners and different sides so they were more flexible and versatile.

[mathuranatha]

Well my best bullock in his prime ,in a single yolk could pull a loaded wagon up a steep gravel drive that could not be towed up with a 4liter 6cylinder [approximatly 150hp]pannel van

[mathuranatha]

@BachelorFarmer 2545 wrote:

I saw a picture once of a Bennett Buggy with an ox team wearing harness.

A former employer of mine, an old farmer who grew up in the horse days, said that some farmers still used oxen but not with yokes. They put a horse collar on upside down, unbolted the hames from the traces and turned them over (so the harness is right side up but collar and hames are upside down) then hooked them like a team of horses. I don’t know whether they used a whip or voice or what to drive them. I think it would be an odd sight.

When I was a kid I tried hooking two jersey bull calves into a homemade steel yoke I made. Not successful….

Yep , I,v also heard about tuning a horse collar upside down , of course it would also depend on the size of the collar and the ox . Breeching is pretty easy to make and works fine holding a cart or wagon back descending hills , although brakes make it easier .
Yolks and bows eithere singe or double are easy to make and a lot cheaper and easier to make than collars

goodluck — Mat

[mathuranatha]

They definitely get slower as they get older .My first pair used to take 4 1/2 hours to get home from the local Hare Krishna farm 22kilometers ..Trotting quite a bit on the flats.They were 4-5 years old then .As the years went buy they took longer and longer and in the end it was taking a day and a half , camping out overnight .Then one refused to go out . He was the first to die at 15-16 . Most of my others lived till 18-19-20.

got a friend that takes his 14year old Govinda on the road regularly and he goes quite well still.he had an easy life though –always under shelter and fed well as a house pet . But the half dozen or so that i,v ever worked on the road were never so good after about 9-10 . just too slow .

I much prefer them fast than slow.In India they train them to walk fast on the road and never let them even think about slowing down . 6k/hour all day , you can hardly keep up walking even if you are young and very fit .So it was probably just laziness with mine as i wasn’t heavy enough with them .

If I get anymore [probably will] I,m going to do everything completely differently.Or just get my wife to train them . Hers turn out much better natured , friendly and obedient . Mine were always like solders marching off to be cannon fodder .Stiff upper lip , eyes ahead , more afraid of the officers than the enemy.

Good luck , have fun —Mathuranatha

[mathuranatha]

G’day , a single animal is good on the road with a narrow cart —a lot less dangerous for cars to overtake . You can keep off to the side a lot more .Also a lot easier to maneuver in amongst people and cars etc .
Actually a lot less work.We use strap on shoes on the bitumen road, so less shoes to put on in the morning .less water less feed , only one animal to tether out etc.
In recent years I much prefer one animal for light carts or work ,
Good luck . Mat.

[mathuranatha]

D’day from down under . Just found this forum .
Happy to help if I can ,trained and worked a few over the last 20 years.My wifes much better though.Mine obey from fear hers from love . I’m learning though.
Mat

[mathuranatha]

G,day from Australia my first post —just found this site .
I use lines but not like the indian system .I have two lines to each animal apparently like ‘split reigns ‘for horses.Although these days I often just use one ox in a cart and a reign to either side of a loop rope through his nose and around behind his horns.In amongst crowds of people and cars much better fine tuned control.
Good topic thanks Mat

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