[near horse]

Carl,

I did wipe my screen – maybe it was the shop rag I wiped it with the caused the trouble.

I did accidently load a couple of pics 2x – sorry about that.

[near horse]

Hi Carl and others,

I used Google translator to translate the text of Juan’s message (translation is marginal but gets the message across).

Greetings to all who rely on draft animals as a sustainable alternative.
I live in mexico and unfortunately estemedio ( this method) people who use it every day working less and whom even the methods used are seen as retrograde and poverty are synonymous. the Government only encourages projects of expensive machinery, but only impoverished land to peasants and landless by landslides capasitacion (training) result of poor methods of production with these technologies.

In some parts have seen the utilization of teams of horses and mules, oxen and hardly ever used, and these have seen them work with head yoke. tamed oxen people are already very old and in our years there will be more oxen. I talked to some oxherders and was to tame 2.5 to 3 years, was castrated and an ox yoked to be trained to master the young ox.

I hope in future to form a team of oxen and promote its use as a cost-effective and friendly to work the land

mor apology not know English. I see this page and use the translator.
confides that I’m excited to see that in many parts of the world benefits from animal power and all these people can not be wrong Salution cordial

[near horse]

Put it this way – I had to use a lawyer to draft a legal notification (essentially a letter) and was charged $120/hr! By a barely “wet behind the ears” lawyer so don’t sell yourself short on hourly rates – other groups charge those rates to you (mechanices etc) so It IS the cost of doing business!

[near horse]

Hey Scott,

Is lodgepole considered a “valuable” species in CO? Here in ID people hate it – the money – what there is – is in Doug Fir/Larch, Yellow pine (Ponderosa) and some Cedar. Talk about a limbing headache – try limbing some Ponderosas!

As someone mentioned, at least mills are operating. Just try and hang on.
All the best.

[near horse]

Highway –

My Belgian had what we thought was a tooth abcess on an upper molar – showed as a plum-size swelling on face below his eye. We couldn’t locate anything inside or out but the abcess ruptured and drained for a few days – all better. Not sure what it was that caused it.

Regarding mites, you can check pretty easily if you can get use of a microscope (local HS might let you use one for a few minutes). Scrape rough area w/ sharp blade (knife or scalpel) to get some skin/debris – make sure to get some fresh skin – put the scrapings in a drop of mineral oil on a microscope slide and look for mites (pretty big w/ 8 legs). I know you had the vet already coming out but next time in case you don’t want to pay for a farm call to diagnose mites ……

[near horse]

Thanks Scott and Ronnie,

I assume you’re pulling the rope or choker with your team correct?

Also, I missed the Healing Harvest RH segment because my provider (DirecTV) has the episodes of RH all screwed up. EX – it said it was going to be sustainable logging demo and ended up showing folks doing the Oregon Trail or something. Nothing wrong with that but it sure messes things up.

[near horse]

Hi mstacy,

Do you think that the difference in temperment btwn the dairy calves and the Devons was breed related (I know Drew Conroy has some rankings on cattle temperment in his book) or due to the fact that the dairy calves were bucket babies and handled/accustomed to human contact more than the Devons (I assume they were w/ momma on grass). Or maybe a bit of both? I’d be interested to hear what you think.

[near horse]

I know this never happens to you guys 🙂 but how would you handle it when you get a tree hung up on an adjacent stem? We used to yank the butt off the stump w/ a choker and machine (skidder, tractor, pick up…). Do you use your team for this when horse logging? Thanks.

[near horse]

In our area (Idaho/Wa), you find mostly Holstein and Jerseys – not too many of the other “desirable ox breeds” although there is always a guy with a Pinzgauer or Piedmontese floating around. Beef wise it’s black baldies, angus or hereford for the most part.

I was looking for a few brown swiss cows to breed to something a little beefier and throw some stout calves w/ brown swiss temperment. Just not easy to find brown swiss aout here.

[near horse]

Dairy bull calf prices rise and fall with milk prices – for the most part. When milk prices are down, bull calf prices are low or as someone said, free. Right now, day old Holsteins are under $50. Just, be careful if buying newborns from large dairies – some treat their bull calves good, others not good at all. They should at least be mobile (able to get up and around), had navel dipped w/ iodine and have either nursed or had colostrum given. Otherwise, you’re looking at serious trouble – like a rapid onset of death.

Good luck.

[near horse]

Hey Carl,

Nice picture – are those your logging shorts? You’re one tough cookie!:)

[near horse]

Hi Grey,

It looks like the seat post might be from an older tractor that had seats that tilted forward (or back I guess) for easier entry or some other benefit …. I’m sure you could rig something up (have your friend weld a couple of brackets w/ holes for a pin – then your seat could tilt or be removed). Good luck.

I too am looking forward to dragging my pastures and am looking at purchasing some chain/flex harrow – haven’t done it yet because I’m such a cheapskate ….

[near horse]

I’ve been looking at the “working horse” site for more than a year now and while it does have some good stuff in the archives, most of the recent activity and almost all the new posts are “bitch and whines” from Bret about censorship by other sites. Since that is the crux of its activity, it’s still dead.

[near horse]

I know this isn’t a solution but remember perspective – the worst day working your horses is still better than the best day working at “the office/plant/factory”.

Keep at it and all the best.

[near horse]

Thanks Jen!

BTW – your “pasture roller” looks a lot like those crop rollers folks are trying to use w/ green manure/no-till cropping, although those rollers are heavier.

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