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Neil Dimmock
ParticipantHere’s a video of the truck’s on my mowers and a green team.
Neil
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=AluPPdayjNYParticipantI have found the leaver type the best and I have tryed the rest and driven large hitches with it! Here a video of one and it shows the line of draft down were it supposed to be, not up in the air so the leaders tug’s are almost flat out and making them work harder to pull the same load!
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=tOcRZEtkwMcParticipantParticipantWe leave ours bare until the last moment and pull them off a soon as we done. But its mostly just a shoe that as a large plate on the out side and then you build the foot out with bondo or epoxy, it saves deforming the hoof to fit a shoe and we we pull them we just rasp off the bondo. to post pics join photo bucket and down load your pics there then copy the IMG code and paste on to your post.
NeilParticipantWell It helps with some judges but we win in the driving comps more that Confirmation classes, Dang fool me ! I would sooner have a horse with some brains than perfect confirmation, and you need big shoes to get the right gait, they wont help a lick in a obstacle course!
ParticipantIts more than just fun as well, we take part in a few good fundraiser sleigh rallies, and our big hitches are a real attraction which brings in much needed funds, The oldest is 13 but there are 2 two years olds and 6 mares that raise foals all summer and miss the work so we drive them in the winter, some of them only get drove once a year and still drive like they have been at it all year. the first 4 can pull and some times that’s not quit enuff with all the riders in deep snow. this rally was in Lloydminster and it raises over 10.000 every year for Cancer victims. We add 2 every year but I had to buy another trailer last year to get them all there and next year I’ll have to pick up an older Hyway tractor with a big 53’er or it will break me in fuel! I dont just drive them in a strat line ether, I fan them and lope them and back them up!!
ParticipantIts a dead hitch so you can make all pull but not worth it for a day. You can see I have the buck back shortened up so they can only keep the ropes from dragging, keeps the lines light as well, important on a cold day!!
Participant@Crabapple Farm 2215 wrote:
Yes, yes, Neil. We all know that your way is the best way.
Funny thing is, I know half a dozen old timers all feel the same way, and they each do things different (from you and each other).
I won’t knock your experience, but I also know that you weren’t the first to try putting a collar on an ox, and most folks with oxen use yokes. Folks up in Nova Scotia swear by head yokes, around here it’s all neck yokes. I’ve heard that in pulling competitions, the Mainers and the Nova Scotians come out pretty even. As long as it is well designed, properly fitted, and well used, seems like there’s more than one way to do it that works.We aren’t running down the way you do things, Neil, we’re just running down the notion that your way of doing things is the only best way. Your situation is different than mine, different animals, different work, different equipment, different teamster, different terrain. (I know Carl’s already said that in different words, so I’ll leave it at that).
-TevisSee!! just what I mean, If you got something to say don’t hide behind some else, I think the pics I have posted prove the point about which was used most!! how about trying it. then you will have an opinion!!
NeilParticipantWe tryed both and found the collar far superior to the yoke, if fact every one that has tryed it here cant see why they would use a yoke again, but every time I say this the ones that have never used a collar jump on it and run it down. I guess you will have to try it your self!
NeilParticipantI am aware of sam moore and he can talk but has never used it so I am not sure how much good that is!
ParticipantPet names for all the Belgians that come here!:)
Participant@Howie 2122 wrote:
Just so you know I drive mine from behind by voice, except to back the spreader into the barn, the door is pretty tight. I get off my butt and drive them from along side.
If the ring is allowed to heal in the nose properly it will not hurt near as much as a rope.
Just because a 3 year old kid can reach the steering wheel does not mean he can drive a truck.
Mine back the load with their horns not their ears, That is what they have horns for. A collar is no more comfortable than a yoke. If you like a britchen that is OK, I prefer one when I am working a single ox.
Collars are way more comfortable than yokes, have you ever used one? I have used both and I can say for sure plus they stay put and dont run up and down the neck from the horns, if they have any, to the hump. Voice only works until they get spooked or heel fly season then they go and voice only drovers always say , well they never did that before!! or, you have to be prepared for this.
ParticipantI use lines, it just makes more sense, I cant imagine running along side the cow 23 miles to town, but I use a bit, its faster and no need to punch holes in the cow, the only con I have found is if they have been on green grass so I have a small tarp that crosses over the tail and hooks to the tug hangers that way any loose or runny is aimed down, I use a collar, some of the pro’s
1 dont have to refit every thing to a yoke then back to double tree,2 it more comfortable for the ox,3 there is breeching and it holds from the rear instead of the yoke running up the neck until it smashes the ears, 4 I could go on and on but just check out my pics and you can see for your self!!
NeilParticipant@Carl Russell 1941 wrote:
Neil, I have no doubt about your experience, but your comments are less than convincing. I can see the truck being a solution to harnesses that are poorly adjusted, or that put weight on the collar.
When the D-ring harness is adjusted correctly, it will put ALL the weight on the back pad. Hitched so that the tongue weight is entirely on the jack saddle, there is no slack in the traces, and with the belly band tight, there should be very little vibration transferred to the back, certainly not enough to cause sores.
Thousands of acres of hay land have been mowed all over the northeast without a tongue truck. They may work, but certainly are not necessary.
Carl
I’ll bet they were not wearing d ring harness ether so there certainly not necessary ether. having the info to make a qualified decision helps and most in the day didn’t have the info and waited to see if the planned out first before spending the extra money on one, big hay areas tried them first along with any thing that would make putting up hay easier and faster for them and then the horses, it kind of like power steering in pickups were offered in the 60’s but know one would spend the extra until well in to the 70’s, tell your wife its not necessary and thousands of miles were drove with out them and see the look you get!! the same goes for 4×4 and power brakes or hydraulic on tractors, good ideas and inventions have always been shot down at first then some one like me tried one and then the neighbor tried one and in so areas they were very popular indeed and in other they were never tried but those areas can not make a judgement on some thing they never used. Mentoring is some thing I take very serious indeed and I never make assumption on anything I don’t know about , Never! That is why I am so successful with my horses.
NeilParticipantCareful, its call stuff not junk. He He, the truck are to hard you’ll need a piece of 3″&4″ tube, drill holes for the mower end and two for the trucks, then you need a 3″ ring over the king pin and a 2′ 1/2″ rod from the ring to the double tree hanger, just bolt it together and your done!! the last one I redone for a fella he toke them to town and had the old ones filled with foam that they use on Bobcats tires that they use in welding shops ans such that are hard on tires, I was a little skeptic at first but after a couple of days I like them a lot, it added some weight and the vibration that come with ribber tire was a lot less, the only catch is they have to hold air until the foam sets, once set you can wear them down until there’s no tread, no flats or blowouts with that touchy colt! you cant see the start of it in the pic, there is more stuff out back and out front!:D
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