[Plowboy]

Back when my dad got his first draft horses in the form of Percheron weanlings our mentoring sessions began. We became fast friends with the old man that owned at that time over 100 head of Percherons and Belgians. The site of it was amazing as a twelve yr old boy. The man ran a large dairy farm with his nephew and some hired help. The hired help didn’t use horses much but both he and his nephew were great teamsters speaking quietly and training hundreds of colts over the years. They hosted many draft horse events and of course we were invited. We met many old timers and some pretty sharp younger horsemen from the area. As a young boy I listened to everything the old guys said and cataloged it away in my brain. They helped us train our first team.
Dad worked them at events mostly when they were young so I didn’t get alot of driving time away from home. Usually one of my old buddies would toss me the lines of an experienced team and send me on my way while they had a BS session with somebody.
Those old timers became some of the best friends we’ve had but sadly we’ve lost a few over the years but there are still some in their mid 80’s still working teams. I’ve kept all the knowledge that they passed on to me and on a quiet day when a situation arrises it’s almost like I can hear a voice from the past telling me what to do. Old time horsemen are a precious resource of vital information. All the “NEW” training methods that we hear about are mostly a marketing thing. Horses have been trained for centuries and most of the “NEW” methods are just a twist on an old idea. If you talk to the right people you’ll find things like natural horsemanship have been around a while.

[Plowboy]

I guess I would say that a farm horse that is used often would be good in the woods too. We have had alot of play days over the years with 10 or more teams working in the same woodlot. The hobby horses wear out quicker but the farm horses hang in there. The every day logging horse would probably be more in tune with the specific task but if they are trained to work they should work in any given situation. Most of our horses have been to the woods and to parades. In public they are docile but after a few skids in the woods they get wired and will get right after a big stick just for the asking. I have never logged full time but when I have been in the woods our horses give their all to please us. I wouldn’t always say a logging horse has to be bigger I skidded some big timber with a friends Belgian/ Quarter Horse cross team about 1400# and they put some big teams to shame but he did work them in the woods alot. Sometimes a huge horse is clumsy and not quite as handy. I guess you both hit the nail on the head one may be better for a certain task but most should be versatile enough to do both. You may not want a 2200# pulling horse fresh out of the woods to cultivate your potatoes!

[Plowboy]

Training roughstock can be fun and challenging provided you have the gumption, strength, know how and some experience. I would not recommend it for beginners but we’ve had some fun over the years and it’s always a good feeling when that Arrangutang turns into a good solid work horse. We got a taste of it early on with the old timers around here. This area has a pretty solid draft horse community. Usually we raise our stock but get involved a lot in training friends colts. It sure breaks up the monotony of winter when you drive 6 or 7 colts on a Sunday afternoon.

[Plowboy]

Like one old timer told me about wire bits, ” They don’t have to hog into it any harder than they want to”. One mare is just a little bullheaded once in a while and the other was crazy from some things she’d been through before we got her at 5 which is a little old for ease of retraining. They train best from birth and pretty good at 2 or 3 but after that they begin to become set in their ways. Donn I wasn’t meaning any disrespect to you in any way. You’re right it is a craft and there are many methods to achieve success and the diversity of info is interesting and we can all learn a thing or two each day from a team or from another teamster if we pay attention. Sadly in our area at 30 I am one of the youngest active teamsters and many are at the other side of the spectrum near retirement. Luckily I have absorbed as much as I could from them and still do each time I am around them.

[Plowboy]

My friend Butch is in the Fort Plain area and usually goes with a 24ft stock trailer. I’m not sure how far you are from that area but it would put them in Central NY.

[Plowboy]

Currently 5 of our working horses are using a smooth ring snaffle, and 2 are using a double twisted wire bit. All work on a light line [soft mouthed] which makes driving them easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved. I have seen horses broke on a tight line that would make your arms ache. We do own two sets of lever bits and have used them on and off for different reasons. I used them last fall plowing a patch of heavy sod with a walking plow and they worked good to maintain slow speed without much line pressure. Personally I am hesitant to overbit because at times I think it may make them hard mouthed but I may be wrong. We start calm colts on a smooth snaffle and often they have them forever. I am sure Lever bits are necessary as in Donn’s case but it may be possible for inexperienced folks to put too much faith in the bit alone. We assess each horse and adjust equipment to fit their particular needs.

[Plowboy]

The Springfield Amish community is having a big sale in April in Jordanville. They have had good teams there the last two sales were held at Fonda fairgrounds but is being moved back to Sams farm. I go to a lot of sales but have never bought a horse. I’ve seen some good one’s but always bought private or raised our own stock. Mt Hope Ohio has a big sale in march and usually has good teams. A good friend of ours goes to Lansing, Waverly , Mt Hope, Harrisburg and he told me last week that top of the line good young broke horses were still only bringing $2,000 each at most. Alot of good using horses go for under $1,000 but the real good stuff brings more. A team of middle aged grays were sold in Vernon last month for $300 each. Good luck and if you buy at a sale look them over real good.

[Plowboy]

Rod some day you are going to want to do precision work like plowing with your steers. I don’t have oxen but have several friends who do. I also know some that failed trying to train them. You need to be the boss and make them go where you want to go even if it means using the goad a little more than normal to reinforce your commands. You are in charge and they work for you. You control the speed, direction and stopping. If you aren’t strict with these essentials then your team will walk all over you eventually and at their age they are getting bigger each day. The best team I know of is about 4 miles from here and they are yoked each day even if it’s for ten minutes. They are sharp on commands but even at 6 they still try to get out of line once in a while. Dan usually sees it coming and when it starts they get a scolding accompanied by a whack to straighten them out and get back to the task at hand. good luck

[Plowboy]

One book I would recommend that was written around the 1920’s is Biggle’s Horse Book. It is a small paperback and will run about $7 online. It is full of common sense and good horse and mule info including training advice from an era when horses and mules ruled the farms of the USA.
We also have a variety of books on horses and equipment by Maury Telleen, Lynn Miller, Sam Moore, and others but the Biggle’s book is little known and they also have a series for each species of livestock cattle, sheep etc.

[Plowboy]

I’ve often wondered if there would be so much difficulty with a mule if you raised them and trained them with their mother and just went to work. I understand their thought process is different but if they were comfortable I can’t see why they wouldn’t go right to work if they were handled alot. Maybe we’ll try someday but right now we’ve got enough equines. The trouble around here is finding good Mammoth Jackstock. Some of them are a sorry lot with sickle legs, bad pasterns, and an enormous head. In Biggle’s Horse Book they say to raise good mules you need good mares and good heavy built Jacks with good feet and legs and I believe it.

[Plowboy]

Good information Jason thanks for putting that out there for these folks. Many people get too overconfident and turn throttle jockey also. I am guilty of taking a little extra off the rakers on my saws and always worry if someone else picks one up and isn’t ready for it. I like a good sharp saw that will do the work for you so you don’t have to put alot of effort into it but if the rakers are low they are more apt to kick on you. Be carefull folks they are a great tool but dangerous.

[Plowboy]

It depends on the severity of the weight problem. Our horses are all a little fat during the winter partially because we feed a little ear corn to them to help fight off the cold. During spring plowing the excess fat disappears and a nicely rounded muscular work horse appears. We feed a little horse feed to all the horses when we bring them in at night but only the young growing horses get a significant amount unless they are working hard. We feed good grass hay about a bale per horse plus or minus depending on the bales. The biggest problem with idol horses is the feed scoop. I know alot of people who grain their idol horses like a milk cow and it causes problems both with health and handling with their penned up energy. Myself I would prefer to see an animal too fat than too skinny but if that is what is causing your horses problems then just good hay and a mineral block with plenty of excercise should help.

[Plowboy]

We are in Otsego county near Oneonta. We use 7 Percherons and 1 Belgian to help out around the farm. Mules are good but make sure when you are ready you get good mules. An old timer told me a good mule is worth his weight in gold but a bad mule is just dangerous. As is true with horses and oxen too sometimes it’s worth a few bucks more to get really good well broke stock to begin with.

[Plowboy]

I think the Endless Mountain Draft Horse Club is just north of you. They have a website. I have no experience with them just the name but it is a place to start. I do know a fellow in Wellsboro that uses horses alot on his beef farm but he keeps to himself. I don’t want to send you there without getting his ok. We are in Central New York so that is a long trip for you. Try the club you probably can join without horses or much knowledge to learn. Good Luck

[Plowboy]

It happens I guess but is never easy. I think many of us that work with different kinds of equipment have near misses once in a while. When I took a forestry class in high school they showed us some pretty graphic pictures on safety videos of chain saw accidents. Even with modern saws and safety equipment accidents still can happen. Be carefull out there everyone.

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