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The vertical evener, as I understand it, also keeps the rear team’s yoke from being rotated forward anytime the front team is a little bit ahead, as would happen with a chain simply attached to both yokes. That way the rear team has a more comfortable orientation to its yoke.

Vicki, remember plowing last year with Zeus and Hermes behind Hershel and Walker, using the vertical evener? A fair amount of head scratching to get it hooked up, then it went pretty well. The hardest part was keeping my guys back far enough to avoid getting stepped on!

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Again, thanks for all of the good advice on getting over that speed bump with Zeus and Hermes. They are doing well at most tasks. Notably:

1. They have been off the farm to 3-4 ‘events’ from MODA and Plow Day at Tillers, to smoothing a friend’s lawn, and they trailer well and load nicely.

2. They have been mowing the lawn with a 3-gang reel-type mower. This has really helped their ability to sidestep. They do it almost too well now, as the mower will pivot more tightly than anything else we work with. Maybe this needs it’s own thread-it’s a great, small acreage, way to work on maneuverability.

3. They have gotten quite used to our new (used) fore cart and can hitch to most things and can back it up with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

4. Yesterday, we hitched onto the hay rake and pulled it out without clipping the gate posts. After air in the tires and some adjustment, we raked the 3rd cutting hay in their pasture today. They did an acre, give or take, (it’s all they haven’t eaten on our rotation!) and made every turn. Perfect straight lines they weren’t, but nothing the baler won’t be able to follow.

Again, thanks. I’m pretty impressed with how they’ve come along in the last 14 months. It’s been a fun journey so far.

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Dale, have you checked with Eddie Mackay in Three Rivers? He has quite a few Highlands, and was president of the Highland association so he might know of some in the area. Good luck!

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They are coming along nicely. Hermes is still a little nervous, mostly about noises and strangers. Yesterday, when loading straw bales on the stoneboat, the noise from my big, metal barn door spooked him, but he stayed put, even though I was out of reach.

I’m finding that they are making me have to be more consistent with body language than I was wanting to be, but they’ve been oxen their whole lives and I’m only used to driving oxen the last 10% or so of mine, so I’ll catch on eventually! 🙂

We’ve been making lots of laps around the field with a loaded stoneboat and I’m seeing some real progress in walking a stright line. Not ready for a furrow yet, but progress.

I’m definitely planning on MODA for them, as of now.

Thanks for the inquiry.

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Thanks for the reality check. I really appreciate and value your advice with them.

Update: I made a small wooden v-plow for our new snow yesterday and the boys pulled it very well (while following the guidance to stay very focused and aware of their behaviors), pulled their loaded sled and got back to work with the stoneboat! I introduced it by dragging it into their paddock and putting a couple of flakes of hay on it.

I like your take on things as being opportunities rather than problems. Thanks.

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Thanks for all of the good advice. Mr. Harrigan-your predictions were spot on about spatial memory and load weight. I don’t have nearly enough of a load on them, and was allowing them to ramp up too much. I worked on lots of stops and a heavier load, but it’s clear it will take a while to get them back to where they were, so I’ll try to avoid being discouraged.

As far as the stoneboat: the only time they ever saw it was when it spooked them. Their paddock is large enough to drive them in, although it’s not spacious. Would it be smart to bring it in and let them see it for awhile where they are calm, or hitch onto it for the first time inside the paddock? I’ve tried bringing a chain in when I feed them because Hermes is afraid of those also (it’s now sounding more like he needs a therapist!) 🙂

As far as a halter: I ran a lead rope through the ring and laid it over Zeus’ shoulders, but it seemed to really make him more agitated. After I hung it up on the bows, he was better, so I may try another routing of it.

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Tillers International made one up last year out of a toolbar with a couple of disc tines that adjusted for spacing and width of cut. I got to see it in action on its maiden voyage and with one pass up the field and one pass back it formed a nice raised bed. I was there the other day and I think it was parked in the yard, so you might get them to send you a picture of it. I don’t think I have any pictures of it myself.

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