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Robert MoonShadow
ParticipantThanks, Donn. I had to reread it a couple of times while flipping back & forth between the photos & here, but I think I’ve got the basic understanding, now. Next question: why a rope halter? (As opposed to a nylon web, etc.) Sorry if I’m sounding so dumb… I’m just ignorant about this. (for now)
ParticipantMane: I get the Breyer magazine, and aregular contributor there likes to post photos of her standard jack, whenever this speed question comes up… she has 2 retired racers – both mares – 1 is a standardbred/pacer the other a thoroughbred (both retired due to age, not injury or lack of speed). She turns him out with them & in her words, “plants his nose at their flank” no matter how fast they run. I guess it’s all in the individual’s motivation! :p Amanda: I think that it depends on the style (breeding) of the donkey… I certainly would want the stance & stature to fit a draft type… such as the draft-type Mammoth Jacks, only smaller in height. I think I’ve got that, in Dragon. The narrow foot stance, though, I think is better for close-quarter produce farming = nimbleness. From my limited understanding of it, the old-time ‘cotton-mule’ was developed for that same reason, but with added strength. But yes, I’m pretty confident that a horse of the same size is usually stronger & somewhat faster. Bob H. > thank you for the info on weight ratios… I did not know that about 50% pulling weight. I was aware of the carrying weight ratio. Now is that pull weight a total? Cart/wagon plus 50% of the animals weight? or total including cart? I’m pretty sure that having wheels involved would change things a bit, but by how much? Standard donkeys that I’ve had (when in ‘active’ shape = been packing, etc.) weighed from Little Bit = 43″ & 450# up to her dam “Big Momma” = 50″ & 700#. Elvis stood 46″ & like his namesake, had a very large weight range. 🙂 Rod: I totally accept your knowledge on Haflingers outpulling donkeys – as you said, you have both and of course would know (thanks!). But I’m just trying to get an idea of what a donkey CAN do – by taking what a Haflinger can do & use it as a base for calculations. Half of what a Haflinger does? 75%? 10%? That log in that photo I mentioned: could one of your donkeys pull a log that size? or cut it in half? I’m talking about over a sustained workday. You are EXACTLY the type of person I hoped would respond to this: someone with personal knowledge of both. 😎
ParticipantHey Tom; Nice to meet you. On those mustang mules you had: do you remember what the size & build of their mothers were? Stocky/lean? Height? And what size did the mules end up being, with a Mammoth Jack for a sire? Thanks for sharing your input & welcome aboard!
ParticipantThe clip I saw was just a bit of one of Brad’s dvd’s… he was riding a mule, told it to lay down & it did… with him still on it. Got back up when told to – he seemed to treat it like a dog – spoke to it & expected it to understand… and it did. Probably spent years getting that mule that way, but if that level of connectedness is possible using his techniques… I plan on getting the dvd. Manesandtails’ words are right on – they brought to mind what this old timer said to me on mules & donkeys: “Don’t break your mule – it’s REALLY hard to put the pieces back together”.
ParticipantGeoff ~ My main objection to the government interfering w/ my farming – or my life in general – is simple: You can’t legislate morality, nor can government cure the ills that itself, in conjunction with multi-national corporations, created. I don’t think the fox will clean up the henhouse on it’s way out the door. What is “due” and “undue” regulation? You gave good examples of each: Regulating Monsanto’s attempts to poison us with rBST = due reguation. NAIS = undue regulation. My customers don’t need the govt. to define what is healthy or natural in regards to my food… they can just come out and see my operation & decide for themselves. It’s why I market locally, direct to the consumer – I relish the relationship – I promote my farm with “Know your farmer – know your food” and “you have a family doctor, a family dentist – why not a family farmer? I want to be your farmer”. Not pretty slogans; the way I personally believe is a sound, sustainable way of farming – which is why I post it on DAP; a forum that promotes the same concept of sustainability & accountability. I disagree that this last administration was “asleep at the wheel” I believe it knew EXACTLY what it was doing, and just didn’t give a damn about us. Also, I never said that Obama or Hilary have actually done anything against me… yet. I spoke of the government as a whole. But then, they haven’t actually done anything FOR me, either. My main point is EXACTLY that: “They” can’t solve any of my problems, nor the larger problems facing us all as a whole. “They” created the problems, and we allowed it to happen. But WE can solve them. I don’t need the government to take care of me, nor solve my society’s problems. 10,000 Geoffs plus 10,000 Carls plus 10,000 Roberts plus 10,000 Jennifers can do a lot of problem solving, don’t you think? We’ve left the hard choices & painful problem-solving in the hands of people & mega-businesses & politicians that don’t have our best interests as a priority for too long… we need to just do it ourselves. That’s all -that basic idea. By the way, Geoff; I enjoy our discussions & the fact that we disagree on some points – it makes me think, and not just depend on preconceived ideas. I admire that you are able to express your differing views with logic & deep thought on an emotionally-charged subject, while respecting me enough to allow me to voice my own. I thank you for that.
ParticipantManes – Mine have everything yours does, ‘cept Pigmy… 4 types of dairy, boer & Spanish -> aahhh, goats… true believers in “interracial harmony”! 😀
ParticipantJean – Um, you might not want to let the neighbors & various passersby hear you talking that way to your horse – “pretty butt” or no. :confused: Just a thought?
ParticipantDonn ~ You mention that “you can easily” teach the horse to yeild just its head w/out moving its feet, or to stand still when you move around it… how? The pack donkeys I’ve had were already trained well when I got them, and with the company’s mules, well, they’re not mine, so I can’t just teach them to do things the way I’d like to, if they were mine; so, with this new donkey that’s on its way,well, I’m a novice & those little knowledge gaps are hard to negotiate. I realize that you’re not trying to teach a class here, but I’m just trying to make that intuitive leap of knowledge, to understand what you ARE referring to. Sorry – but I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think I will need have that knowledge you’ve got.
Participant*note to self*
Do not show this to the goats again… now they won’t come out of the barn. :rolleyes:ParticipantGeoff – I don’t want society to leave me alone… I want the government to leave me alone – in the sense that I want to be able to farm, live, and just be, without undue interference. As for defining my community & neighbors = that’s my point, exactly – changing this world is done by the small efforts of the individual, working in step with other individuals who see a common goal. My neighbors are those that live near me. My community is those that I interact with on a regular basis. DAP, in that sense, is my community. By my way of living, and working, and farming, I am an example of a different way of doing & thinking. If I take good care of my work animals & grow quality food & my farm prospers, I set one example. If I abuse my work animal & neglect to share part of my harvest with those neighbors in need & my farm fails, I set a different example. I can influence others best by my actions. There’s no regulations, no government involvement, no cohersion by me on my neighbors to do things my way. I can no longer call myself organic, as I choose not to jump through the regulatory hoops. Now, they are trying to regulate the definition of the label “Natural”. That restricts how I am able to market & advertise my produce. I grow good food. Period. I am learning to use draft animals to do that. I don’t see how Obama will change that. I cannot influence or change anything that’s happening in DC or other countries – or even on the other side of the Mississippi. But I CAN influence my neighbors by my actions & thoughts & words. And that’s more than enough, for me. Hey! If Obama or Hillary or any other politician can make my work & my life any easier or of better quality – more power to them. Meanwhile, I’ve got goat manure to shovel. If they REALLY want to help me… here’s a pitchfork -> keep the pointy side facing away from you. 😮
ParticipantActually, I like it better this way: the randomness can catch you by surprise >>> I’ve already seen about 5 photos that gave my insight and/or ideas; and with dialup, surfing through the photo gallery is SO sssllooowww…. in fact, the whole layout of this site is great – easy for me to learn to use & within the limits of my access. Good job, Carl! 😎
ParticipantOh, hey, Rod – Is that your donkeys Sam & Blue in the photo gallery – and is that the harness?
ParticipantRod – The photo is so large that I can’t see the front half of the donks (can’t see the collars) – I don’t see any horizontal scrollbar, either, so…. From what I DO see of the harness, it doesn’t look real heavy – but sturdy (buckles, stitching, etc.) Does it work good for farmwork or mainly for wagons, etc.? Who sells/makes them?
But I do like the coloring on that lighter donkey… on my computer, it looks almost the same color as an American Cream drafthorse.ParticipantJen ~ Who you calling “coastal”, girlie? Idaho is like, um, 500 or more miles from the coast! (It used to be on the coast, but we moved it inland ‘cuz we got tired of all the “surfer dudes” & treehugger chicks). 😎
{See, it’s called the Inland Empire or Inland Northwest… :rolleyes: }
Nell doesn’t know it yet, but she’s got a new trail chore besides chasing bears & viscious marmots… packing her own food into the wilderness.ParticipantJen ~ You say that you use the check reins for keeping your horse from grazing while in harness. Is that a bad thing? I mean, as long as he’s not actually pulling (stopped, resting, etc.) I don’t know, so that’s why I’m asking. When we use the mules for packing or pulling the stumps out or the trailace, the boss’s philosophy is “If it doesn’t interfere w/ their work”. If it’s a bad habit or unsafe, I want to know BEFORE I start training my Dragon.
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