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The dead weight of the mower does not dictate the amount of force required to pull it. We have found that the dolly wheel systems as used by the Amish in northern Indiana and Southern Michigan (probably used more widely) seem to reduce the fatigue in both horses and oxen, as well as people. The dollies around here break the tongue, so the mower’s tongue weight is carried by the dolly wheel, the tongue to the animal provides only draft and direction. When hitching, only the weight of the tongue itself needs to be lifted. When pulled, the third wheel will add some resistance, but if this wheel is large in diameter and width, like the wheel on I&J plows/ over row cultivators or a JD Gator, the increased rolling resistance is compensated for by the the reduced lifting force required, unless you are mowing in three inches of standing water in red clay. If you have a fore cart, try hooking it to the mower and taking a few passes, timing the turns will take some getting used to, and backing will be a challenge, but your haflinger will love you for it.

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@Berta 20033 wrote:

Thinking about the rope/ring in india the first thing that comes to my mind is that a polished stainless ring is a lot more expensive than a piece of rope. Sure there might be metal rings around but likely they are rusted some and WOULD cause an infection. The choice of rope might be better than metal there because of limited access. Likely, those who might be able to aquire a smooth metal ring/pin/bit aren’t exposed to them and do not seek them out.

The benifits I see with metal over rope are twofold. (Note, I have used neither – my team get horse curb chains on their halters for going in public)

1) because the rope can fold in half, a sharp tug could put all the pressure in one very small spot – much more severe than spreading the pull over the width of the septum on a solid metal object.
2) if there is irritatin, for whatever reason, it can drain around the smooth and inert metal. A rope could absorb snot/puss/serum and develpe abrasiveness.

If you have ever hauled two pails of water with a shoulder yoke, and with a simple rope over the shoulder, you should know immediately that a stiff but properly rounded smooth surface is vastly preferable to a raspy flexible one. I would agree wholly with Berta that the rope is used as a matter of cost.
If fine line control is the issue, ropes from the ears or ropes from halters combined with voice commands and consistent training is also possible. I am not aware of Ox teamsters in Philadelphia, London, or Paris using lines and rings as a directional system From Chaucers father’s to Franklin’s time. If the narrow streets of these cities, littered with horses, carriages, and people did not require fine control I would be surprised.

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@dominiquer60 15806 wrote:

I think that the target buyer that we talked about for this type of multi-purpose tool was small diverse farms with singles or small teams that require the most use out of a single purchase.
It seems like the thought is to go with a basic 3′ row spacing and have a two wheeled frame inspired by the old International or McCormick Deering cultivators.

Erika,
From a historic perspective, especially in the developping world, tool bar type machines are a risky proposition as found by Jean Nolle and Paul Starkey “perfected yet rejected.” Pioneer will already understand that if the machine serves several purposes which are not done at the same time on the same farm, the interchangeable parts could be invaluable, but, if the same frame lays down plastic or transplants and cultivates the interchange of tools needs to be easy (like the bob-tach system on bobcat skidsteers). I&J has an over the row weeder that accomodates many of your requests, and White Horse has a forecart with a lifting axle, allowing for low or high clearnce as needed. A logging arch/ forecart type frame with an axle slide to balance the load, a wheel lift to adjust hitch height/ clearance for cultivation, with foot stearable wheels to compensate for crooked rows/ horse error, and an infinately variable drawbar to put the wheels in line 1/2 inch out, 1/2 pace out etc from the furrow, would be infinitely useful. Many of us would want two of them, so the cost needs to be in line with the carts which carry many of these features, especially where so much old equipment is available.

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Earth University in Costa Rica has had several water buffalo, mostly used singly for cart work. The buffalo work daily and the ox team seems to work monthly. EARTH is connected with MSU and had a pretty good website, if you can contact the dairy you may get more answers than you want.

A few years ago, Pelican Ranch from Fremont MI brought down a pair of calves for Tiller’s Oxen Basics clinic. They were bright and responsive, but if memory serves needed more consistent command and a gentler touch than say Brown Swiss or Holsteins. Dick and Dulcy worked with them a lot more than I did. Either of them at tillers@tillersinternational.org would have some insight. Best of luck.

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@near horse 16756 wrote:

Hi Donn,

If someone was pulling a PTO cart and baler but dropping bales in the field (no wagon) can one get by with just 2 horses or is that still too much load for a team by itself?

We have done quite well with two Belgians or two Shorthorns on Pioneer’s 25 horse power forecart with a JD 14T or 24T baler behind on fairly flat land. On hills I would be concerned about stopping power, though most of the power units have better brakes these days, animals seem to want to move faster than I want on hills both up and down. With the wagon behind I would definately want more animals.

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@Donn Hewes 17756 wrote:

There is a set up called a hydraulic accumulator. As the wheels turn the hydraulic pressure that is available is slowly stored. Then you can lift a plow or what ever. I am not sure how much reserve they have, or what they are capable of. White horse MFG. or one of those shops in Lancaster has used them and could tell you what they can do.

The current accumulator seems to have limited reserve, hence the bottle jack type hand operation available on the white horse platform. I’m wondering if this could be augmented by a hand spun flywheel to crank the pump while the cart is stationary. If a hand crank would work, a treadle (singer sewing machine) system could be added. I’ll try to remember to discuss it with White Horse next week.
Rob

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@Robert MoonShadow 17810 wrote:

Carl, Geoff ~ Do these need to have a motor to work the hydraulics? Obviously, I know nothing about the mechanics of it all…just thought that if a battery (or two) could operate the pump, which could be recharged overnight…
That second photo, Carl, is almost exactly what I pictured, only w/out the motor…?

Robert, I have used two pichup truck batteries to run an 8,000 lb capacity Warn winch when dragging logs to a skiddable location, while this allows me to reach down in the swamp without driving in it, I can only pull the full cable length in ten times or so (weight makes a difference) before the batteries are run down. While one could build a steam shovel type rig fairly easily with this set up, batteries will be an issue. Most automotive type batteries are designed to provide big power in short bursts. If you really want to stay away from gas engines you might look at industrial forklift parts either 24v dc or propane, they are not cheap, and the batteries are heavy enough to serve as counterweights, but they would power the Northern tool rig all day long.
Great project idea, let me know if the thing works.
Rob

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