General Purpose horses

[Robernson]

This might seem like a really wierd question,but it is a question none-the-less.
Can a horse/mule/ox pull both rolling loads and “deadweight” loads? what I mean is; can the animal switch back and forth from pulling logs to pulling a hay wagon? Reason I ask is that my neighbor’s mules can and I wanted to know if that ability was a common one. I don’t want to have to buy 2 teams,one for wagons and one for logs,brush,ect.

Just wondering.

~~R

[grey]

Absolutely.

[Charlie B]

If it takes a horse in harness and you want to use them, then by all means you should use them and they should work. Train the horse to work for you and expect that it will work. It doesn’t matter whether you are pulling a wagon 25-30 miles a day or pulling a plow or skidding logs. You chose the job and then use your horses to the best of your ability.

[J-L]

I’d say yes to that question. Mine do both most every day. I think it makes them better for it in all honesty. The more different jobs you do with an animal the better they get.

[TBigLug]

Yup, without a problem.

[grey]

I know that there is a fair amount of controversy surrounding the practice of riding draft horses (for a variety of reasons that I don’t want to get into just now), but I would add that you can also expect that same horse to be able to also perform well under saddle, to the extent that his conformation allows him.

Call me crazy, but my best work horse happens to also my favorite saddle horse. She neck reins and responds nicely to leg pressure. She doesn’t have the most comfortable trot, nor is she the most nimble creature, but she’ll give me a nice slow jog or a good canter if I ask for it.

Horses are as versatile as you want them to be. All it takes is work.

[Author]

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