Horse and mule mowing

[Donn Hewes]

Here are a few pictures from the test run of a mower with a new dolly wheel. Also Connie’s first day on a mower. I am clipping a weak pasture that has a lot of bedstraw. This will set the bed bed straw back and help the grasses and legumes get started. I all ways clip a few pastures this time of year that will be needed for lambs in mid June. Donn

[J-L]

Looks fun. I can’t get over how much grass and leaves you guys have there! We still don’t have leaves for a week or two at least, and I’m still feeding cows.
I have a black mare mule that is quite a match for yours. I was curious what you did to get your new (to mowing) horses/mules ready to go on the mower? Do you do anything special or just the normal sacking out/desensitizing?

[Donn Hewes]

Hi JL, Did you work with the four abreast over the weekend? How did it go?

Hooking to a mower for the first time is a classic case for what some have called having a bag of tricks. By that I mean I haven’t done it exactly the same for any of the last three I started in the last three years. Before I feel they are ready for a mower they have already done some work for me and I have a good idea of their temperament and how they go about business.

George, the mule in the photos, walked along side his mother on almost everything I have. spreading, mowing, raking, tedding as a yearling. In the photos you can see how he picked up the photographer (my neighbor standing quietly in the hedge row with his dog!) before I did. As long as Jim stood there George never stopped watching the suspicious character.

Last year I started Suzie. Suzie is turning into a great horse but she is much more “up” than Connie or George. Much more animated in her responses to new things. I took her for a walk in hand so she could watch and listen to another team mowing. I was probably using a buck back strap with her at that time.

Connie didn’t get any of that and didn’t need it. I don’t know if it is the breed or the individual, (probably a little of both) but she is the calmest young horse I have ever been around. She has a couple little things she doesn’t like, but even then the way she tells you she doesn’t like some thing is so quiet; She usually stops. For the mower, and spreader too, one of my favorite tricks is in picking my ground. Far enough to let them walk with the machine for a few minutes. Than a long open field with a slight up hill to it.

For my money that slight up hill is the best safety feature. Hope to plant some potatoes, leeks, shallots, and onions today. Talk to you soon, Donn

[Rod44]

Nice pictures. Look like they go well together.:)

[J-L]

They look fine together to me! I didn’t get to hook them up 4 abreast yet. I wound up branding cattle all weekend, some of mine some of the neighbors. I’m hoping to do it soon.
That’s about how I go about it. Whenever I feel they’re ready they go on the spreader first, then graduate from there.
I’m hoping to get some pictures when I drill this patch, but may wind up doing it alone. I’ll keep you posted.

[Author]

Posts