Learning the walking plow…

[jen judkins]

Reno and I headed over to Ted Russell’s this week to try our hand at the walking plow. I wasn’t entirely sure we could do it. Plowing is hard work, for a single horse and it was a pretty big plow (12 inch bottom) and I’m not that coordinated :rolleyes:.

We started just driving Reno in a furrow. I’m pretty sure he’s done that before ;). I taught him a new verbal cue…’get in there!’…in preparation for driving without hands on the line. Then Ted plowed and I drove then vice versa. Then I did the whole deal. All kinds of problems arose…hitting rocks, Reno stepping out of the furrow, tripping, you name it, lol! But after a couple hours we got the hang of it and did a passable job. We were even better on the second day and Ted actually left us to go plow with his own team. We managed not to get into too much trouble.

The plowing bee was cancelled due to rain, but hopefully we can make it back next weekend to try again.

[john plowden]

Nice job Jen and Reno !!

[Carl Russell]

Way to go. You look good. Both of you!

Carl

[Michael Colby]

Nice work, Jen. Ted’s the best. I worked with him driving sleighs in Stowe the last couple of winters. Fine man, great horseman.

[mitchmaine]

nice looking job. good going.

[mitchmaine]

hey jen, it’s hard to see by reno. wondering how your plow was set up. did it have a jointer or a coulter on it? and it seems braced up well with those rods running down from your handles. nice plow. what kind is it? wiard made a pretty good walking plow. thanks, mitch

[Plowboy]

Looking good. Once you get the hang of it a good walking plow is alot of fun! I’ve got a sweet team of mares that do great on it and almost don’t need top drive them. I’ve got asthma to some degree and several years ago Maggie went through a spell where she was short of wind. We were plowing old never plowed sod and it required alot of work on the handles. My Dad was plowing with three on the Pioneer on the longer part and said it was funny to see Maggie and I get winded and stop at the same time all day while Maude waited patiently for us to catch our breath and go on.

[Michel Boulay]

Awsome job Jen, you seem to be well coordinated.:D Did you have to stop often to give Reno a break? Keep it up.

Mike

[jen judkins]

@boulami 17596 wrote:

Did you have to stop often to give Reno a break

Well, we rested alot. I said it was for Reno’s benefit, but like Dennis, I have a touch of asthma related to spring pollen and got short of breath pretty easily:D. I would swing him round into the next furrow and we would wait there till we were both breathing normally.

[jen judkins]

@mitchmaine 17594 wrote:

hey jen, it’s hard to see by reno. wondering how your plow was set up. did it have a jointer or a coulter on it? and it seems braced up well with those rods running down from your handles. nice plow. what kind is it? wiard made a pretty good walking plow. thanks, mitch

Its a competition plow, or that’s how Ted referred to it. No idea who made it. It has a coulter. When Reno was walking real slow (as in the second photo), it was super easy to plow accurately and really fun. We have to work on his speed abit more.

[cousin jack]

Looks great, I hope to learn to do that one day

[dominiquer60]

Keep up the good work Jen, I can’t wait to be in the same position!

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