oxdrover meeting in France 2011

[fabian]

@mitchmaine 27985 wrote:

sorry, wolfgang. my english is poor sometimes too. i meant to say headyoke there or forehead, like you say.

“headyoke” and “foreheadyoke” are two different kinds of yoke .

[mitchmaine]

thanks,fabian. the yoke used by the canadians is a peice of ash carved out in the back to set over the poll and lashed to the horns without pads. always heard it referred to as a headyoke (as opposewd to a neckyoke with bows).
what are the names of the yokes in the photos above?

[fabian]

@mitchmaine 28003 wrote:

what are the names of the yokes in the photos above?

These are also that what you call headyoke.
The name we use in Germany for it is “Genickjoch”, would be translated as “napeyoke” (may be)
The foreheadyoke is without wood behind the head, only iron or wood in front of the head.

[CharlyBonifaz]

example of 2 single forehead-yokes (thuringian style)

[fabian]

Thank you CB !

And these are the links to the vids of the oxdrovers gathering in February 2011:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QMZX6-JAsA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLla9meCnh0&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGn59M3HFhc&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTC6caN8Yoc&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdjqO1H_xXQ&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOywkDdm-ZQ&feature=player_embedded

Wolfgang

[Anne]

From my point of view each yoking system has it´s pros and cons.
If you want to compare them, you will have to consider the whole context:

– who is using them
– for which task
– for which animals
– under which circumstances

During the circumstances of a pulling contest (two strong, well matched oxen, heavy load on on a sled, flat,even,smooth ground) the use of a neckyoke has the advantage, that the animals are firmly fixed together, which makes it easier for them to synchronise their movements.

But it would be at least particulary wrong to come to the conclusion, that the headyoke must be the best yoking system for everyone everywhere.

Because: Change the circumstances:

Take a two wheeled wagon. If you now take a headyoke, the animals will not only have to pull the load. – They will also have to carry it on their nape. Make another change: Bad street with lot´s of holes.
No the use of a headyoke will get cruel for the animals. Each hole in the street will be a beat on their nape.

Leave the street. Add mountains, …

There are lots of situations in which a headyoke wont be the best choice.

And if your animals dont have horns, or are different in size, you cant use it at all.

My suggestion, if you compare yokes:

Dont think only about the strongest and best matched teams under ideal situations.

Think also about skinny weak animals. – And skinny weak owners like me 🙂

A skinny cow will be able to work longer and harder with a three pad collar, than with a single headyoke.

The weakest animal will be the one, that profits most from a good harness. The three pad collar was designed for cows. So far I havent seen one, that is large enough to fit for an ox.

[Anne]

The hames of most three pad collars are only 62 cm long and fit only small sized animals. If the animal is large you will have to build a new one. I find it difficult to adjust it to an animal with a wide strong neck. In that case a closed collar works better. I own a young steer (Friedolin), which has outgrown all my harnesses. He is polled. So I cant use a foreheadyoke, which would have the advantage, that it might fit for the longest time, because his head wont grow and change as much as the rest of him! I also like the light wight of the foreheadyoke…

Each yoking system has advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it is an advantage to have the team fixed together: training, handling, only one chain, heavy pull, two wheeled wagon … . Sometimes it is a disadvantage: walking/ working parallel to a mountain, different sized animals, falling load, …

If you compare different topics: endurance, walking speed, ability for heavy pulling, working single, working as a team,… you will have different results.

Philippe Kuhlmann is working his animals with several kinds of yokes and decides from situation to situation. He uses the three pad collar for his cows, a full padded collar if the works with one ox or a bull in the wood, the head yoke if heis training young animals …
If he wants them to be able to work with different harnesses, he teaches them to work with the headyoke first. If the animal has learned to work with a single headyoke first, it will accept it as well as a collar system. But if it has firstlearned to work with the collar, it will refuse to work with the headyoke.
There are so many details and single situations, that I will have to compare yokes, for the rest of my life! 🙂

[Tim Harrigan]

Thanks, Anne, Elke and Wolfgang. Good points and great discussion.

[Anne]

Hallo Tim,

Let me know, if your plans about comparing different yoke systems are getting concrete. I would be very interested in the results.
If needed, I could probably ship you a three pad collar (or a plan how to build one), a foreheadyoke, a closed collar and a swiss neck yoke called “Halsknebeljoch”.

And I think you should get in touch with Manu Fleurentdidier. He and his group are trying to improve the yoke in France.

http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/vienne/ACTUALITE/Infos-Departementales/Joug-contre-joug

[Nat(wasIxy)]

wonderful cattle, thanks very much for posting anne!

[mother katherine]

So wonderful to look at and think about. I’ve tried to print the pictures of the yokes….but nothing happens.
Thanks for the inspiration
oxnun

[Author]

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