rope lines

[mitchmaine]

My reins finally gave up the ghost. They have been in poor shape for a while but they are splitting at the conways, and the buckles are thread-bare, enough that they even started to worry me. So I called meaders for a catalog and waited and made an order and sent it in with the correct money and waited. In the meantime, I made up some rope lines to get by. I saw pictures of scots and brits using line for lines so I tried it out. They are great. Feel good in your hands, coil up well, have some give to them I should have expected. Half inch three strand nylon. I spliced in a ring (off old halters), and buckled in some old bit straps from old bridles. And cut them long about 24’. So the new lines are here. They are beautiful. New, black, crisp and shiny. Doesn’t have that spot where my hands belong. Old lines are like day old socks. Really fit your feet, or hands. Two hundred bucks with shipping. The old set was $60. But I picked them up.
Anyway, I really like the rope lines. A lot. And wondered if anyone has or does use them? And if you do, are there any drawbacks, problems I don’t see yet? Maybe they are just a novelty, but they tie up easy behind the back and are long enough to plow or bind with. Let me know what you think. Thanks, mitch

[Plowboy]

Meader’s is a rip off.

[Scott G]

Mitch…200 bucks!!

I just bought a brand new set of beta single lines over a year ago for $36(Troyers)! Team lines are $54 (I like the beta over leather or bio because of the grip, flexibility, & feel,even when frozen or wet).

I know the Europeans, especially the loggers, use small-diameter rope lines almost exclusively. I’ve thought about it but I really like my beta lines.

I don’t fault you for wanting to keep the rope lines and try them out for a bit longer and maybe switch, but don’t ditch conventional lines because they are running you $200. Must be made out of some really nice leather…

Please tell me there is more to this story…

[Mac]

Mitch,
Down here in the South a lot of us use “plow lines”, which are just home-make checklines for field work. I have a good set of Beta lines (Right there with ya Scott!), but for plowing and where your lines are over your shoulders, I like the rope. I make my pretty long, and clamp a snap at the bit ends. They stay tied and it aint an act of God to get them loose, or so it seems to me. If they wear out, cut the snaps off and buy 60 feet of cotton rope and call it good! And, on the good side, I think they cost me about $15 to make!
Mac

[Donn Hewes]

I used small diameter rope lines by accident recently. My friend was supposed to bring her horse and tack to a public event so I could help do a couple little demos. She had everything but the lines! A little clothes line saved the day. I was surprised at how hard it was for me to manage. Perhaps just the lack of familiarity, but I couldn’t work the lines in one hand as smoothly as I like. I can keep my lines separate in one hand and slide one past the other for any one handed driving that I want to do. The clothes line was a lot harder than I expected.

It was for an 1860’s day (Judy’s day) at Cornell. I told my friend the rope lines looked very authentic.

[mitchmaine]

i have a set of beta singles for my twitch horse and i like them fine. they are getting beat up pretty fast so i don’t see them lasting as long as the leather but like you say the price is right. my new lines are here, but i’m still playing with this rope. first time out, their heads were jambed in close and the cross lines needed letting out, i had tied in the cross lines with a sheet bend so it took seconds to adjust and all was well. that i like. and a figure eight knot in the line ends make a great stop against your hands while driving. i can already see frozen lines won’t work at all, and the rope soaks up the water. wet rope is ok to handle, better than leather or beta for me. the only problem seems to be the neighbor. he saw the rope and asked if times were getting tough? thought it looked like a skunk farm. man.

[Andy Carson]

I have used rope lines to walk behind my harrow, which is rather long. They worked well for me. Something about the length, the lightness of the rope I chose, or the stretchiness of the rope made for a less responsive and slower “feel” than regular lines, but it was easy to get used to. I, for one, don’t think this is a “skunk farm” thing. I have to admit, though, that I’ve never been to a skunk farm so I can’t say for sure… 🙂

[Anonymous]

Used rope lines some last year when a young man was learning to drive in the woods. Made the lines long enough he could walk be hind the load. Eventualy gave up on them because of freezing and ice building up.

Tristan

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