Sizing a new yoke

[Baystatetom]

My team of 3 1/2 year olds are 1500 pounds each and in a 9″ yoke. They must have grew 3″ in height over the past few months and put on a little girth as well. My 9″ yoke is still okay for now but if the growth spurt continues I’ll need a new one by the end of the summer. My question is should I go up to 10″ or is it time to start using 1/2″ intervals and go to a 9.5″? I hate to spend $ on a yoke that will only last a short time then again I also hate to work them hard in a yoke that isn’t a good fit either. I just had a couple of blanks sawn out of a huge elm I found on a logging job but it needs to dry so it looks like I’ll be buying one.
~Tom

[CharlyBonifaz]

my solution to a similar problem (barely had we started with a new yoke -7inch- I found one of my oxen needing an 8inch bow): larger bow with larger diameter and I sanded the straight vertical holes in the yoke to enlarge them mainly sideways, so now they handle an 8inch bow by being wider on the lower end and still 7 inch on top of the yoke

[Tim Harrigan]

When Abe was getting too big for his 10 inch bow but the 10 inche fit Will fine, I took about 1/4 inch off the inside of each side of Abe’s bow with a spoke shave, just in the areas where the bow would contact the neck. Worked out fine.

[Baystatetom]

Thinking I may buy a 10″, and if the 9″ gets to tight and the 10″ is a little loose, I’ll put the 9″ bows in the 10″ yoke for a little while.
If I shave my 9″ bows they will be too big the next time I have a team ready to move out of an 8″.
~Tom

[Author]

Posts