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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3574
Location: York
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 Posted: Wed Sep 23, 09 5:22 pm Post subject: |
 
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| vickersdc wrote: |
Well all this talk of oxen hasn't really helped me to an answer for my original question 
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No, but it was intended to solve the initial problem in an alternative way and negate the need for the question |
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mal55
Joined: 15 Jul 2009
Posts: 73
Location: N.Lincs or in the dog house
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 09 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Well all this talk of oxen hasn't really helped me to an answer for my original question
Still, it's rather interesting to hear about using oxen instead of horses as it's not something I ever considered. I'll be checking out those videos that you mention Ixy.
Cheers,
David.
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Sorry Dave! I think you can take it the answer is "quite a few of us! It's a great idea and pretty immaterial as to whether horses or oxen are used so long as it's animal rather than machine powered. You could try both. Cattle power could be far more practical for small scale growers, forestry etc. It would make an interesting study! Thanks for the info Nat It figures!! 
Mal |
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shadiya
Joined: 02 Feb 2008
Posts: 348
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 09 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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I have horses and cows, so it'd be fun to try both. I'm really excited about oxen though, as have been looking for a way to justify getting more cattle!  :lol |
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shadiya
Joined: 02 Feb 2008
Posts: 348
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 09 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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umm, what happened to the little laughing face? Why is it that every time I think there's no need to preview before posting, something goes wrong? Blooming computers......
(Yes, I know, I know, it's user error..... I get to blame the laptop because as it's an inanimate object, it can't complain...... works for me.... ) |
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The.Grange
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 853
Location: Derbyshire
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 09 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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Out of pure curiosity what bred of heavy horse were you thinking of, as not all breeds are for all types of work?
Traditionally you would not ideally have a shire working in mud as the feathers would clog, weighting the foot down causing problems, risking foot problems and the time it would take to ensure they were both cleaned and dried at the end of a day would also make it less likely. The suffolk punch with is cleaner legs would be more suited for heavy wet field work, shires were more dray horses. Plus suffolks were better doers needed less feed for as much if not more production, so were more cost effective than other heavy breeds.... but getting hold of a suffolk punch is akin to finding he holy grail!
Having owned and shown shires, and currently own a trait breton stallion, heavy horses are big softies and so easy to handle compared to many other breeds. However, we once owned a champion welsh section D stallion (now buried in our school) he was a little power house, at only 14.2hh, and he was capable of ploughing and other driving requirements.
eta: he was 27 years young in this photo |
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HawthornHeavyHorses
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 09 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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Hi David,
We work in partnership with our local college. Have a look at http://www.hawthornheavyhorses.co.uk
You could condsider working in partnership with a local contractor rather than setting up on your own, as it has worked quite well in our case. We have a fairly conplicated agreement as we also partner with the local council, but for you it could simply be a case of providing free livery in return for work with the horses or your estate. It is a relatively econminically neutral option, which benefits both parties, and reduces financial risk for the college.
Good luck,
Matt |
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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 41
Location: New Jersey, USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 09 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hello all. I'm in the United States, currently in New Jersey but previously in Connecticut - both on the east coast. In the small suburban town I lived in, in Connecticut, there was a grange fair every year. They had ox pulling competition. Children with young steers were sweet to watch, but to see a pair of eleven year old Holstein oxen was like watching a mountain walk. They pulled 2.5 ton on the stone boat, then added on several adults and some children in addition and the beasts just trudged away. Mostly Holsteins, also Red Devon and Brown Swiss. Horns tipped and capped with brass balls.
My friend who had the local sawmill there started with oxen, then switched to Belgian draft horses. He wasn't working the animals, just entering in competition. I was coordinator of the community gardens at the time, and I'd let him practice plowing with them on our fallow land. To move the team the few miles from home to field he had a standard 4-horse trailer on which he had to raise the roof, just to hold the two draft horses. Interestingly, I remember John telling me that you had to stable and load the pair in the same orientation as they'd be hitched to the plow. Off horse must always be in the off-side position. Beautiful to watch the horses work in a 60 acre field, plowing 2 acres of the 6 acre garden area - not a building, power line, or roadway in sight.
If people are looking for a smaller draft animal would you consider a Morgan horse? Smaller than draft breeds, very sturdy, all purpose for draft, carriage, riding use. Or are they not common in the UK? |
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clydesdaleclopper
Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Posts: 17
Location: N E Scotland
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| Posted: Sun Nov 01, 09 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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I agree you need to consider which draft breed to get if you go down the horsey route. Drafts are certainly a lot less hassle than many other horse breeds. They do well barefoot so you don't need to worry about shoeing which can be very expensive with such big feet.
We have a Clydesdale and a couple of Comtois. The Comtois are great as they don't have feathers to get all muddy, are able to turn in much smaller areas as they are only 15hh, and are easy to get hold of (unlike the Sufflok Punch) as the French breed them for meat (when you see the size of the backside on our 2 year old you can see why). |
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3574
Location: York
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| Posted: Sun Nov 01, 09 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| clydesdaleclopper wrote: |
| I agree you need to consider which draft breed to get if you go down the horsey route.....the French breed them for meat... |
See the french have got it right |
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clydesdaleclopper
Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Posts: 17
Location: N E Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 09 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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I have to admit I somethimes horrify my neighbour who "rescues" these Comtois when I affectionately call one of ours "sausage" |
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