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Cathryn
Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 13239
Location: Ceredigion
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 Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 4:15 pm Post subject: |
 
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I wonder if marketing played a part. I can see how oxen and horses would fulfill different roles. The wealthy owned horses to get them in and out of battles didn't they, bet that played a small part. Interesting bit of agricultural history I had never thought about before.
Quads still can't reach all the parts small ponies can, ask VSS. |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 16821
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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| The.Grange wrote: |
because horse are simply more beautiful ....   |
I was at a horse auction recently, beautiful is not the word. |
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3635
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Cathryn wrote: |
Quads still can't reach all the parts small ponies can, ask VSS. |
I'd be willing to bet that even a large ox could get where a small pony could - Angus is incredibly nimble, even though he looks like a great fat lump. I think the cloven hooves and flexible spine help.
The other day we brought the cattle into the barn to pull the sold steers out and he gets picked on by the dexters - they are ideal belly-stabbing height  so he jumped into a spare pen with a couple of sheep. Except, he only got his front end over and was hung on the partition by his belly....no problem though, he just used the crossbars of wood like a ladder for his back feet and got over Then when the herd went out, he did the same again and mooched back out to the field. |
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vegplot
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 11138
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Ixy wrote: |
| Something to also think about is that oxen were the ones ploughing and hauling in this country for millennia. Horses were rich people's transport and military toys. They did replace oxen, but that wasn't complete until 1890(ish) - and horses were then replaced by tractors between the world wars, so they had perhaps 50years of being the norm on farms, just in time to get themselves into all the early photos and films and give the impression they had been there all along..... |
A very good point I hadn't considered. |
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VSS
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2221
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3635
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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isn't that just a forecart? |
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VSS
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2221
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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No, its a completely different concept. There is nothing else quite like it. |
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Cathryn
Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 13239
Location: Ceredigion
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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I wasn't but it looks brilliant. (I was thinking of the conversation we had about you wanting a pony and how the quad wouldbe useless on your mountain.) Anyway, I have the pony, you have the friend.... |
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VSS
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2221
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Are you serious Cathryn? A demo could easily be arranged!
We think this piece of kit is really worth promoting. It's ultra safe and ultra pony-friendly and ultra fun!
Tim and Rhian have both tried one. Rhian, who is just 7 years old and has no prior pony experience was able to just get on it and go!
It gives a whole new lease of life to outgrown kids ponies (that usually end up dying of laminitis and boredom) and is a great way for non-riding members of the family to get involved in equestrian activities.
Jolly useful for checking round the sheep, too. |
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Chez
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 15178
Location: Quantock Hills, Somerset
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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Also, the person who is driving (riding?) the one on the website looks like Boudicca - what's not to like? |
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Cathryn
Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 13239
Location: Ceredigion
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Not really because we have an even more useless pony who is only 8hh. (I haven't time at the moment to ride my horse.) Has he got the right contacts? It's a smallholders kit in many ways isn't it but there are lots of horse type people who might be interested if you can think of some game type use for it as well. (Racing! Pony club horses who have done games.) Has he considered doing some kind of demo's at the big shows like the Royal Welsh? Putting a little team together? |
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3635
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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What's different about it to a forecart?  |
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VSS
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2221
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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The main difference is the safety mechanism, which is unique.
Also, the position of the charioteer means that it only puts about a fifth of the strain on the pony that other vehicles do.
Also you can attach loads of implements to the back of it (hoe, harrows, etc.
Also, the design is so pony-friendly that most take to it with no further training. At the most, about 2 hours schooling. |
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3635
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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You just described a forecart though (minus the safety mechanism, which can be included in the harnessing, as I have done with mine).
It's a good thing, but not 'new' as such. You can also get power forecarts which power the implements too. |
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The.Grange
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 956
Location: Derbyshire
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 09 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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that looks a pretty impressive piece of kit |
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