This message is from: Marsha Jo Hannah <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > I would like to know if anyone uses their fjords to drag their arenas?
I have in the past used my old Fjord mare to pull a light home-built harrow (known as a planker) around in our "arena". More often, I had my standard donkey pull it! However, that "arena" was a fenced area of pasture, with packed footing; the job of the planker was to flatten and spread out the gopher mounds, horse piles, etc. > I also need to know how I go about making a drag that I can attach to the > harness. I'm not clever enough to figure this out, but I know my husband > can > build whatever I need if I give him specifics. Can I buy a small (four feet > wide) harrow somewhere? > > Lisa Lucidi We also had a 4'-wide "blanket harrow", which we bought. Visualize a chunk of chain-length fence "on steroids"---with the "wire" being 1/4" rod, and with 6" holes in the mesh. At the point of each diamond, there was a tooth attached, at a front/back angle. One could adjust how aggressive the thing was, depending on how one pulled it. For light smoothing, it was used on its back, with the teeth in the air. For medium, one used it with the teeth pointing down and to the rear; for more serious work, one hauled it from the other end, so the teeth pointed down and to the front. I never tried pulling that one with an equine; we mostly used it behind our little Toyota pickup. I've also heard of "alternative harrows" made from shipping pallets, or from pieces of cattle panel mesh or chain link fence weighted down with heavy wooden fenceposts (attached on the top). To attach an equine, one attaches the ends of a chain to two points of the harrow (for instance eye bolts in the front corners of the structure of the planker). The chain should be at least a foot longer than the distance between the attachment points, i.e. you want it to V forward. At the midpoint of the chain, put a heavy snap, repair link, or whatever---this is where your singletree should attach (not the light one from a cart, but a real draft singletree). The traces on your harness then attach to the ends of the singletree. You will probably need trace extenders (medium-weight nylon rope will do), as you don't want the horse to bump his heels on the singletree when pulling. You will also want reins long enough that you can drive from behind the harrow. If you must use regular reins, stay to the inside. DO NOT get between the horse and the harrow, or between the harrow and the fence!!!! The book that I got the planker design out of showed the guy riding, i.e. standing on it, but that tends to cause you to hang on the horse's mouth, for balance---not a good idea. For light pulling, I have done it with breast collar harness, with the traces run thru the shaft tugs on the harness saddle---because that was all that I had for the donkey. A collar harness is better engineered to take the forces of pulling a harrow, and allows the animal to use its power better. But, yes, it is good training for you and the equine! Marsha Jo Hannah Murphy must have been a horseman-- [EMAIL PROTECTED] anything that can go wrong, will! 15 mi SW of Roseburg, Oregon The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
