Re: 'working' Fjords and equipment
This message is from: Martie & John Bolinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Jeri, Thanks for the reply about working Fjords and forecarts. The only reason I thought about the brakes was for the horse's comfort going down hills. We have several long but not really steep hills to work. He might be able to use the breeching to slow things down but it would be a lot of strain for him and wear him out faster. He stops the meadowbook cart just fine with breeching, but the machinery would weigh a lot more. He stops well when asked (finally) and stands really well for me to get in and out. Unfortunately, he does not always stand patiently when we work dressage. He knows I am just going to ask him to do another pattern so we might as well get it started. We have been concentrating a lot on this problem and he is doing better. At this week's lesson though I found out that he though 'good boy' meant 'walk on' because I always say 'good boy' right before I say 'walk on'. The trainer was working him through some cones and asked him to stand while we figured out our 'fault and out' course. When he stood, she said 'good boy' and off we went. Several times. thanks again, Martie Jeri L Rieger wrote: > This message is from: Jeri L Rieger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Dear Martie and Kilar, > > I owned draft horses and worked them both on the street and in the fields. > I have an opinion about brakes on various types of rolling stock. > > First, what kind of a driving horse do you want? >
Re: "Working" fjords and equipment
This message is from: Martie & John Bolinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Nancy, Thanks for the reply back and for the info. We will look into White Horse Machinery and see what they can do. And thanks again to your husband and the beautiful horses! The only thing we did not really like about the Progress Days was that so many people wanted to watch up-close what was happening with the horses/equipment so that all we could see without pushing people out of the way was a mob of people moving across the fields. The horses were vertually invisible. It was a great education for us. We see the Amish in Lancaster County PA all the time when we drive through (we live about 1 hr from the Rough & Tumble Museum) on our way shopping for farm supplies. But of course, they drive multiples and we have only one Fjord (so far). I hope that hubby and horses made it back safely; they were a real hit. I talked to a number of people who had never seen Fjords before and thought they were some type of Halflinger. thanks again, Martie
RE: 'working' Fjords and equipment
This message is from: Jeri L Rieger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear Martie and Kilar, I owned draft horses and worked them both on the street and in the fields. I have an opinion about brakes on various types of rolling stock. First, what kind of a driving horse do you want? My Clydes were"street" horses and I wanted them to stop on a dime in traffic situations. I used brakes. They learned to "honor" the brakesto not pull against them. This is exactly the response that I wanted on the streets.however, they would not ever "put a shoulder" in to pulling so they were useless to skid logs, rake hay, plow, harrow, etc. Anything that might require them to pull a bit harder than usual. As I said before, the response of honoring the brakes was exactly what I wanted in the traffic. I also had a team of Percherons, they were real workers. They would always put an extra effort out when ever it was required. They understood about working together, stepping out at the same time and putting a shoulder into the job. Of course, they stopped on command but if I was slow or distracted they would continue to pull against the applied brakes (Read: operator error) I preferred to work them with out brakes and to rely on their stopping power. So, whether you want brakes or not I feel depends on the job that they are doing. I like metal forecarts, you can use them with alot of different equipment and for training. Also, they are tough! You can buy used equipment that normally hooks up to tractors (as long as it isn't PTO!) and it is usually cheaper than horse drawn equipment. I am training Tana (Fjord) on the single cart after ALOT of ground drivingno brakes. I expect her to learn to listen to me and respond and respect my commands. I hope to learn about Driving Dressage and take her that direction. I expect her to stand quietly while I am harnessing her and fussing around to make sure that everything is okay. I expect her to stand quietly while I am entering the cart and gathering up. While driving up hill and down, I let her set the pace and pick the footing within reason. To everyone who remembers me and Tana in our first and thank God, only wreck at Libby last year, she is stopping on a dimefinally! Using the harness properly hooked up should allow your horse to control the equipment that is hooked up to him. Fjords can out pull my dear old drafts, so like anything use common sense on what you ask your animals to do. They will let you know when you are asking too much, OH, and remember that the Fjords have alot of heart! If you don't have enough horse power to do the job, add another horse! ;-) Jeri Rieger in Missouri with Tana, Mika and Ollie still in Idaho...Sigh!
Re: "Working" fjords and equipment
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > He recommends for a > single horse to contact the White Horse Machinery Company in > Pennsylvania and see if you can't buy a forecart with fills for a single > horse and hydraulic brakes. He says he's always been more impressed > with their unit than a Pioneer. Nancy, Can you let us know where in PA this company is and any contact info. We have given up trying to contact one particular amish carriage maker who is only available at a certain pay phone number between 11:30 and 11:45, 6 days a week Thank you. Bill --- William M. Coli Extension Educator/ Statewide IPM Coordinator Dept. of Entomology Agricultural Engineering Bldg. UMass Amherst MA 01003 Phone: 413-545-1051 Fax: 413-545-5858 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Always drink upstream from the herd". From: A Cowboy's Guide to Life, by T.B. Bender
"Working" fjords and equipment
This message is from: Nancy Hotovy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Martie & John - It was my husband, Rich Hotovy, you saw in Pennsylvania with the Fjords this past weekend. It was a 700 mile trip and he took a friend, Mike Sadlon. Kind of scary turning the two of them loose for the weekend. Rich not only took his team and one of Mike's geldings but he took my favorite gelding also. I not only had to worry about my husband, but my horse also! Rich said he was sorry you were not there earlier as he hitched 4 abreast on a 90 bushel speader on a forecart but at home we hook a team directly to a 4 wheel speader with 90 bushel capacity and have no problem whatsoever and we do have hills also. He recommends for a single horse to contact the White Horse Machinery Company in Pennsylvania and see if you can't buy a forecart with fills for a single horse and hydraulic brakes. He says he's always been more impressed with their unit than a Pioneer. If you have any further questions, let us know. Nancy
[Fwd: 'working' Fjords and equipment]
This message is from: Martie & John Bolinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi, Martie and Kilar in muggy MD again. Some time back, I posted about wanting to use Kilar for a little farm work. Not knowing what type of equipment he could handle by himself (he is still an only Fjord), I asked about forecarts and types of equipment I could expect him to handle. Thanks again to all of you for the suggestions. We did not act on any of our ideas yet, waiting to go to the Horse Progress Days in Kinzer PA this weekend to actually see first-hand some horses (various size hitches, various size horses, mucho various equipment and harnessing and types of work). Now I have even more trouble deciding if I can work him. I had hoped to get a forecart that did not weigh too much and maybe a manure spreader (which we need anyway) that could be pulled either by the horse (with the forecart) or by our tractor. The forecarts we saw today came in 2 categories - 1) light weight, easy maneuverability but NO BRAKES and 2) heavy weight, not real maneuverable but good brakes. There does not seem to be a difference in Horse or Pony weight forecarts. Just BIG (with brakes) or SMALL (no brakes). As our pastures have some slight hillyness, I am assuming I NEED brakes? Yes? The hills are not really steep, but fairly long. We would be pulling either a 25 BU or 35 BU spreader (probably full for the tractor and not so full for the horse). Of course, all the sales reps insist that a Fjord can singlehorsedly pull both the forecart (heavy or light) AND all manner of farm machinery. But none of these fine folks have small draft horses or have ever (admittingly) owned/driven these slightly smaller drafties. The seller of the small brakeless carts insist that the breeching is the only brake I need. The seller of the large cart insists that the weight of the heavy (15" car tires on a heavy metal frame) cart plus the 35 BU spready should be no problem for a 'strong little horse' to pull. Like a Halflinger. Everyone knows the Halflingers, no-one seemed to know the Fjords until we mentioned the racing stripe (Oh yeah, the little striped cream colors horses). Anyone with any advice on brakes vs no brakes; large vs small forecarts; 25 BU vs 35 BU spreaders, or ANY advice on what type of equipment to purchase for a single horse, please get back to me?? Also, if you are on line - THANKS many times over to the poor Fjord owners that I hounded during the day with my questions. I thought I had a card with your names on, but I can't find it. My apologies for that, but thanks again for all your help in giving me the questions to ask and some thoughts about the philosophy of working horses. The first thing we saw when we arrived at the Progress Days was a pair of beautiful TALL Fjords raking hay. This is especially great for me, as Kilar was used for raking hay and training the younger horses to pull/rake before I bought him. Explains his need to follow the trail of grass clippings with the cart every time John mows the pasture where we drive. thanks again, Martie, John and Kilar - still hoping for rain.
