Re: Working fjords and equipment

[Martie John Bolinski]

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

[wcoli]

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

[Nancy Hotovy]

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]

[Martie John Bolinski]

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.