Worked a Little Ground Last Night

[Bobl1958]

Needed to work the Horse Apples down in the lot. I usually use my Polaris Ranger to pull the harrow, but decided to hook up The Boys and make them do the work since most of it is theirs. This is a new team and they are just 4 years old. They are broke well (Amish), but it was really cool and they were feeling their oats for sure. They settled down and went to work and did a good job.

I want to use them for some work this year. Hope to mow with the mower in the picture. I ended up losing both horses in the pic with the mower, thus the new horses. That is a story in itself. I also have a JD L&M Manure Spreader I will use them with. I have a 1 bottom Case Sulky Plow I restored a few years ago I would like to use one day, and they actually have plowed, but we will see about that. I am looking for a wooden wheeled, or at least horse drawn drill to use as well.

These guys are truly Yesterday's Tractors. Bob

 

[RBnWA]

Good looking workers. Love to see horses working. RB

 

[Kelly in tx]

TWO great looking teams Bob! I envy you the rubber tired #9 hay mower. Mine are just old, worn-out steel wheeled ones. I've been asked to drive one of my teams on the Saltgrass Trail Ride to Houston again this year. I now have five drafts - two black Percherons, a white Perch, a Belgian and a Clyde cross. Glad to see your post. Keep on driving! kelly

 

[redforlife]

Nothing like a good team. I've always liked being around/watching a team. But I know I wouldn't be able to use them enough to keep thier behavior in check, to have a team of my own. Sadly, my amish neighbors only have single english trotters for buggy horses.

 

[Crazy Horse]

Great pics ..... what breed are they? Tell us a bit about where you live and your horses and hobby.

 

[Bobl1958]

These two wanted to be in on the action, but they were relegated to just watching..lol!

 

[Kelly in tx]

RedforLife: If you get a GOOD, well-trained team, they remember how to behave. Sometimes some of mine are in pasture for six months to a year at a time. I always trust they'll behave.
Mules on the other hand, well I'm prejudiced against them because of their behavior. I've done hundreds of miles over many years and have never seen a team of mules that didn't do something crazy at least once in their lives.
I once drove horses and wagon up the old Western Cattle Trail from Bandera, Texas to Dodge City, Kansas. Lots of mule teams and even one team of Zeedonks for awhile. Over the years I've seen so many of those teams of mules again and again and always at one time or another they do something crazy. Sorry for the prejudice, but there I am. kelly

 

[Shoprat]

Nice. My Dad farmed with horses, always wanted to try it. An Amish friend told me I may be too old. I think he's right.

 

[Bobl1958]

The horses are all Percherons. The two I am harrowing with are 1/2 brothers and are just 4. They are both 18 hands tall at the withers, and these guys probably weigh about 1800lbs each. The Percherons are mostly Black, but some are born Black with a gene that turns their coats grey. The team I am harrowing with will turn grey like the 8 year old light grey mare in the one picture in time. A lot of how quick they turn light, even white, depends on their genes and also the sunlight.

I don't farm with horses, but at 63 years old I'm about to slow down so would like to play with the horses a little. Not farm with them though..lol, but just play. However, you can, and a lot of people do, certainly make a living farming with horses, but I'm far from thinking along those lines. I am in Central KS. I still farm some hay ground, for myself and to sell, but the rest of the farm ground is rented out. And will likely stay that way..lol!! I would like to put up some hay with the horses, but I get very nervous when it's hay time as far as getting it up right. It's hard to take the time with horses, when I can get on the swather and be done in a fraction of time. I put up about 5- 60 acres of brome as well as some prairie hay (native grass), so I might try it. There are several around with teams that, such as plow days, are always looking for something for their horses to do. Maybe this year we will do it.

The picture below is the light grey mare in one of the pictures when we first got her. She was just 3 at the time. Now she is 8, so you can see how they lighten up. Bob

 

[Bobl1958]

I knew you did Kelly and thought you might get a kick out of seeing these. Bob

 

[John Deere D]

Thanks for posting the pics sir....

Bob. Alberta Canada

 

[Bobl1958]

Just an FYI, Kelly, we took the #9 mower in the picture apart all the way to bare bones. Every piece out on the table. Put ALL new seals and bearings in it which were all bought from my local Case/IH dealer ship. New sections, guards, new tires and tubes from Miller Tire (hang on to your hat if you buy them), and correct period paint. It is amazing how these mowers really worked when they were new. Bob

 

[Russ from MN]

When I was young our closest neighbor and his nephew logged with a horse, just one. One guy would stay in the woods and fall and limb the trees, and the other stayed on the landing and cut them up, the horse went back and forth by it's self. This was before chain saws, they used bow saws.

 

[Gtidwell]

Nice teams sir. I was involved in a couple of work days with nothing but horses working, except for hay press. It was hard work but alot of fun.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Those look like Percherons. They're good horses for working & you have some fine ones. Always wanted to get into horse power. The way the gas prices are.... I just might yet.

Mike

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Well cared for horses.
Friend doesn't have children, instead 3 horses to take care of day and night.
I think he likes being around his horses instead of his wife.
Horses never talk back or complain too much.

 

[DoubleR]

I've never been a big fan of horses but I've always admired big work horses. They always seem so docile and easy going. Nice looking bunch you have there.

Although it does seem like allot of work getting them all harnessed up to do a job as opposed to jumping on a tractor and turning the key. But I can understand someone loving to do it.

 

[NEKS]

Dad had a team of work horses when I was just a little s^^t. Loved to hears the chains on the harness rattling and everything else was so quite.

 

[SweetFeet]

Great photos... beautiful horses.

 

[SVcummins]

I was born near 100 years to late . Thats a nice team youve got there .