Filed under: November 2013
November 7, 2013
We got started today using three horses. I am glad that I made that choice. The bottom of the gully, where much of the sugarwood is stacked and piled, is very wet. There is one spot that the mud and water is sixteen inches deep. The sled load of wood resembles a barge more than a sled when we are coming through that place.
The horses just walk right through the sloppy mess. They barely leave a track. The sled slides easily through the goo. I’m thinking that after we get done with the wood, one good winter’s freeze will remove most of our footprint. We are doing much less damage than a wheeled vehicle would do …especially my 4-wheel drive tractor.
The horses worked very well. I haven’t hooked three since the spring. They acted as if we always do it this way. I was even a bit surprised that it went so well. We even had a little excitement when the tongue on the forecart broke. They took it all in stride and in no time we just hooked straight on to the sled and left the forecart problem for another day.
We managed to get a good quantity hauled in today. Three of the loads came out of the bottom. The horses had to dig a little coming up the hill, but they all worked together and made it look easy. We stopped for lunch just before the afternoon rains fell on us. I decided that we had done enough for our first day, besides I had other stuff to attend to before dark.
I will continue to haul and stack the wood until the job is finished. I will do it with a big smile, because working behind three awesome Percheron horses make me very happy. I’d say it even takes the work out of the job!
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