Filed under: February 2021 | Tags: draft animal power, horse show, horse training, Suffolk Horses, Suffolk Punch horses
February 21, 2021
These horses belong to our son. He has been working steady with them. They are coming 3 and 2 years-old. This is their third time hooked together. They are doing great. I have been under the weather this week, so no training going on here. It’s nice to see it continuing at the neighbors :o)
We are looking forward to spring and summer weather. The hope is to have the young horses able to take a small part in the work. No heavy loads, just lots of driving and different situations. Patience on our part will pay big dividends with these youngsters.
This coming summer, during the last week in June, we will be helping to host a “Suffolk Horse” gathering. We hope to catch folks as they travel to Horse Progress Days , a draft horse event held in Mount Hope, Ohio, later in that same week. We think it will be a great time to meet people and introduce these amazing animals to the public. We will hold the event at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds in Jefferson, Ohio
I hope some of you can make it! Come on out and say hello.
Filed under: February 2021 | Tags: horse training, maple syrup, Suffolk Punch horses, three horse hitch
February 12, 2021
Hank, in the middle, is learning very quickly. These past cold days have been perfect for training because most other farm work is on hold. He has a ways to go, but is patient, willing and attentive. Occasionally, he acts like a teenaged boy, but most of the time he is a gentleman.
It is pleasing to see a young animal or human, “get it”. The look of understanding, the body language that comes with the sudden confidence is pleasing to see. Hank has been having a lot of “Ah-Ha” moments. I am very happy with his progress. My mares, Abby and Amee are teaching him well. They know their job and make very big anchors. He has figured out to pretty much, just do what they do.
He is learning the clues from the lines and my voice, but looks to the girls for reassurance. He is fast becoming a vital part of the team. He wants to do good. He is not shy about pulling. He steps right into the collar, but stands quietly at rest breaks.
Here is a shot from the front. I had my buddy’s boys drive so that I could take a picture. This photo was taken on Hank’s first time in a three horse hitch. The photo on top was from his second time out taken the day before yesterday. Hank turns two in April. We do not work him hard, but we work him often.
We are in a cold snap, no maple sap yet. The weatherman says no days above freezing for the next ten days. So, we wait on Mother Nature for the maple season to begin. In the meantime, we will enjoy the cold by making lots of warm memories…often around the shop wood stove!
December 5, 2020
I took this picture last night at sunset. It was a beautiful exclamation point. Yesterday was my mother’s birthday. She celebrates with the angels now. It was her 80th. I though about her many times yesterday. This sunset just seemed to signify that all is well.
I visited her gravesite, hot coffee in hand. I shared with her stories, tales of life events and happenings here on the farm. It makes me feel better. Mom passed too soon. I hope to keep her memory alive, as long as, I can share her stories, she can live through me.
Later in the day, our son Jake came by driving his yearling for the first time. She did great. He was all smiles too. I watched them walk up and down the driveway, as I cleaned the pig pens and horse stable. When he put the yearling “Anna” away, he was soon dashing through the snow with his horse “Belle”. That scene was made sweeter because he was pulling his kids behind him in a sled. They swooped around the farm lane and made a pass near mom’s resting place. The laughter was easy to hear as it echoed off the snow. It truly was a beautiful day…from beginning to end.
Filed under: August 2020 | Tags: horse logging, horse training, Log skidding, selective cutting, timberstand improvement, woodland, worst first tree harvest
August 1, 2020
Bree, our young filly got her first haircut with the noisy clippers. She is just over 3 months old. She was not impressed by the noise, but in just a couple of minutes, she let me trim her bridle path, without even flinching. I ran the clippers all over her body so she could hear the noise and feel the vibration. I talked to her the whole time in a calm voice. She took it all in stride, knowing that no harm was in store.
Last week I spent time in a woods that I had worked in ten years ago. I did a timber stand improvement project using a worst first, crop tree release approach. This current harvest is a selective cut. We are removing large trees crowding the under story of growing trees, mostly hard maples. These bigger trees are mature and now prone to blowing over due to the next door neighbor clear cutting his forest.
We are using logging carts and even a winch cart in this open woodlot. The winch cart handles heavy, long logs with ease.
The horses enjoyed the cooler temperatures, worked steady and made it look easy!
I was very pleased to see the progression of the forest. This harvest is a big one, but in 15 years this woodlot will be ready to harvest again. Sustainable, restorative logging is the way to go. This woodlot owner also has the potential to become an Ohio maple syrup producer. He will have an outstanding sugarbush in 2 to 3 years. Just the right time frame to tap a few trees and work out the growing pains of the industry. In no time this woodlot will contain 500 plus maple taps with more coming into production every year.
If it turns out that maple syrup isn’t his, “thing”, then the hard maple lumber harvest in his future is promising too. All of the standing trees will have some clear, very desirable furniture grade lumber in them. In the meantime, he can enjoy nature, birdsong and the peace found in a woodland holding. I know I sure do!
Filed under: July 2020 | Tags: Draft horse training, horse training, stallion, stallion training, Suffolk Horses, Suffolk Punch horses
July 31, 2020
I continue to train our young stock. Hank, our yearling stallion, is learning to wear his harness. I put it on and off. I rattle the chains and fuss with the straps. I make him move from side to side as I walk around. Most importantly, I make him wear the gear for longer and longer periods. We are now up to about an hour of just standing with the harness on in a safe environment.
Today, I introduced him to the bridal and bit. He had to keep it on for about a half hour. I let him learn about it, by just staying near as he fumbled with it in his mouth.
He played with the bit with his tongue and teeth. I lead him around a while, then put him in his stall. I did a few other things as he stood in his stall, wearing his complete harness and bridal. After a little while, he just relaxed stood on three legs and rested. I left him stand and talked to him as I did other work around the barn.
He listened to my voice, but didn’t try to look over his blinders. He just stood like a perfect gentleman and waited for whatever was coming next. After he had stood relaxed for fifteen minutes or so, I brought him out of his stall and unharnessed him.
I started with his bridal first. As I took the bit out of his mouth, he just let it slip right out. I rubbed his ears and talked softly to him. He nuzzled me. I then took his harness and collar off. I made plenty of extra noise and made a few extra, unneeded movements, just to reinforce that all is well.
I brushed him for a while after removing his harness. He is a great student. Next we will begin line driving him on long lines teaching him to go, stop and turn. Very soon he will be going with the team, not to pull a load, just to learn commands and patience.
Hank is an April baby. He will soon be 16 months old. It is a bit early for training to start, but he will be a stallion, so I want his mind busy with something other than breeding. He must learn to be a workhorse first. He will one day be our centerpiece. This early learning is crucial for his development. Daily handling and good manners at all times is a must. So far, he is passing with flying colors!
Filed under: July 2020 | Tags: Draft horse, horse training, Small Farming, Suffolk Punch horses
July 9, 2020
These hot, oppressive days take the starch out of me! I got the bright idea to give the horses all baths. I included our baby Bree. This is all part of her training. I continually expose her to all sorts of sounds and experiences.
She took the squirting hose very well. She wasn’t actually thrilled by it, but she wasn’t scared either. I put this in the win column. I think she was more upset about being tied just around the corner from mom, than anything the hose did. By the time we were finished, all fear of the hose, the water and the hissing noise was gone.
The gardens and crop fields are doing very well. They could all use some rain, but they are holding up well. The speltz harvest is just days away. Straw bales will soon be stacked in rows near the barn for winter bedding.
Normally, I would be wrapping up the wood splitting job for our sugarhouse, but this heat made me decide to just pick away at it during the cool of morning. Its working okay, but taking a bit longer. No worries, I’ll get it done :o)
Filed under: May 2020 | Tags: daily farm life, horse training, open pollenated corn, Suffolk Punch, Suffolk Punch horses
May 29, 2020
If you strain your eyes a bit, you can see this year’s corn peeping through the ground. The hot weather and recent rains have done their magic. Weeding by cultivation begins soon. More on that in the coming weeks.
Obviously, the field corn for the animals has been planted, but also a little sweet corn for us is also ready to emerge. We have more gardens to plant, but the season is well underway. Potatoes, tomatoes and peppers are planted and enjoying our recent weather.
Horse training and daily chores continue and hay making is right around the corner. Our busy season has begun!
My son Jake’s two-year old coming along nicely. She will join my girls for several jobs soon, like raking hay and hauling round bales. Yes, tis the season!
Filed under: March 2020 | Tags: boogeyman, horse training, Suffolk, Suffolk Punch draft horse, training methods
March 30, 2020
Yesterday, I spent the day working with Hank. This little guy is our stallion prospect. First he must learn to be a work horse. We will see if the whole “daddy” thing works out. I spend a lot of time with him. I teach him manners and many things that are part of the routine. He learns quickly. He is a good animal to be around. I am continually amazed by this Suffolk breed of horse.
He will turn one year old on April 23rd. I am starting him young, because I want his mind busy. He, like all teen-aged boys, has an abundance of testosterone. If I can keep his mind busy, the fidgeting is much less. Yesterday, I introduced him to a horse collar and a set of sleigh bells. He was not scared of either.
We also gave him his second haircut. The clippers, even though this was his second experience, made him very wary. I calmly talked to him, let him smell the clippers and ran the noisy, vibrating thing all over him. After just a few minutes, he calmed down and let he clip between his ears and bridle path. I cannot say it was my best job, but he did very well. We will revisit this lesson often.
His rough winter coat is showing but his new haircut and shedding progress are showing through.
We enjoyed a wagon ride in the afternoon yesterday. It was warm and spring like. The shedding hair comes out in gobs, as the girls get their summer coat, a sure sign of spring, just like the greening of the grass.
Training and transition are two words that describe much of my work these days. Abby will soon be on maternity leave. Amee will get some individualized training on a few finer points that she lacks. Hank will continue to get exposed to new experiences as we train to power the farm. He has a ways to go, but the future looks bright.
Filed under: February 2020 | Tags: draft mare, good work for idle horses, horse training, Percheron, Percheron Horses, Suffolk Horses, Suffolk Punch
February 19, 2020
As we wait for winter to turn to maple season, we fill our days doing fun stuff. Our Percheron Abby, out for a nice drive on a cold day last Monday.
She works single, double and on either side. I like to keep her fit. This is a good way to do it.
The tire makes just enough resistance to give her something to pull. She lugs it easily. She is a good mare who will also be missed as we transition to the Suffolk Punch breed. I am proud of Abby. She moved here as a youngster. She learned well and became an important part of our farm’s power. She completes a great trio. She just turned six years old.
We drive on the driveways, because mud abounds in the fields. She doesn’t care and even when we have worked for part of a day. She’s not tired…LOL.
Filed under: September 2019 | Tags: compost application, draft horses, haying with horses, horse training, Small Farming
September 9, 2019
The heavy dew stays on the grass and hay until very late morning, almost lunchtime. The horses and I are filling that wet time in with compost spreading. Abby got her first voyage with the power cart a couple days ago. She couldn’t have cared less. The running engine and flinging poop didn’t bother her in the least.
We could finally rake the second cutting hay for the first time. It is thin, but will make some very good feed. The cows and sheep will really enjoy the sweet, high protein hay during the cold, windy days of late winter. Sam, the dog, goes with me everywhere. He thinks that he is the inspector of all that I do.
Knight poses for a photo. He was working with Abby on the hay rake. He keeps her in line. He teaches her much by just being himself, the steady worker. He is my main man. I think I can do almost anything as long as he is there with me.
So, we continue to work on the hay. I believe we will be able to bale it up later this afternoon. The compost pile is getting smaller and a few other things are getting done, as I spend the mornings, working around the dew.
RicelandMeadows 