Logging with Horses

Altissimus

Altissimus

TreeHouser
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
7,991
Location
southern Vermont
... couldn't find the old thread "reverse logging" ... for at least three years on thirteen wooded acres I have been cutting firewood quality trees , limbing and burning the waste leaving tree length pieces to be forwarded ... also been cutting a series of skid roads ...the lot is kinda small for a skidder , also I prefer not to rut up the land ... well today is the day we start taking out firewood with Horses . Unlike a hired skidder the owner of the team expects me to do some driving ... been practicing my Gdyupp , Whoa , Yee , anfd Haw !
 
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anyone that knows me is familiar "off norm" ... we will try to get some pics and put'em up ... (of course Butch or Joel will have to help the dial-up challenged ...)
 
Actually horse logging ruts things up pretty good too as you have to make more trips and the entire surface of the log is on the ground for the whole skid. Still, sounds like a fun project. Wouldn't want to make a living at it but for a short time I could enjoy the different pace
 
use of a skidder cone to help?

I've seen the commercially available ones that only go up to about 20". Figure you all might have some good alternatives. Seems like a plastic barrel might work for larger logs, in situations where the taper isn't very important, like on lawns, unlike a forest. Probably important to get the right type of plastic, or cheap cone material for inexpensive replacement.
 
The trick is to wait for snow and frozen ground. It makes it much easier for the horse to pull the logs and neither the log or the trail gets muddy.
If the logs are only for firewood sniping them in the end works great instead of a nosecone.
If they are mill logs you'll have to add the portion that you snipe, and cut it off afterwards, kinda bothersome.
I've done my share of it when I logged in Switzerland. Slow going, but if the horse is a good one, quite enjoyable.
I'll be looking forward to the pictures.
 
Cool. Pics would be neat. When I was younger my neighbor horse logged it's pretty cool I think.
 
Half way down on this page is the skidder cone. RB suggested it when I was looking for a way to get logs out for firewood. Simple and effective. Might be worth a try, but it's a bit pricey.
 
I reckon that if you wanted and needed to, a person could shave the end of the log to fit the 20" opening. I've seen that before, but hadn't thought about reshaping the tip of the log. Thanks, Andy.
 
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Did a part day with one Horse (mending an bad hoof issue well but only works part time right now) Beautiful 7 year old Belgian Draft who is still learning ... got some logs out ( seasoned , nice at this time year ) ... It was the best outdoor experience I've ever had ! ..It's been real cold the ground here isn't quite set up yet , almost ..we plan to continue ...PS photographer showed up ten minutes after we hauled the last log ...next time pics
 
Stick to weather that gives you frozen ground...if it's at all wet you will be amazed at how damaging to the soils horse logging can be.
 
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since all of us are in this part time with other stuff going , as well as the acreage being mine , the idea of lowest possible impact on our chosen work days is important...there are very few wet areas and we will avoid rain cycles...firm soil conditions will be here shortly no doubt. I still have quit a bit of seasoned before taking some Ash , and some dead Cherry.. all firewood marketable this winter ....
 
rskybiz said:
Its Gee and Yaw.... yee sounds alot like ya wich could mean go! Just a note for safety;)
Click to expand...

Not to disagree with ya, but when we had a mule for plowing years ago, it was "gee" (right) and "haw" (left). I never did any logging with horses, but a good friend of mine helped his dad for years log with horses. Sure takes better care of the terrain than a skidder.....
 
The Amish that horse-logged the neighbors black walnut used a log arch to lift the front of the log. It had a seat on it too. It looked like an antique. Very effective though, and minimal damage for how many logs they pulled out.
 
treesmith said:
Not to disagree with ya, but when we had a mule for plowing years ago, it was "gee" (right) and "haw" (left). I never did any logging with horses, but a good friend of mine helped his dad for years log with horses. Sure takes better care of the terrain than a skidder.....
Click to expand...

Not really, in my experience. I think maybe it's a matter of pounds per square inch on the surface. Horses push with the majority of their force with only one leg at a time...all that concentrated on relatively few square inches, relative to the tracks or big tires of a skidder.

Sure, a skidder can chew up the ground, no doubt...but I actually think horses are worse on average, in the same ground conditions.

We should get LJ to run the numbers :D.
 
I know I've sure chewed up some ground with a skidder before, I'm sure I could outdo a horse if I put my mind to it.
 
We discussed the horse logging thing here about a year ago. No ground pressure advantage, but as Stig said, pick your weather. I borrowed a machine just like this years ago for a winter. It doesn't work well with the tractor as there is no tongue weight, but great with horses. Has hydraulic brakes too.

metavichorseloadertrailer028.jpg
 
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