Horse Logging

[hosslog]

There are 3 or 4 teams working all the time, sometimes as many as 13 or 14.
After the initial TSI they try for a harvest about every 5 years, varies some depending on the parcel. I'm not sure how many acres they are managing now.

[thecfarm]

I sure would like to see  pictures of horses in the woods,especially 13 or 14 teams.I get excited when I see just one. I've always enjoyed them. We had a Haflinger that I was going to train and just play around in the woods.Due to my wife health problems the horse had to go.

[Norm]

Nothing to do with logging but we have a belgian mare that is an only child. For Christmas Patty got me a jenny that is less than 6 months old and not much bigger than a large dog. We've been keeping her penned worried about if the mare would be harsh with her. Yesterday I let the jenny out with Becky to see what she'd do. The jenny walks past Becky down to the hay ring pretty much ignoring her. I thought for sure Becky would go down there to check her out but what did she do....she hid behind me. When Patty walked down to see what was up here's this 1 ton horse trying to hide behind me . Here's Becky with her head hid behind my back and would occasionally peek out and then hide it behind me again.

Sure glad a mouse didn't show up.  :D

[ErikC]

  Hey Norm-a lot of people I deal with who wanted a companion for an "only child" have gotten donkeys. They make great friends with the horse, never challenge the horse so there isn't much conflict, and they are very personable. They eat less hay than a Belgian mare as well. Enjoy her.

[Norm]

Eric you're sure right about that.



Sally has a great personality and will make a good addition to the farm family.

[SwampDonkey]

When my grandfather cut timber it was usually in the winter months on snow, so large logs move a lot easier. He used voice commands with his horses "Gee" and "Haw" for go left or right. "Woe" for stop, 'backup" and a little light pull on the whiffle tree to back up to the log. There was no whipping with the reins. His horses also knew to skid unattended to the yard, but he often worked alone and followed them to the yard until my uncle was old enough to yard and grandfather would fell and limb. He often stayed in horse hovels with the horses working for timber companies and spent many winters in lumber camps and worked on spring drives. My grandmother often helped in the woods before my uncles were old enough. She even helped peel pulp. She ran the sporting camps cooking and cleaning and my uncle helped as cookee when he was old enough. My grandfather was also a guide outfitter (3rd generation) so his summers and falls were spent guiding fishermen and big game hunters. Before outboard motors came along he poled 22 foot canvas back canoes on the river to fish and hunt. He could pole for 20 miles up the Tobique River to a favorite fishing hole or hunting ground, often stayed in lean too's over night covered with a Hudson Bay sleeping robe. He retired in the early 70's and continued fishing and hunting and guiding into his 80's. In his hay day, hunting didn't involve riding pickups through the woods and fishing wasn't pleasure boating. Although it was his dream job and was very content through life. He had several sporting camps and owned salmon pools on the river until the NB Power Corporation expropriated and he lost his piece of river and had to relocate his river camps.

He was a "Tobiquer".

[ErikC]

  Well Norm, I'd say they're getting along just fine. You're just a couple away from a herd--watch out!!