Economics of Horse Logging

[Corruption Logs]

Howdy All,

We are looking into putting some bids on some fire mitigation work on private properties. It is all in beetle-kill stands in some rugged terrain between 10,000 - 11,000 feet. Cutting in new logging roads is not a popular idea with the home owners association. Fortunately, most of the land is uphill from existing forest roads, within a few hundred yards. 

We have talked about winching everything down to the road, but my wife brought up the idea of using some draught horses from the local ranches. Pretty sure she just wants to play with horses...

Has anyone ever hired out a horse team for such work? Would it make since if there is difficult terrain? At least most of the trees have been dead for a few years, so they are fairly light.


Looking forward to hearing what you think. We've got a few months before bids go in, so we don't have to decide immediately.

Cheers,
 

[Ljohnsaw]

 :P  You'd be hiring the owner as well I take it?  Sounds like a fun challenge!

[Riwaka]

The harnesses are not cheap
Logging Harness for Horses and Mules | Chimacum Tack

I would not favor horse logging with the animal welfare lobby around these days being against people who put animals to work.

Would not want to borrow horses, you might have to put them down if they break down.

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Probably have a look around to see what is working in your area. There have been a few articles that have pictured the burn piles on the mountain slopes, but did not show the equipment doing the job.

The eco-logger or similar is what you might be looking for in the older equipment to do a job you have described.  Koller Forest Technik gmbh are still developing their machines if you want something small and modern.

Ground machines would be small dozers, kmc/ Pisten Bully/ prinoth etc old snow groomers with parts etc

[WV Sawmiller]

  I hired a man with a pair of Belgian mules several years ago to haul down about 3,000+ bf of tulip poplar logs and I was well pleased with the results. These were big logs and a steep slope. The most ingenious thing he did was to attach a small 15' top about 6-8 inches in diameter to the bigger logs as an outrigger to keep the logs from rolling on the steep slope. He was not using his "cart" which I assume was a logging arch. I also saw him wrap a long chain a couple loops around a big log that had rolled into a ditch and he parbuckled it right out without the mules ever breaking a sweat. It was a real pleasure to watch. I have a post out there about it.

 I don't know the sizes of the logs, their value or the distances you plan to pull them to a landing on the existing  roads. Good luck.

EDIT: Here is the post from my experience.
 https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=90576.msg1394287#msg1394287

[Joe Hillmann]

Depending on conditions using small equipment and a careful operator could do less damage on hillsides than skidding logs down/across the hills.

Since it is fire remediation I assume you are getting paid to remove the trees rather than buying the timber from them?  Are you only removing the logs or all the branches as well?

[DonW]

If the horse logging option pans out and you could use a pair of extra hands for labor, no charge, I am in Mesa Co. And would gladly  help. I am looking into draft horses for such uses myself. 

[Corruption Logs]

We plan on hiring someone to drive the team. Not something we would want to undertake ourselves.

We are removing the trees and slash as well. Some slash will get mulched and spread back into the forest, most will go to the county compost.

We have had pretty good luck with nose cones keeping the forest floor in good shape and we have run some heavy machinery with minimal impact, just thinking of alternatives.

 I hired a man with a pair of Belgian mules several years ago to haul down about 3,000+ bf of tulip poplar logs and I was well pleased with the results. These were big logs and a steep slope. The most ingenious thing he did was to attach a small 15' top about 6-8 inches in diameter to the bigger logs as an outrigger to keep the logs from rolling on the steep slope. He was not using his "cart" which I assume was a logging arch. I also saw him wrap a long chain a couple loops around a big log that had rolled into a ditch and he parbuckled it right out without the mules ever breaking a sweat. It was a real pleasure to watch. I have a post out there about it.

I don't know the sizes of the logs, their value or the distances you plan to pull them to a landing on the existing  roads. Good luck.

EDIT: Here is the post from my experience.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=90576.msg1394287#msg1394287

Sounds pretty similar to the situation we are looking at. The outrigger sounds like a great idea. Guess we'll have to look into pack mules as well.

[WV Sawmiller]

   The old timers had good, experienced horses and would walk the trail a time or two and after that they would have one person at the top hooking up the logs, slap the horse/mule on the rump and it would walk to the landing below on its own, the handler at the landing would disconnect, hang the chains/hooks on the hames, slap the critter on the rump and he would walk back to the top. Often it would be a farmer on top and his wife at the lower landing.

  They also made a Gee hook which was a fast disconnect. If they got on a slope so steep there was danger of the log hitting the horse/mule the driver would yell "Gee" and the horse/mule would step to the right, the log would slide and disconnect and slide past the animal till it stopped and the owner would have to go reconnect or abandon it as appropriate but at least the horse/mule was not injured. Experienced horses/mules feeling slack in the rigging would automatically step to the right on their own.

  I don't know how long it takes an animal to learn to pull on his own without a driver. I assume a treat on each end after each trip would help and be in order.

[SwampDonkey]

I remember them words like yesterday, Gee and Haw, when grandfather and uncle yarded wood with horses.

The one time the horse got the upper hand was when dad and a neighbor was pulling the sled. On the sled was a bale of hay for the horse. And the neighbor's wife saw a sight to behold. The horse was walking behind eating on that hay bale as they went along. Don't under estimate a good horse and a couple dumbies. :D