![/i/FARM WORK/percherons_[4]_plowing__2004__2.jpg](/i/FARM WORK/percherons_[4]_plowing__2004__2.jpg) |
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Our greatest enjoyment, though, comes from driving horses to do the farm work. Over the years Winston has trained many, many horses to drive by working them in the field on different types of farm machinery. One of Winston`s favorite jobs is plowing. This year he used a Pioneer sulky plow which he purchased from a friend in Ontario. The plow did a great job but the ground was heavy clay so he had to use four horses instead of a team. I was amused by the antics a young mare preformed when she was placed in the lead of the four horse hitch and simply did not want to walk in that furrow. Eventually she found that walking in the furrow was not such a bad idea. [PLOWING WITH FOUR PERCHERONS PULLING A SULKY PLOW.] |
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One thing I should mention is that we have many rocks and after getting bounced around and bucked of the seat a couple of times, Winston had to be innovative to solve this problem. He attached a harrow cart behind the plow and plowed to his heart`s content without getting thrown off again. [AGAIN, SAME PLOW--DIFFERENT HORSES, BUT THE HARROW CART MAKES THE RIDE A LITTLE SMOOTHER.] |
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The next step in our farming operation was the discing of this rough plowed ground. When he was driving the four horses on the disc the work was going really well but he decided that a green colt could use the work so he hooked up five. I mentioned casually that maybe he shouldn`t use the green colt so soon. Winston replied, "Where can he go while being tied in like this?"
Well, you guessed it, the black colt bolted and got the other four running as well. They headed for the trees full out and stopped suddenly as the disc got hooked into a stump. Not a horse was hurt, not even Winston (just his pride) but it took a couple of hours and a tractor to get the geldings untangled and pull the disc back to the field.This time they were willing to work at a walk. Winston likes to drive with the three horses in the front as then he can see every horse in the hitch.
[DISCING WITH FIVE PERCHERONS] |
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After the discing was completed, out came the harrows. He drove many teams on this job and it took many hours of work to get the field smooth enough to plant. The next job was seeding the oats with the seed drill. The black colt walked out steadily and calmly while pulling the seed drill. It was dusty work but this hitch of four got all the oats seeded. [SEEDING THE OATS WITH THE SEED DRILL] |
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The hot summer sun and much needed rain made the grass and oats grow. When the hay was ready to cut the mowers came out. In 2001 Winston and some friends got together and cut over two hundred acres of hay with the teams pulling mowers. There were Belgian, Percheron and mule teams. The pace was slower than with a tractor but it was amazing how fast the hay did get cut when there were six outfits working. I must say that everyone involved really enjoyed the challenge of doing the haying the old fashioned way. [SIX OUTFITS MOWING HAY] |
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They loved doing the actual mowing but better yet, they enjoyed the frequent breaks to rest the horses, oil the machines and of course tell their tall tales.
If you ever get the urge to do some horse related farming--do it--soon. Since we did the mowing in 2001, one of the teamsters has passed away and now the experience those friends had that summer, can never be duplicated.[HAVING A 'MOWING' BREAK] |
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This year Winston did something entirely different. He puchased a Pioneer PTO gasoline-powered fore cart that was built in Ohio. With the 25 HP Kohler engine, complete with an hydraulic pump, it had enough power to operate our nine foot haybine. It seemed to work the best being pulled by three horses and by changing horses often, he cut one hundred and thirty-five acres of hay. The good part was he drove ten different horses while pulling the haybine. [THREE PERCHERONS PULLING THE HAYBINE WITH THE FORECART] |
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As we break our horses with open bridles, the horses would take many nervous steps and sometimes quite a leap before they were able to adapt to the loud engine noise and the sight of the whirling reel on the haybine. We were impressed by the way the horses handled this new experience. This was quite a sight for Alberta farmers because, "How many farmers cut their hay with horses pulling the haybine?" [THREE BELGIANS PULLING THE HAYBINE SHOWN FROM BEHIND] |
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We then raked the hay using a swath turner behind a fore cart. Many different teams of Percheron and Belgian horses were used for this job. After a few hours of pulling the rake, those energetic horses soon settled down. It is amazing how quickly a raunchy team can learn the word "Whoa" and want to stand still very patiently. Hours of work is the secret to breaking a horse.
The hay was then baled with our round baler and the tractor [our 25 HP engine on the forecart doesn`t have enough power to run the baler} We bale our hay in big rounds because those bales are easier to handle when we use teams of horses to feed the stock in the winter. After the hay was round baled, a team was hitched to what I call Winston`s toy. |
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This "toy" is a bale mover with a Honda motor to drive the hydraulics so the wagon can individually pick up and carry five round bales. The arm picks up one bale at a time and the hydraulic ram moves it back, so there is room to pluck up the next bale. After all five are collected they are hauled off the field and, with a flick of a lever, dumped in a row. The machine comes equipped with brakes. It works great for breaking youngsters to drive because it so safe. When the pulling is really heavy like on soft ground or hills, he uses three or even four horses in the hitch. Needless to say, Winston really likes this machine. |
