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  • From: Clansgian AT wmconnect.com
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Draft Animals
  • Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 15:31:18 EDT


> >I understand that horses need to be worked a certain amount of time to
>

'Training' is correct. 'Breaking' is also correct. And I haven't found that
to be the case. Old Duke lives the Life of Riley here. He had not plowed a
row of furrow in six years when we first put him to the plow. When we were
imperfect in our technique, he snorted in derision as if saying "That's not
the
way it's done,"

I don't think they ever forget. But then again, a good draft animal WANTS to
pull. If you got one that was not of that temperment, you might have to
persuade him all over to stay on task, But I much doubt that they forget.

>> In other words I've heard that if you can't spend some regular time you
>

Herself is a rider and is working with horses at a riding stable (even as we
speak). I think it's more the rider that needs periodic training. Then
again, recreational horse people are largely insane and split all sorts of
infinitesimal hairs, so who knows. My horse will goof around for months at a
time but
has no problem pulling when I want him to. To be sure he gets out of shape
if he's just been relaxing all summer (when he works the least), but that is
easily remedied.

>
> >Do you mean that oxen don't need any special training? If someone knew
> what he was doing, he could take most any bovine and do the job?

They do but it is so very different than with horses. You can bully a horse,
it is idiotic to manage a horse that way, but they are subject to such
conditioning. You can't bully a cow, it's stupid and dangerous to try. You
have to
coax cows. Most drovers don't even touch them, they just walk beside them
(on the left) and talk to them. You have to appear patient and composed to
the
ox or it won't do a thing.

Old Duke was Amish trained and responds to voice commands to the point that
the lines are not necessary. In fact, one time we had him hitched to the
forecart and wagon and were gathering stove wood. We would cut the branches
part
of the way in two and snap them over our knee. Soon, Duke started lurching
forward, very uncharacteristic of him and by no means safe, he weighs a ton
(a
literal 2000 lb ton). It took us a few more minutes to figure out that when
the branches were being snapped, they make a "tsk" sound, which is his
command
for 'go'.


James </HTML>




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