# Who works their horses on the farm?



## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

For starters, here is my current dilemma;

For sowing, weeding, growing and harvesting hay and grain crops, I've come to the conclusion that machinery is required. lol. (last year I cut all the hay by hand with a scythe)

Could buy an older compact tractor for 1200$. It's a super off brand, hard to find parts for, but *should run on for another 10 years anyways with good mechanic maintenance. 

OR

I could get a single-horse forecart in slightly used condition for $700. My only drawback with the forecart itself is that it is not set up for wheel powered pto. Otherwise, it has a 3pt hitch on it. Would have to add a pump and convert to wheel powered or get a motor for any power attachments. 

The non-power attachment problem isn't a huge deal, at least I don't think it will be. With only a single horse cart, the impliments will be quite small and probably power is overkill. Idk though

My interest in horses is unfaltering. I'll have horses forever, and more after that. I have ridden and trained a lot. I can drive, I can hitch, I can pull carts. I have not put any sort of impliment behind a cart before; that would be new. And if I have horses, why not make them work. My current boy is a Belgian paint cross. A little big, but he can work. 

What do you all think? What are the drawbacks to horse powered machinery vs tractor? 

Thanks in advance!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Lots of Amish around here. They do quite well using horses. I think the basic drawback to using horses is whether or not you like them. You like horses, so you already have the most important part.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Yes, lots of Amish, which is a huge plus. There is a community less than an hour driving time from me, and I think they could be an excellent source for implements or repair of horse powered equipment, and general knowledge.

The love of horse part I've heard is the major deciding factor in if you'll be successful at working horses. I definitely do not have any deficit in that department, lol. Mostly my concern comes from my lack of experience or knowledge working with equipment at all. I'd have to learn with a tractor or horse drawn either way, though.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Three words for you, my friend.

Horse.

Progress.

Days.

http://www.horseprogressdays.com/


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## Rural Economist (Dec 14, 2013)

I have. Loved it but we no longer have the room.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

IF I was just starting out I would get horse drawn equipment instead of getting tractor drawn equipment to work with a forecart. Get the horses used to equipment without all that engine noise and having equipment strung out behind a forecart. Big learning curve to train horses to pull PTO equipment like a baler. Not a lot of equipment that 1 horse can pull without getting very tired or it takes a BIG horse. Most 3pt. equipment does not convert well to a 1 horse forecart. Be a lot easier to get an older garden tractor with 1 pt. pin hitch and equipment designed for it. Even a later JD or Cub Cadet or such. 1 horse can pull about the same an older 7 hp garden tractor, not a lawn mower tractor, a garden tractor. 6" to 8" plow bottom. 1 BIG horse can pull a 4' hay mower, not many made for tractor use, and/or buck rake. 2 row horse equipment was made for 2-3 horses. 1 row, 1 horse equipment means the horse walks between the rows and so does the equipment. No way 1 horse can pull a forecart and baler or even a 1 bottom 12" 3pt plow. A forecart with any weight to keep it in line, pulls as hard as a cart or wagon. Horse drawn equipment has wheels sized to a horse getting it moving and pulling it. Tractor equipment has small diameter wheels, as a rule....James


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## tamarackreg (Mar 13, 2006)

Keep an eye on these guys. 

http://www.auctionzip.com/MI-Auctioneers/1817.html


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Having Amish nearby is good if you can find one to give advise. Having Amish nearby to buy horse drawn equipment isn't a good thing if you want to buy some older equipment. They use the old stuff and foist off the worn out junk on the unknowing English.

To get a ground drive cart will set you back over $4,000. I&J in PA makes a nice one. To get a gasoline engine PTO cart is about as costly. Pioneer Equipment makes a nice one. They also offer a unit that adapts to their brand of fore cart.

There are things that you can do with your single horse nearly as well as with a tractor. Cultivating a garden, pulling a 2 row corn planter or raking hay come to mind.

Plowing a field, pulling a square baler is too much for a single horse.

A team can mow hay with a 7' mower, pull a small spring toothed drag, pull a small disc, pull a square baler with a 27 horsepower fore cart, plow a small field, pull a small grain drill, etc.

Make a list of what farming tasks you expect to do. If you want to plow and fit and plant more than 2 or 3 acres, you need a tractor or another horse. If you just want to make your own hay, on like 15 acres, you need another horse and a powered fore cart.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Never seen a 2 row planter for 1 horse. Never seen any planter with shafts. A 1 row planter is a walk behind, no shafts used. There are lots of little walk behind mule plows. Almost all 1 row horse equipment is walk behind with 2 handles, for a reason, to keep it light enough for 1 horse to pull....James


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

don't get a lawn tractor get one big enough to plow or run a hay bailer . then continue using your horse for other things keep an eye out for old used horse equipment but thiers not much one horse can really do you need a team ,and I bet these amish are using 3 horses to pull converted tractor equipment , and it is harder working horses. driving the wagon can be fun but plowing, making hay , is often harder on the human farmer than the horses .


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Thanks! 

All good stuff to think about. 

A list of stuff I want to do that needs equipment; 
1. plow small plots - like 1/4 to 1/2 an acre at a time. I have no idea if my one horse can do this or not. He's kinda big? about 1600 lbs. 
2. Plant row-crops in those plots to corn, beans, or any other small easy to harvest grain
3. Cut hay on about 2-3 acres at a time. 
4. Rake hay or 'crimp it' (I don't know what it's called) for better drying
5. stack loose hay/ transport loose hay
6. Move heavy things like logs from the woods to my house
7. Have tons of fun driving my horse

Considering the extremely small nature of my farm, I'm not sure a bigger tractor or even a team is necessary. I do not plan on baling hay. There is a farmer down the road that can cut and bale hay for me, but he's rarely there when I need it done. Of course, he's doing his own during the best times. The only problem I have with putting in loose hay is the logistics of getting it in the barn loft.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

DisasterCupcake said:


> 1. plow small plots - like 1/4 to 1/2 an acre at a time. I have no idea if my one horse can do this or not. He's kinda big? about 1600 lbs.
> 2. Plant row-crops in those plots to corn, beans, or any other small easy to harvest grain
> 3. Cut hay on about 2-3 acres at a time.
> 4. Rake hay or 'crimp it' (I don't know what it's called) for better drying
> ...


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Thank you for the insight James!

I have been searching out used equipment and, it seems there are quite a few implements designed to pull right behind the horse, bypassing the need for a Forecart. That is fantastic news bc I won't spring for an expensive Forecart if I don't need to.
Saves me money.
I do get the convenience of a tractor. But it is an expense. Horses are an expense, too, but I have them anyway. Almost like doubling my investment. Happiness + work. 
We do have a loft now. Measures 30x50 feet, of course second floor of barn. Also building a small hay shed, should be able to fill that up to the brim 14X20 feet and no lifting to the loft. 

The main reason I'd like equipment is to raise small plots of grain, and put in hay. I think, after discovering the many small direct hitch implements, it's going to be a lot cheaper than I expected


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

A list of stuff I want to do that needs equipment; 

On light soil, a single horse, in good shape, can plow a 1/4 acre a day with a walking plow. On heavy ground (clay) or thick sod, not a chance.

Hard to find a grain drill (grain planter) 6 feet or less wide. I have seen planters narrow enough to plant between rows of corn, pulled by a single horse, but rare. A two row corn planter would require you to use a forecart. Might be easier to shove a Planet Jr by hand for your under an acre plantings.

With a forecart, a single horse could pull a hay mower as long as it was sharp and no longer than 5 foot cut.

A single horse with a forecart can pull a hay rake.

There are hay crimpers, but you'd need a motor to run one, pulled by a forecart.

In my experience it takes a huge volume to store loose hay. Loose hay, heaped up high on a hay wagon is about 8 square bales. Maybe not that bad, but bad enough.

Any logs skidded without a good snow pack will be full of dirt. A sawmill won't accept them and your chainsaw will hate you if you skid on bare ground. Unless you want to draw shave all the bark off each log, do log skidding in February.

The more you use the horse, the more you'll enjoy it.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

Most horse drawn farm equipment is designed to be pulled by at least two draft horses (of the more or less 1 ton each variety). Even a single bottom plow is a lot of work for one horse, though it can be done, depending on the soil and the horseman. A cultivator through well plowed soil isn't a bad project for a single. 

I've mowed and raked hay with a team of draft horses and a forecart. The raking isn't so bad, but even a 5 foot sickle-bar mower is a good pull for two tons of Belgians. I've asked them.  Remember that all of these implements are ground-driven.

Just to give you an idea of what sort of power is needed. If you watch the Amish, they use a LOT of multiple hitches to get the job done. Fours and sixes.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Back in the late 1800's and up to the late 1930's the horses found on most farms weighed between 14 and 1600 lb. A study done by the University of Iowa determined those animals to be the most efficient animals for farming at the time. Smaller animals didn't have enough mass and larger animals cost to much to feed in comparison to the amount of additional work they are able to accomplish.
It was more efficient to keep additional animals from the above weight ranges.
You can expect a team of animals, that are in good physical condition, to plow between 1 and 1.7 acres per day. A single animal alone will plow less than half that amount in the same ground. There is a multiplying factor when adding additional animals to the hitch. Many times animals were changed out at the mid-day or only used in the mornings when it was cooler.
The using of multiple spans of animals on larger pieces of equipment only took place in the latter part of the horse power era and the equipment produced reflected that.
Much of the large hitches seen today are brought forth due to the need to farm larger numbers of acres in order to subsist.
You may want to go to ruralheritage.com. They have an advertiser that specializes in single horse implements. A single, smaller animal will often excel in areas such as small truck farms. Taking on tasks such as cultivating delicate crops or tripping to town pushing a wagon.
Everything is done on a smaller scale. Most times with the person walking behind instead of riding on a forecart.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Over the past Memorial Day weekend, I attended a draft horse event that included plowing. Ten teams plowed 15 acres without much effort.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

This shows the team, driver, riding plow and the smooth moldboard that turns the earth. This one is a 14 inch plow, meaning that it cuts 14 inches wide sod and turns it over, leaving a 14 inch wide path for the right side horse to walk down on the next pass.


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## plowhand (Aug 14, 2005)

In my neck of the woods, 20 to 40 acre farms were worked with one good mule or horse, but it was a lot a walking. Most folks had a pair of critters that would both work single and double if they worked over thirty acre, but some would borrow a extra mule to mow, cut stalks, or disc land.

I've mules and tractor here....did keep three tractors.....they each have their place, good points and bad points. I lik to fix my crops where I can plow with the tractor, or the mules...............If I get a bad sinus infection..I can't breath well...Its hard to walk behind a plow gasping for breath, but I can ride my tractor and get by....

How much land you talking about working.....makes alot of difference in what you can tend it with!


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