What are the advantages to farming with draft horses?

Question

For school I am writing a research report about the advantages of using draft horses to run a small farm. If you have an information (hopefully a farmer can answer my question:) or know of any sites containing good info about it, I would greatly appreciate it! I would love any information concerning the success of small farms who use horses instead of modern machinery and stuff like that. It would be great to have mre info to quote about the advantages with costs and using manure for fertilizer and such. I do not want the dramatic sappy info about how cool it is so use them though, I need real facts about the advantages since this is for school. (of course I agree it would be nice to hear the birds and all but obviously that is not what my school is looking for)

I would be sooo greatful for any help ESPECIALLY from a farmer or someone with experience.....

I love horses and plan to be a farmer some day, so you can see why I chose this topic!

Any information would be a wonderful!THX!

Answer 1

Saving money from high gas prices..

Are you in 4H or FFA...because you should be.

Answer 2

Not many people farm with draft horses unless they are Amish, Mennonite, or hobby farmers who are doing it because it's "cool" or evniromentally friendly..  Using horses or oxen to plow is great in that you aren't paying for gas or diesel, also not polluting the air or potentially contaminating the soil with oil, fuel, or other fluids.

Yes, you can get manure from the horses, and they aren't going to break down like mechanical equipment will.  However, draft horses are large, heavy, powerful animals.  The getting shoed, vaccinated, fed, treated for illnesses or injuries and the link all adds up and can be as much if not more than repairing a tractor with a blown engine.  If a draft horse decides it's not going to do something it can be a problem, since you might not be able to make it do so. Normally they are good tempered horses, but can be obstinate if they so choose.  You also need a team that works well with each other or you can have difficulty getting work out of them.  It is much slower than modern plowing, or harvesting, there is also the need to make sure they have land to graze and be kept where you don't need this with a tractor.

I know several farmers who use draft horses, most are Amish but one is a dairyman who uses his team to haul a sled for maple sugar and also has pulled logs with them.  The Amish are never without their horses for farming, the dairyman has his in case society collapses so he'll still be able to get work done.  He likes his team but prefers his tractors due to effeciency.  Of course this isn't the case with everyone, but he likes them on his really hilly property for some uses.

Answer 3

The first site gives you some good advantages to using draft horses. Sorry, they threw in a little bit about the birds as well.

http://www.farm-garden.com/heavyhorses/f...

http://www.smallfarmersjournal.com/

Answer 4

Diesel is $4.75 a gallon (or so) and still going up. That's enough for a lot of people. You will have to work harder to produce but you may want to consider "No Till" methods of cropping and reduce even the need for draft animals.

Answer 5

http://www.smallfarmersjournal.com/

Farming with draft horses is satisfying, exciting, challenging, and a wonderful way to connect with the land. There are many positive aspects to working with draft horses in place of tractors or other fossil fuel-powered equipment, or in conjunction with them. There are also many challenges and important considerations to keep in mind if you are thinking of farming with draft horses.

Why Use a Draft Horse?

Two common reasons people consider farming with horses are that draft horses are environmentally sustainable, and draft horses require a much lower initial capital investment than tractors. No fossil fuels are needed to power a draft horse. Considering the cost of diesel and gasoline, both in terms of their actual cost at the pump and the environmental and social costs of their production, this is a powerful argument for using draft horses on the farm.

In fact, the fuel required by a draft horse can be grown on the farm itself, and the draft horse can be used to produce that fuel, whether it be hay, oats, carrots, or grass. The draft horse also produces some of the fertilizer needed for grain and vegetable production. The manure from draft horses makes wonderful compost which can be used on the hayfields and the vegetable garden and, if there is more than the farm can use, it can be sold to other gardeners.

A draft horse will compact the soil far less than a tractor. Some horse loggers insist a draft horse is much gentler on the woods than using heavy skidders and other logging equipment. And draft horses are quiet. Among the many joys to working with draft horses is being able to hear birds, water, and the gentle clinking of the harness and implements as you work.

Costs

Draft Horses

The cost of a draft horse is relatively low. A mature draft horse will average $1,500-$3,000, depending on the level of training and quality of breeding. If a farmer is interested in breeding a mare, she can produce her own replacement or foals to sell.

Horse-Drawn Farm Equipment

The cost of horse-drawn implements is significantly lower than those for a tractor. With some effort, a teamster can find used horse-drawn implements in good condition. New horse-drawn equipment is becoming more readily available, particularly through Amish manufacturers.

Tack

A harness and collar for your draft horse can cost between $500-1,000. And there are several choices within this range including nylon, bioplastic, or leather harnesses. A harness and collar will last many decades with proper care so it is worth investing in good quality tack.

Sleighs and Carriages

Consider the draft horses for more than just work. For some farms, using the horses for sleigh, carriage, and/or hay rides is an important additional source of income. Using the draft horses to pull sleighs and carriages is a good source of ready transportation and a good way to attract people to the farm, giving them exposure to other available farm products.

On Farm Uses of Draft Horses

Draft horses can be used all over the farm. They can be used for:

spreading manure

plowing

harrowing

planting

cultivation

harvesting

logging

mowing

tedding

raking

picking up hay

Logging is particularly good work for the draft horses during the winter on a farm. Horse logging keeps the draft horses in shape mentally and physically. A farmer can pull out logs for firewood or to mill for use on the farm constructing or repairing barns and other buildings.

In the late winter and spring, the draft horses can be used in sugaring operations to pick up the sap. This is also excellent work for a draft horse team to prepare them for the hard work ahead in the spring.

Safety

Along with the many positives of working with draft horses, there are important safety and other considerations that a prospective teamster should keep carefully in mind. Training and skill are needed to work with draft horses. Bad and/or dangerous habits are easy to teach and can be very difficult to undo. A draft horse is an extremely sensitive animal, and it is vitally important for a teamster to be respectful, aware, and gentle with a draft horse. A good teamster has a firm hand but is not timid or harsh with the draft horse. A draft horse will respond poorly to both fearfulness or harshness. A 2,000 pound horse is very capable of taking advantage of someone who is unsure of him or herself. It is very important that a prospective teamster take the time to train him or herself to work a draft horse, at least as much as training the draft horse to work with them, to limit the possibility of injury to both the teamster and the draft horse.

Selecting Your First Draft Horse

Care is needed in selecting the proper draft horse for the farm and to match the teamster's needs and skill level. There are skilled and knowledgeable teamsters all over the country who can help a new teamster to find the right draft horse for them.

Caring for Your Draft Horse

A draft horse has basic needs which must be met to keep them healthy, strong, and willing to work.

A draft horse needs proper feed.

A draft horse needs regular hoof care

A draft horse needs plenty of water.

A draft horse needs a place to roam.

A draft horse needs shelter.

Feed

Proper Feed: Draft horses run on what they eat. What you should feed your draft horse will vary depending on the amount and kind of work they will be doing.

Regular Hoof Care

Count on visits from a farrier to inspect and trim your draft horses feet, generally every 6-8 weeks. Be prepared to pick (clean) your draft horses feet daily or every couple days, to prevent stones or other matter from causing bruises or abcesses which can keep your draft horse from being able to work. The health of a draft horse's feet is vitally important for the health of the horse, so care should be taken to provide dry bedding and to keep your draft horse from standing long periods in wet areas, particularly in areas wet from urine and manure.

Water

All animals, including humans, need fresh clean water to survive. Make sure your draft horse has plenty available.

A Place to Roam

Draft horses are herd animals and are happier if they have a companion, preferably another horse or donkey. Draft horses can make friends with most any other livestock, though it is not advisable to fence them in with horned cows.

Shelter

Draft horses need to get out of the weather just like us. Ideally, the shelter for your draft horse will provide plenty of ventilation and protect them from sun, rain, snow, wind, and flies.

Conclusion

Working with draft horses requires commitment. A good teamster needs skill and patience in working with these beautiful and sentient creatures. Draft horses are useful work animals and can be used for many chores on a farm. The rewards are many, including the companionship and the special bond between fortunate teamsters and their draft horses.

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Answer 6

You wanted an answer from someone with farm experience, so I am answering.  Most of the time I just read answers and learn, but this time, I will go one step further.

Draft horses to run a family farm have very few advantages if you plan to make a living on it.  I have seen it done in the modern age (around 2005?)on ten acre parcels as a hobby for retired folks, but it is impossible to get all the work done that you need to when using a team of draft horses on land bigger than that.

There are some advantages however, one being that lack of carbon monoxide emissions, and the no dependence on petroleum.  Secondly, horses tend to make more physical work for the land owner in running the plow which leads to better overall health.

However, the has been no major advancement in the use of draft horse farming equipment since at least the 50's.  So you would be stuck plowing the land, which we now know hurts production in the long term.  Also, harvesting was done with a threshing machine, which has not been made in factories in a LONG time.  Horses also live much shorter lives when used for draft.  

In the livestock area, however, horses are very effective and are still the preferred way to check, chase, and drive cattle, sheep, and bison.  Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Surveying, designing and overseeing the construction of conservation practices (ponds, terraces, etc) is my job.  Recently a dozer man was clearing trees while building a pond.  The landowner wanted to save the logs from the trees that were being removed, but didn't want to damage the surrounding timber by building logging roads or damaging the remaining trees with machinery.  A local ex-Amish brought his team and hauled the logs out with them and caused very little disturbance to the remaining trees.  Pretty neat actually, 21st century technology working along side 19th century technology.