Description

Stories in this issue:

• Predicting the Weather: Bethany Casey looks into the folklore of weather predicting by many animals. The ability of animals to predict upcoming bad weather is often spot on.
• New Tools from the Old Country: Stephen Leslie reports on five European companies/draft horse farmers that are not only working framers but also designers and manufacturers of horse powered equipment. There is some great innovation going on in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain
• Variations in Harness: Jenifer Morrissey takes a look at different kinds of harness from the past. From metal harness to highly ornamental, she contemplates what innovations in materials and ornamentation will come in the future.
• Celebrating 350 Years of the Canadian Horse: thorough history of the Canadian horse is presented by Valerie Kirkwood. From the King of France’s original gift of 22 horses to its present status as a vulnerable breed
• Harnessing & Hitching Refined Part 4: The final part in Stephen Leslie’s series on harnessing and hitching. This installment’s working teamsters discuss the importance of adjusting harness for individual equipment and for the maximum comfort of your horses, donkeys or mules as well as training your animal to stand still for any number of reasons. Finally, the late Les Barden’s timeless wisdom on reins and reining is shared with us.
• Ponies.  What are they good for?: enifer Morrissey chronicles one of the jobs she and her ponies did in the Mountains of southern Wyoming during a snowy winter.
• Actions for an Abscess: An abscess on your horse’s hoof is a serious and painful occurrence. Vicki Schmidt shares information on causes and treatment for them.
• 2015 International Plowing Match: Coverage of this annual event in Ontario, Canada. This four-day event covers 800 acres, a plowing competition, Rural Expo, music, food and much more
• Horse Powered Grain Grinding: A farmer from Washington state increses self-suffieiency by employing a draft powered grain grinder to grind feed for his horses. Read about the grinder equipment and how he did it.
• Conservation Stewardship: Can a small farm accommodate a conservation stewardship plan? Ralph Rice share many of the numerous ways he practices good stewardship on his land in order to preserve nutrients, produce beneficial compost, retain water and much more.
• Collaring Donkeys: Bob Erikson chronicles his struggle with properly fitting collars to her donkeys. The adjustments he made in custom tack as well as point of draft changes will be invaluable to other draft donkey owners.
• 2015 Draft Animal Powered Field Days: A review of this bi-annual New England event which includes many workshops and demonstrations of horse drawn equipment, lots of draft animals and fellowship. A synopsis of the workshops is included.
• Logging Wagon Creates New Option: A thorough description and photos of a Swedish designed logging wagon that can be pulled by one horse. Demonstrated at DAPNET Field Days, this implement will soon be available for horse loggers in the US, making harvesting logging lower quality logs as lucrative as harvesting saw logs.