woho:working_horses

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woho:working_horses [2026/03/11 13:49] – [Related topics] Simon Grantwoho:working_horses [2026/04/15 15:29] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Working horses+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]] and [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]]. 
 +====== Working horses ======
  
  
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-## What are working horses?+===== What are working horses? =====
  
 Working horses are usually heavy (or draught) horses used for transport, working agricultural land, and [forestry work](/wodl/woodland_management). On farms horses can be used for anything from land preparation to harvesting, including ploughing, sowing and haymaking. The energy of a working horse can be used directly, e.g. ploughing or pulling a cart, or indirectly, where the horse pulls equipment which turns, transferring energy to revolving parts via a system of gears and cogs, e.g. hayturners, muckspreaders, elevators or binders. Working horses are usually heavy (or draught) horses used for transport, working agricultural land, and [forestry work](/wodl/woodland_management). On farms horses can be used for anything from land preparation to harvesting, including ploughing, sowing and haymaking. The energy of a working horse can be used directly, e.g. ploughing or pulling a cart, or indirectly, where the horse pulls equipment which turns, transferring energy to revolving parts via a system of gears and cogs, e.g. hayturners, muckspreaders, elevators or binders.
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-## What are the benefits of working horses?+===== What are the benefits of working horses? =====
  
 Horses have a much lower impact on the land than heavy machinery, causing less, and shorter term, damage to soil structure and flora and fauna. They can therefore be used in sensitive sites such as ancient woodlands, ancient meadows and archaeological sites. This lower impact also means horses can be used on boggy ground or early in the year when the land is too wet for heavy machinery. Additionally, the manoeuvreability of horses means they can be used on steeper and less open sites than tractors. Horses have a much lower impact on the land than heavy machinery, causing less, and shorter term, damage to soil structure and flora and fauna. They can therefore be used in sensitive sites such as ancient woodlands, ancient meadows and archaeological sites. This lower impact also means horses can be used on boggy ground or early in the year when the land is too wet for heavy machinery. Additionally, the manoeuvreability of horses means they can be used on steeper and less open sites than tractors.
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-A hectare of grain can provide bioethanol to cultivate 10 hectares using a tractor. The same hectare can feed 2 horses that can also cultivate 10 hectares, but without the pollution or the embodied energy of machinery or factories, and they'll provide manure to produce more grain (_[The Land](/lref/land_reform)_, issue 2). Farmers prefer tractors because of speed - time is at a premium because of the need to earn money due to rising land prices and the power of large supermarkets to squeeze their incomes. Systemic [economic](/stea/steady-state_economics) and [planning](/plan/planning) change is required if farmers (and the rest of us) can live and work at a slower pace, more in harmony with nature, without being bankrupted.+A hectare of grain can provide bioethanol to cultivate 10 hectares using a tractor. The same hectare can feed 2 horses that can also cultivate 10 hectares, but without the pollution or the embodied energy of machinery or factories, and they'll provide manure to produce more grain (_[The Land](/lref/land_reform)_, issue 2). Farmers prefer tractors because of speed - time is at a premium because of the need to earn money due to rising land prices and the power of large supermarkets to squeeze their incomes. Systemic [economic](pgec:post-growth) and [planning](/plan/planning) change is required if farmers (and the rest of us) can live and work at a slower pace, more in harmony with nature, without being bankrupted.
  
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Working with horses is a way of life that can bring personal and environmental well-being. If you have never worked with horses find a way to spend some time with them. You could attend a course or volunteer through [WWOOF](/wwoo/wwoofing) on a farm with working horses, to find out if it is the life for you. Spending as much time with horses as you can before you take on horse yourself may make your life much easier later on; horses are very sensitive to body language, and even a docile working breed will take advantage of someone they sense is inexperienced. Using the correct body language can be taught, but comes most easily through experience. There is a huge amount of knowledge that has to be built up to look after and work horses; the help and advice of an experienced person, especially one who lives near by, is invaluable. Working with horses is a way of life that can bring personal and environmental well-being. If you have never worked with horses find a way to spend some time with them. You could attend a course or volunteer through [WWOOF](/wwoo/wwoofing) on a farm with working horses, to find out if it is the life for you. Spending as much time with horses as you can before you take on horse yourself may make your life much easier later on; horses are very sensitive to body language, and even a docile working breed will take advantage of someone they sense is inexperienced. Using the correct body language can be taught, but comes most easily through experience. There is a huge amount of knowledge that has to be built up to look after and work horses; the help and advice of an experienced person, especially one who lives near by, is invaluable.
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-### Getting horses+==== Getting horses ====
  
 Consider the space you have and the work you need your horse, or pony, to do. Larger breeds are more expensive to buy and keep than smaller ones, and it makes little sense to buy a Shire horse when a Highland pony could easily do the work. If possible, find someone who keeps the breed you think you might want, spend some time with them and see the sort of work their horses can manage. You need to keep at least 2 horses. If you only need one expensive working horse, your second horse could be a retired  pony or a horse unsuitable for work for some reason, but otherwise healthy. Consider the space you have and the work you need your horse, or pony, to do. Larger breeds are more expensive to buy and keep than smaller ones, and it makes little sense to buy a Shire horse when a Highland pony could easily do the work. If possible, find someone who keeps the breed you think you might want, spend some time with them and see the sort of work their horses can manage. You need to keep at least 2 horses. If you only need one expensive working horse, your second horse could be a retired  pony or a horse unsuitable for work for some reason, but otherwise healthy.
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-### Grazing and shelter+==== Grazing and shelter ====
  
 For 2 horses you will need at least an acre of grazing, probably more to allow for some pasture rotation (see 'health' below). Fencing should be at least 4 feet 6 inches high and should not be sheep netting or barbed wire, both of which can result in injury for horses. Horses can be very hard on fences, often leaning over them to get grass or using them as scratching posts. If you can afford it, post and rail is a really good option, but it can be very expensive. For 2 horses you will need at least an acre of grazing, probably more to allow for some pasture rotation (see 'health' below). Fencing should be at least 4 feet 6 inches high and should not be sheep netting or barbed wire, both of which can result in injury for horses. Horses can be very hard on fences, often leaning over them to get grass or using them as scratching posts. If you can afford it, post and rail is a really good option, but it can be very expensive.
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-### Feeding+==== Feeding ====
  
 Horses need a high percentage of their diet to be roughage; they should be given plenty grazing, supplemented by good quality hay or haylage especially in the winter. Giving a horse access to grazing or hay at all times is important for its mental as well as physical health. Depending how hard your horse is working, and its individual metabolism, constant access to good quality grass and hay may be all your horse needs, perhaps with a little sugar beet and alfalfa for extra energy in the winter. If your horse starts to lose condition in the winter then you may need to provide more concentrated feeds, this could be a mixture of grains and legumes such as peas, but should make up a small portion of your horses diet and be fed in small amounts (i.e. 2 or 3 times a day rather than all at once). Horses should always have access to clean drinking water and a mineral lick. Horses need a high percentage of their diet to be roughage; they should be given plenty grazing, supplemented by good quality hay or haylage especially in the winter. Giving a horse access to grazing or hay at all times is important for its mental as well as physical health. Depending how hard your horse is working, and its individual metabolism, constant access to good quality grass and hay may be all your horse needs, perhaps with a little sugar beet and alfalfa for extra energy in the winter. If your horse starts to lose condition in the winter then you may need to provide more concentrated feeds, this could be a mixture of grains and legumes such as peas, but should make up a small portion of your horses diet and be fed in small amounts (i.e. 2 or 3 times a day rather than all at once). Horses should always have access to clean drinking water and a mineral lick.
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-### Health+==== Health ====
  
 You will need a grooming kit for your horse. Opinions vary on how much a horse should be groomed, with some people thoroughly brushing their horses every day and others only rarely. At the very least you should ensure your horse's legs and feet do not remain caked in mud and brush the sweat off them after they have been working. You should also clean out their hooves with a hoof pick. Grooming your horse is a chance to check them for any problems such as lice. You will need a grooming kit for your horse. Opinions vary on how much a horse should be groomed, with some people thoroughly brushing their horses every day and others only rarely. At the very least you should ensure your horse's legs and feet do not remain caked in mud and brush the sweat off them after they have been working. You should also clean out their hooves with a hoof pick. Grooming your horse is a chance to check them for any problems such as lice.
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-### Working with horses+==== Working with horses ====
  
 Training horses is a huge subject, and there are many different approaches and methods. If you plan to do this make sue you have the help of an experienced person who is generous with their time, and expect it to take many moths to train a horse to reliably work in harness. Assuming your new horse is trained, first get used to handling it, make sure the harness fits, and is comfortable, and that you can give basic commands to walk, halt and turn. Once this is going smoothly you can start to think about putting implements or machinery to them, ideally starting with a job with which the horse is familiar. Working with horses can be dangerous, but experience will help you remove the danger element. You can't remove the risk completely though - you'll need to be fit and strong yourself, and have lots of common sense. The secret is to build layers of experience over time, and not try to do too much in one go. Always seek the help of someone more experienced if you are unsure. Training horses is a huge subject, and there are many different approaches and methods. If you plan to do this make sue you have the help of an experienced person who is generous with their time, and expect it to take many moths to train a horse to reliably work in harness. Assuming your new horse is trained, first get used to handling it, make sure the harness fits, and is comfortable, and that you can give basic commands to walk, halt and turn. Once this is going smoothly you can start to think about putting implements or machinery to them, ideally starting with a job with which the horse is familiar. Working with horses can be dangerous, but experience will help you remove the danger element. You can't remove the risk completely though - you'll need to be fit and strong yourself, and have lots of common sense. The secret is to build layers of experience over time, and not try to do too much in one go. Always seek the help of someone more experienced if you are unsure.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +It is also in the section [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]] (Forum: [Transport & freight](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/transport)). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [British Horse Loggers](https://www.britishhorseloggers.org/) - [British Horse Loggers](https://www.britishhorseloggers.org/)
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-## Related topics+===== Related topics =====
  
 - [[litr:transport|Low-impact transport]] - [[litr:transport|Low-impact transport]]
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-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • woho/working_horses.1773236966.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/11 13:49
  • by Simon Grant