HORSES WITH JOBS HORSE HELP WANTED! By Margaret Evans Down through the ages, horses have served as mankind’s most important ally. Initially, some 55,000 years ago, they were nothing more than a source of food — forced off cliffs or being chased into areas where they could be clubbed to death. But something amazing happened when the horse was domesticated around 3500 BC. When mankind harnessed the mobility, power, and speed of the horse, the world began to quickly change. With horses, people had a more efficient means to travel, explore, hunt, farm, pack, trade, and engage in warfare. They 10Twenty-First could journey by horse to barter, socialize with others, and share Century ideas, language, and knowledge. They used horses in competition, HORSE sport, recreation, and as status symbols. Horses became valued for the variety of different roles JOBS they played at every level of society, and as they helped shape civilization, their history became inextricably woven into the story of mankind. Horses remain integral to the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people around the world. Today, as they have always done, horses serve in a multitude of roles, using their unique abilities to perform their jobs faithfully as competitors, companions, and workmates. They pull barges, beer wagons, ploughs, and carriages. They harvest logs from the forest, crops from the fields, and plants from the sea. They carry tourists along the trails, and deliver adventurers to remote areas of the back country. No amount of automation can replace a good working ranch or rodeo horse. They race for our entertainment, and help keep their racing colleagues calm and focused. They perform, entertain and compete for us in shows, ceremonies and exhibitions. On city streets as ambassadors for police departments, they help serve, protect, and manage crowd control. And to children and adults with disabilities they provide therapy, achievement and empowerment. In Third World countries, over 100 million horses, donkeys, and mules work as the trucks, taxis and tractors to support the needs of 600 million people for whose These hard-working existence they are essential. Belgian geldings To illustrate the enduring relationship between horse and are Axle and Bobby, man, this feature highlights ten 21st century jobs that showcase both 10 years old. our hardworking horse friends and their loyal service. PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIPLE D DRAFT HORSES 36 Canada’s Equine Guide 2017 CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Logging Horses JOB DESCRIPTION: Draft horses skid logs out of the forest, allowing for selective harvesting of timber and minimizing damage to the environment. Horses and oxen have been used to haul logs since pre- industrial times. Much of it was small scale harvesting, but it was hard and hazardous work. Unstable and snagged trees, falling branches, and loose material were the “widow makers” of a rapidly growing but dangerous industry. But as settlers arrived in Canada, more land had to be cleared for home- building, farming, and travel. Ultimately, horses and oxen were replaced with machinery and logging trucks. continues on page 38 CONNECT TO THE HORSE INDUSTRY www.HORSEJournals.com 37 continued from page 37 Today, some people have kept the heritage of horse logging alive. “We are using two teams to work with at present,” says Jennifer Dillman who, with her husband Delbert, runs Triple D Draft Horses in Prince George, British Columbia. “One is a team of Percheron/Canadian cross geldings. Rowdy and Tork are both eight years old and approximately 1,750 lbs. Both have fantastic personalities and temperaments. Our other team is Axle and Bobbie, both 10-year-old Belgian geldings. Axle is 2,100 lbs. and Bobbie 2,200 lbs., and both have wonderful personalities.” Delbert is well known for his expertise and passion in the draft horse industry. He has logged with horses most of his life. He started at the age of seven with a pony when his family lived in Nova Scotia, and he loved the sport of horse pulling. When he was 14, he logged with a team full-time throughout the Maritime provinces, and moved to BC when he was 19. “We do select logging for private land owners,” says Jennifer. “A typical day would be feeding the horses in the morning. Then we trailer out to the worksite. Delbert does falling and then skidding [pulling] the logs to a landing. He needs to cut trails for the horses to skid through. The horses get an hour’s lunch for feed and water. We work a few more hours in the afternoon then head home. You can do a better job by select logging because you leave more PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIPLE D DRAFT HORSES DRAFT D TRIPLE OF COURTESY PHOTOS regeneration and there is less ground Select logging with horses causes less ground disturbance, and leaves small trees growing to regenerate the forest. AxleAxle and and Bobby. Bobby. 38 Canada’s Equine Guide 2017 CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS disturbance than when using machinery.” She says that a team can produce about 32 tons of timber. But it all varies with the ground conditions, length of the skid, and size of the wood. Weather conditions create common challenges such as deep snow, the ground being too wet, or the weather being too cold. The horses need well-fitted and well-maintained harness, and proper shoes for the conditions. Delbert shares his knowledge with others wanting to do horse logging, among them Lenard Sanders who owns Misty River Ranch near Prince George. Axle and Bobby skidding a log. PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIPLE D DRAFT HORSES DRAFT D TRIPLE OF COURTESY PHOTO “Delbert taught me to log with horses,” he says. “We got Tom and Toby, our Percherons, about four years ago. We bought a carriage first then got the horses for it. But they were actually too big for the carriage.” He has had saddle horses all his life but started logging with Tom and Toby after doing some logging with his cousin. “I wanted to get some salvage logs near my house. I put the collars on the horses and walked them down the road. They were pretty excited. But they are so gentle and fantastic in harness. I took some of the salvage logs out. I have a sawmill and I will mill them into 6x6s. I try to do value-added work if I can — selling tables, log cabins, and renovating log houses. As time goes on, I’ll get another set of horses. I don’t want to push the older horses.” For more information, visit >>> www.facebook.com/triplddrafthorses CONNECT TO THE HORSE INDUSTRY www.HORSEJournals.com 39 The Kennet Valley barge is a wide- beam passenger trip boat, built in 1976 and painted with roses and castles in keeping with the mid-1800s tradition. It is powered solely by the 1 hp towing action of the horse. Barge Horses COMPANY BOAT HORSE KENNET OF COURTESY PHOTOS JOB DESCRIPTION: A draft horse walking beside a canal on a towpath Passengers enjoy a pulls a flat-bottom tow-boat along the canal. leisurely boat trip In England, the Romans Clydesdale-Cob cross. He’s along the Kennet were the first to build canals as new to the business. They are and Avon Canal as irrigation or land drainage both geldings.” they soak up the waterways. They used mules to The company was established beauty of the haul boats loaded with cargo in 1970 and has been run by the countryside. along those canals and it became Butler family since 1980. Stephen a highly effective and economic- and Charlotte took it over from A lock is a device used for rais- down to allow passengers to lean al way to transport goods. A Stephen’s parents in 2004. ing and lowering boats and barges out during the ride. It has full horse towing a boat with a rope Their horses are broken to har- between stretches of water that weather protection so the show from a towpath could pull 50 ness on a working farm in North are at different levels on canals. goes on, even when it rains. times as much cargo as it could Devon before coming to their fa- “Once the lock is done, pas- Customers are always sur- pull in a wagon on the road. cility for on-the-job training. sengers get back on and the trip prised at how easily the horse As the canal system grew, “Trips vary from day to day, continues,” she says. “There is an can tow a barge. boats and barges were pulled but typically horses do a two- to option to walk along with the “Although the boat weighs 19 with horses, mules, ponies, and three-hour trip in the morning horse and its handler. Another tons it can be pulled by a single sometimes a pair of donkeys. and one in the afternoon. A typ- unique feature is lifting the tow person even when full due to The transport system was heavi- ical trip would be three miles rope over other moored craft the fact it is on water,” says But- ly in use during the Industrial (five kilometres). We usually which sometimes means the ler. “So, with the silent motion of Revolution and continued well collect the horse from the field crew climbing on the boat to en- the boat and with the sound of into the 1960s. Today, horses approximately two hours before able them to lift it high enough.” the hooves it is an enjoyable step pull barges as pleasure vehicles the first trip.