# horse logging in nh



## rooster71 (Sep 2, 2003)

Well i think the title says it all. what are the benifits of going low impact. will their be more consistant work out there or are they blowing smoke ?


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## jokers (Sep 3, 2003)

No smoke but you may suck a little methane gas.  

Russ


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## Rusty (Sep 21, 2003)

*in the old days*

A old logging hero of mine would tell of logging with ponies. After a couple days you could unhook the lines and they would take the logs to the landing by themselves, you just needed someone to unhook the logs. When times changed he started using a dozer, but he had alot of respect for a good pair of ponies. My horses cost me time and money but what i got you can't put in the bank.With a whisper or a click there doing what your asking. I can do alot more with my tractor but one day maybe I can afford to experience working with another team.


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## Weatherby (Sep 22, 2003)

My question is, is this really low impact? What is the amount of ground pressure applied by a horse, when compared to a machine. Granted, im thinking of logging equipment with tracks to get the lower ground pressure per square inch, but i think equipment when used right can be low impact. 

Its more of a how much are we going to log question. Your not going to log 100 acres with horses, is that makes it low impact? I can see logging with horses when harvesting small amoounts of acreage, but I think its more for the landowners, im not harming the environment cause im using horses, state of mind. I am by no means an expert, so none of this has any factual information behind it.


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## Rusty (Oct 2, 2003)

The only reason you might call horse logging low impact is that they can't just push down a tree that gets in there way. Some skidder guys like to run over alot of trees and make some pretty big ruts too. I've had trouble walking through some woods after some skidders logged them out. If the operator wants he can leave less mess than a team.


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## John Ellison (Oct 5, 2003)

*Low Impact*

A horse logger will have to be or quickly become a good or better faller because of all the extra work involved if you cant hit your lay. A hung up tree can be easily pulled down if it is small and hung in small branches but a big one in a bad spot is a real delay. The tree that goes "almost exactly" where you wanted it but lands in a greenbrier thicket instead that clearing also cost extra time. These are no problem for a skidder. I guess what I am saying is an inept machine logger can get by(as long as he knows where the throttle is)but a poor horse logger will quickly weed himself out.
I have seen really good jobs done by skidders, and sometimes, some places its the only way that makes sense. As far as comparing the two methods for low impact its apples and oranges. 
Hay, our ancesters logged this whole country with animal traction, one hundred acres is nothing.


Hacking Harry the Horse Mule Logging Homeowner


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## Weatherby (Oct 15, 2003)

I agree, horse logging can be very low impact, but I still maintain thats on a small scale. When the whole country was logged with horses, the horses drug those logs to the train tracks. Now how many trees were used for those railroads ties? Im not really arguing persay, just generating a little discussion. How much wood was wasted for building the railroad system to get that wood out? Good point about being a better faller. Id hate to rely on my skills as a faller, but then again, I dont do that for a living.

Whats your typical horse logging job as far as acrage goes? Also whats the general purpose of the cut, thinning etc.

I dont know any horse loggers around here, good to learn some stuff. I did attend a horse logging demonstration once, thats about it.

Rob


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## bwalker (Oct 17, 2003)

The best thing for low impact logging in northern hardwoods is to wait for the ground to freeze and have somebody that cares run the skidder/fall the trees. A smaller skidder is also better in situations like this. The reason you see so much damage after some loggers are done is because the trees are falled improperly leading to the skidder operater having to disturb more area and the skidder op;erator is under the gun to get the job done so he runs roughshot over the land.


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## John Ellison (Oct 22, 2003)

*Mule logging*

Weatherby
My typical job is removing all of the pine sawtimber on smaller acerages and around houses. Mostly the people want to get rid of the pine and save the hardwoods. 40 acres is the biggest job I've done, and that was to select cut. I know of select cuts in different parts of the country of 100+ acres.
There are actually quite a few loggers even in the south who use horses or mules. Their work just isnt that noticable. 
John


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