Horse Logging with the Schmidts
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Join Gerald Schmidt and his son Josh and their Belgian team as they cut and skid logs from their woods.
Gerald bought some draft horses after they stopped dairy farming and he had a little more time. His son Josh returned from the marines to join the family farm. They use the horse for logging, fieldwork, hay raking and sleigh rides.
They discuss the foot care of the horses. They have a local Amish friend shoe them and then use Drill Tec in the winter to make them more surefooted on the snow and ice.
Watch as Josh and Gerald harness the draft horse team, load them into the trailer and head to the woods.
Listen to them tell the story of how they acquired a 1948 two-man chain saw.
Then watch as they notch and take down a 75+ year-old pine tree.
Once down, the team is hooked up to chains to pull the logs out to a clearing. The team then retrieves the logging sled. Chains are used to roll the logs onto the sled. The team then skids the heavy sled: logs, Josh, Gerald, another helper and the family dog through the winter wonderland out to the road.
This impressive footage of the magnificent power of just two well trained Belgians.
He started bouncing his head!!! He was ready to go to work.... that’s one happy horse!!!
Yeah
The way those horses loaded up in that trailer, I know they are smarter than a lot of folks that I see on the evening news.
Sir, kindly not to insult the horses!
Nothing beats that feeling like when you and your son have that type of bond and respect to work and trust one another.. God bless
Around 1960 my Dad brought home from work a 2-man chainsaw so we could cut down some very large pine trees. The Mall model #7 seems to match the description from my memory. The trees were 44" to 48" in diameter, so the bar might have had nearly 5' of cutting chain to use. The saw was a beast, started with a rope and my being about 12-13 my job was to keep two hands on the far handle. Those trees that came down that day were the largest trees I have ever had a part to fall.
Now that's what I call a triumphant way to ride-out of a job well done! . . . Everyone onboard, even the dog!
That’s a great picture for a card. …advertising, Greeting/Christmas cards.
Those two horses need to be kept together for life! That is one hell of a team you got there!
Some people go their whole life without having a team that good and well disciplined!
The way to get horses like that is USE THEM daily.
17:27 Slick maneuver. Nice way to use that standing tree as cover. One false move and it’s a broken leg.
Good job!
They look happy to head to woods they almost lead the way great team all you teamsters are great horse men every man on youtube i can see.this day and age a man that has a horse its his pashion you can tell how conected thease men are with the horses
Environmental policy grad student here, forestry work in the back country with draft animals (horses, mules) has fewer impacts on the forest than bringing in heavy equipment. Love it, and would like to see more well cared for teams at work! Also, horses and mules can go to remote locations sometimes unreachable by motorized equipment.
You really didnt learn all that much did ya Nat?
Their gorgeous i love when the turn in stabel like yea its time to go you can tell they love working
I pulled logs out of the hills in Virginia with a team of mules back in the fifties when I was a teenager. I sure enjoyed this. Good memories.
good one pops!
What a cool way of life that is ! Working outdoors in the middle of nature, with the animals, pure clean air, nice team vibe, what else can you ask for ?!
Way to go !!!
You doing a fine job cutting trees
Those horses sure are enthusiastic about pulling something!
excellant , purfictly matched team, thats how it is done
Beautiful to see such power and teamwork. Thank You for sharing.
I like how the dog was was looking up when they were felling the pine. Smart dog!
Wish they had you tube channel id love to see more of thease guys horses love these guys they make it like a lost art and realy good teamsters id so watch any video of this loging crew great team love when you have drafts their peronality is awsome love the way they check stuff out he has a realy big team i think look like big ,
This truly is a lots art and skill
Nice work!
I used that McCullough saw back in the 70's, for topping out old Poplar trees, we'd use a rope to hoist the saw up to me and the ground crew held the saw so I could cut.. 150 foot Poplars were 3 foot across at 100 feet, last of the old growth in my area..
No idea how I stumbled across this video, but I’m glad I did!
Absolutely beautiful seeing the older way of doing things and your horses are so responsive and in great shape! Loved this video!
Robert Sanders --- Older way of doing things ? Modern way of doing these things , equipment is being modernized for the draft animal power and Europeans for the most part never mechanized the way the North Americans did during the 1960's into the 1980's and they still use draft animal power for most things .The whole world never became mechanized in their farming , primarily the U.S., and Canada did .
Thank you for sharing this story, the chemistry between the guys and team is really a thing of beauty.........so nicely done.
This was a great video turning back time , the horses were so well mannered and the Schmidt family is sure a logging family , Thanks for a great video . God Bless
Love those horses
Nice job
Awesome enjoyed very much
Great team of Belgians
People that don't like horses don't stop and realize that they helped build this country and worked in the military alongside a lot of hardworking people. Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
What a nice team. They do you proud !
Great video , proud to have men like this working so close to me . Also so cool to see that old saw in action , great video.
Good to see old tradition and hard work
Helper dude is on it, too! Good to see the teamwork happening with all of you.
22:43 I love to hear those chains rattle. I feel like I’m dreaming. I can’t believe that I have my own team, and even more that they are young and I am training them.
All those westerns that I’ve watched with my father as a kid on the south side of Chicago, Wow!
Thanks for sharing, I’m paying attention.
So darn cool!! ❤
that one desirves a 10 star award thanks all involved *********** yes there are 11 ya got a bakers dozen
Impressive. Great horses. Love that saw. You work more safely than most.... Looks like fun.
Loved this video! Would love to visit.
What amazing animals, so beautiful and such strong/proud spirits.
Great video. Not seen Belgian's before, very impressive, as is the 1948 2 man chainsaw. Great to see both in action.
beautiful team they work so well together
What a fantastic vid. The shear power and beauty of it, man and his animals.
I love to see the horses. They are so smart.
Boy does that bring back memories from the early 1940's skidding logs out of the woods when I was only 6& 7 years old, Dad had me ride, only got off if the log got hung up. I would rearrange the hook up get the log loose and off to the wood lot would we go. Cheers Don W
My first job logging was for a horse logger,learned quick it's a good hobby but no way to make a decent living.Enjoyed watching this.
I was sure 2 logs are too much for the horses to pull, than you added the third one and I was speechless... wow, that was a beautiful video to watch!! Thank you for sharing your great experiences.
Yes, that must be at least 500 kg per log, for logs of that size, so 1500 kg total, at least 3000 lbs!
informatimago
amazing horses, aren’t they? We so much got used to machinery, that we lost contact with nature’s powers.
When I was 14, I started working out on farms, the first place was for a man who had two large browns. He taught me how to harness and use the horses - he hardly ever used a tractor. For the next two years, I used horses for plowing, haying, dredging the creeks and what ever else we needed done. They were gentle and never created a problem when even in a difficult situation, for example being stung by bees. That day I was mowing with them and tore into a paper hive along where I'd been mowing. They took off but were easy to be brought back under control once away from the bees. I felt like Ben Hur riding in my chariot that day. Some of my favorite memories as a young man were when working with the horses. I've written of these experiences in "Ten Dollars a Week Room and Board". Thanks for making these videos and bring back some great memories. prmorehouse
Good Morning Gentleman ! Very nice video and your horses are beautiful and good workers like their masters !!! Very nice to see that horse logging video !!! Cheers !
Wow so many memories watching there horses, we had Belgium’s and Clydesdales. Grandpa skidded logs for years with them in a logging camp
Beautiful and amazing! Thank you for sharing this experience, keep doing this way of life!
What a beautiful team. Nothing more needs be said .
Just the way life should be. Thank you.
We've logged with both horses and oxen... love it!
tellement beau good job
Incredible. Wonderful powerful beasts, well trained and well handled. Thank you.
Brilliant , loved watching this , really great seeing tradition continuing , I remember the my uncles bringing manure from their farm to my grand dads garden when I was a child, and using it for the milk deliveries here in Scotland, would love to doing similar to yourselves , congratulations you all looked like you were happy and enjoying it and importantly the horses looked like they enjoyed the work too
That was awesome! I heard of it first time seeing it done I love the horses and saw!
Acabó de ver el vídeo más hermoso en TH-cam,🙏 Mi respeto y admiración para estás personas! God bless you guys! I really enjoyed watching this video! To much respect and admiration for you work!
Those are beautiful horses! We can't wait to get horses on our farm that we recently purchased.
That's gonna be some beautiful knotty pine board's 👍
I run the bar end of an identical McCullough, 45 years ago, and HATED every minute of it! Cool video.
Im a tree feller love seing thease guys using that old mic
damn fine horses there and a damn fine lifestyle ya'll lead...... thanks for the upload and greetings from distant tasmania
Thank you!! I love how kindly you treat your horses. So many humans abuse them and degrade them. God bless you.
MAGNIFICANT Animals!!
Where in West Virginia. I live in rural town in WV. And graduated from an all 12 grade school. That school still in operation for the county, not private
I went to Moorefield, WV to fiddlers contest. Just curious.
Enjoyed your video.
I'm 66 yr old woman and I helped my neighbor put up hay with horses when I was a child. And I live on my dad's farm and have a few cows and chickens.
Even on small scale is alot of work.
I'm doing what I do here because my grandpa worked hard to keep this land during the depression. My grandchildren are the 6th generation to walk, hunt, and play on this property. In Randolph County, West Virginia.
Please keep up what your doing. Thank you and Rural Heritage for making the heart felt video.
Ruth Ann Bennett
I love this natural, beautiful lifestyle. I hope you are doing well, madam
Thank you, thank you for sharing this! What a blessing.
Simply amazing to watch
SO COOL TO SEE THANK YOU
I thoroughly enjoyed this video!
Great team.
Cool stuff gentlemen!!
Great video learned allot!
Great video
That was true horse power
We own property in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Over the past 10+ years we have had a Horse logger do selective cutting to remove potential blowdown trees from possibly damaging the house. The trees are good sized (8-10 inch poplar) but nothing in the league of the pine in this video. The logger can hand cut the trees and skid them out to a decking area without chewing up the ground that would be the inevitable result of using modern fellers. The logger is a meticulous operator and come spring you can not find as much as a foot print; he even shovels the horse-apples! I marvel at the strength and training of the horses. My major question is how these fellow avoid having the loaded sled run down the horses when going down hill as the sled clearly lack any kind of brake.
Amazing !!
Cool
Please be good to them.
What a piece of great wood!
Why is the gear so complcated? Why did you shear the horces' tail?
Awesome !!!!
Rings on that tree we’re close together. Nice tree.
Nice set of bobsleds....
The hours are a amazing.
I used one of those 2 man saws , it would cut 4x faster than a reg saw
The looking up at 13:30 was from a smart dog watching for the moment the tree starts to go.
pretty horses
I thought about doing that over thirty years ago in northern Ontario when a person could get free land if they cut the tree's and then later planted more
20:24 Slick sled.
Beautiful horses. Beautiful the way you work with them, and their training. Now, the DOG, on the other hand, looks at first like an overweight Aus Shepherd. However, on watching the whole thing, I have to wonder if the dog isn't an Aus Cattle Dog or a cross. Aus Cattle Dogs can sometimes be quite stocky in appearance, especially compared to Aus Shepherds. Marvelous vid, my heart is glad you are keeping such stuff alive. My Grandpa was a forester in the 1920's through the '60's in the northwoods country. He started with teams like this, and I have to think he would have enjoyed seeing your work.
I took it to be a dog that spends a lot of time outside in cold weather so has a very heavy winter coat.
@@mumfordthepitbull4581 Could be, but I think he's just a tad overweight. You can see it in his chest at about 4:50+. Beautiful dog, though, as well, and obviously one who is still capable of working. You can see that at a couple of other points. It got my attention, since I have working dogs. It's certainly not a big deal to me, I just felt like giving the guys a little razz. What they are doing is great!
No
@@meganswan143 I see, a person of few words, eh?
wow they load nicely. and they are trained so well. what about the dog? australian shepard? does he have a job?
7:31 Those beavers are no longer welcome on my property, they have been felling 16”-18” inch Hackberry trees.
I enjoyed watching them in the creek from my tree stand but they are costing me valuable shade trees, now they have to go.
A tornado had already diminished the my wood lot. I plan on establishing a maple tree stand for syrup.
They are definitely a threat.
The dog was looking up at the tree waiting for it to fall.
Are those bells hand made? Can you tell me where I can get one to use for a pattern, I make bells and really like the sound of those. Thanks
@ 13:30 the dog is looking up the tree 😆
Really interesting... But how do you brake the sled? If that load starts sliding on a downhill.... well, it doesn't take too much imagination to foresee the outcome, does it?
The center shaft is fixed to the horses and prevents the skid from moving faster than the horses; while going downhill the magnificent team was holding back the load. To me that is more impressive than going up hill.
Great team even though the mare had to take up some of Jr's slack.
Gees! I would have let the saw cool off a bit before just shutting it right off after pulling hard.
prettiest thing i ever saw
Thanks!
@@RuralHeritage Yes most certainly: the closer to nature the closer to Yah: the closer to Yah the closer to nature...........such beauty!
Was that blue heeler looking up at the top of the tree around 13:33 or was someone off camera holding a stick up in the air that the dog was waiting to fetch once it was thrown? Looks to me like it is waiting for the tree to begin falling but it was fetching sticks earlier in the film.
How did you get the chains wrapped around the logs to load them?