Hitching a TEAM OF HORSES to a Cart & a HORSE RUNAWAY STORY!! // HORSE BASICS #8

Today on our final HORSE BASICS episode, we are hitching a team of horses to a cart! Jim shares what to do and what NOT to do (including a horse runaway story from when he did it the wrong way)! Jim is teaching how to hitch up a team of horses with a D-Ring harness, and also how to unhitch a team of horses with the help of our Belgian team, Lady & Bill.
Watch our videos to learn about draft horses- horse logging, horses farming, and horse training! Jim uses Belgian, Percheron, and Suffolk horses to do work on the farm and in the woods. He teaches about harnesses, horse-drawn logging and farming equipment, horse feeding and maintenance, and voice commands for horses. New videos uploaded every week. Keep watching to see how Jim trains his new Suffolk Punch colts as he has trained his full-grown teams!
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#drafthorses #horses #workinghorses #belgian #percheron #suffolkpuch #horselogging #horsefarming #horsetraining #workinghorseswithjim

[@jeanries434]

Again, I have to say you "four" are amazing. You have intelligence, patience, and teaching abilities. You include so much information and it is never boring. I am not around horses, and at 78 I doubt I will ever be. I would not miss your post for anything. Jim your talking adds so much about work and life. Brenda your perspective for the camera shots is ingenious and captures so much of Jim teaching. Lady and Bill you are so special. God continue to bless you richly.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for watching, Jean. We appreciate your comment

[@clairestaffieri4398]

Jean, well said. I this comment of yours says it all for me as well. Thanks

[@rodneywroten2994]

Jim you have really shown some very smart and safe rules to your hook ups. It will be a great help to first time and even already older users that had no idea and was tickled to see a great help in there work

[@brendahogue5487]

Enjoy watching videos and enjoy watching them every time they come on. The working of Belgium

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks so much for your support!

[@printaboul]

... I love it when you say « I'm thankfull» Even if I'm a doubter, I say it more often since I started to watch your video ...

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for sharing that (no pun intended😀)

[@randybutler4772]

62 lbs. A lot to know and a lot to learn. Thank you for sharing.🐴🐴

[@thomasmiller9576]

Hi Jim n Brenda, I so enjoy watching the two of you working together, brings back wonderful memories for me. I lost my wife (Diana) five years ago to cancer and we use to do a lot together. Enjoy each other and take care of each other, thanking God (which I am sure you do) for His blessings upon your lives at this stage of life. Thank you for sharing your lives with us 🙏😀

[@jamescox8233]

hi to jim and brenda . i injoyed all of these friday lessons. the one lesson is when you are hitching a team ,you do the front first and when unhitching a team, you do the back first, that way, the pole is always up of the ground. jim you and brenda , and the girls are the best.god bless and stay safe. ..jim dartmouth, nova scotia canada.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

You got it James, thanks for watching

[@steves.7872]

Have a beautiful weekend and happy Mother's Day.

[@dianestoltz8502]

This is amazing to watch 😊

[@tomfillmore9710]

Great video and instructions good advice thanks for sharing take care have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day Brenda

[@joycehennequin8469]

Good evening Jim and Brenda, great video l really enjoyed it and the story Jim told.Jim when hitching the tug/tugs to the links at the back....do those links ever come apart and brake when the horses or working! Only l did notice a difference in thickness 😏 thankyou.Oh them FLYS 🪰 come thick and fast yakkkkk 🥴 all the very best dear friends 🌱🌱🌱💕

[@Elizabeth-arb22]

Wow, Jim -- I appreciated your account of the runaway horses and your miracle. I believe in miracles too. So glad you were kept safe! Good video!

[@jamesmorrison1884]

Hello Jim Brenda very good lots of work to setting things up. I'm surprised you have black flies we dont have any here never do I'm thinking only 150 miles apart maybe. Glad we dont either. Have a great day

[@ponygirl5716]

Wow!! So much to remember with this set up. My head is spinning. But in a good way. This isn’t an instructional video suggestion, but I would love to hear Jim talk about how and why he chose the horses he has and what he likes most and least about each one, what they are good at, and have difficulty with.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for the suggestion. They all do have their own personality.

[@kingwood4357]

Good explanation on your hitch 👍

[@daleevans4261]

Yippee, it's Friday! Another awesome video from Working Horses With Jim coming up!

[@jtoddjb]

This series is very helpful. Thanks very much for making them

[@davidmunro1469]

Thank you Jim. If Bill was hitched to a single chariot you would be as fast as the movie Ben Hur.

[@290wayne]

As usual another great lesson.. thanks to Brenda you for taking time to show how too's....Have a Great Day

[@MrMigrantman]

What a great story!! Thanks for taking time to tell it.

[@paulcesare8462]

Thank you for these instructional videos. They are exceptionally helpful.

[@daleevans4261]

Thank you for such an awesome series. Enjoyed it very much. Happy Mothers Day to Brenda and her daughter-in-law.

[@trinam4786]

My family always love watching your videos!

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

That is great to hear! Thanks for watching.

[@jimcour291]

Great series Jim. I love this concept!! I would like to see the different of the D ring harness and the western harness actually being used on a horse. I also think it would be great if you had time to tell us about the different breeds you have used and your comments about them

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for the suggestions

[@fbh31118]

Very interesting! Love the technical explanation of how the hitching works.

[@davidmunro1469]

Excellent camera work Brenda I can see Jims every move

[@louisecassidy5991]

Jim, you are definitely a Master of your craft, as proven when you win at the horse pulls. Brenda, behind every good man is a great woman. Greetings from Australia.

[@johnboscor.582]

Very nice Mr. Jim

[@flawlessfluidity7771]

Great lesson and a great story. God's mercies truly are new every morning 😇

[@dennismiller1659]

Wonderful series Jim and Brenda. We truly appreciate your hard work. A possible episode idea might be explaining how to buy a horse. Great job. Dennis & Margaret

[@ronhaworth5471]

Watching today's video reminds me how much I don't miss blackflies from my time in Plattsburgh.

[@daleevans4261]

Ohhh, so that's what a Whipple tree is! My mother in law used to sing a song occasionally with similar lyrics like " The old Grey mare, she ain't what she used to be... ( pooped ) on the Whipple tree " Silly song. But a fun one.

[@misty4782]

Most interesting. Thank you. Also, that was quite the story about being dragged by the horses and finally dropping down and the cart missing you, truly a miracle. God surely had a hand in that, no doubt in my mind. So glad you shared that. God bless.

[@georgesherman5345]

You always very thoroughly explain what you area bout to do. I do appreciate that a lot.

[@donbrutcher4501]

Generally, passenger cars stopped using "straight axles" by the late '40s. Light duty pick ups stopped by the late 60s. Heavy trucks still use them.

[@robertfarnell8770]

Brilliant explanation of how to harness your cart up Jim brilliant video just wish I could do it for myself don't have horses now more like the video Jim and brenda stay safe Halifax

[@310tammie]

Thank you for taking the time to explain everything to us who don't know how things are done😊

[@kennybolt8329]

I've enjoyed this video series and I like your presentation that your way isn't the only way. I used to have a friend that it was his way or wrong. I've studied hitching horses and mules for a few years an realize that there's a lot of ways to skin a cat. Thanks

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for sharing!

[@lucdeslauriers1021]

Thank you very much! I like your vidéos!

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Glad you like them!

[@user-xu6dg6ty1w]

Beautiful horses!

[@kimfleury]

I've so much enjoyed this instructional series. I hope your viewers think of some good topics to cover for future instruction. One thing I've grown up appreciate more is what failures you had to learn from to help you become a better horseman. That goes hand in hand with your repeated cautions to be aware of the trouble horses can get into, as you know from experience. It sticks in my mind how you've often said even the best behaved horses can get in trouble, so you always have to be ready to deal with it early to hopefully prevent disaster. Thank you for sharing what you've learned!

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks so much for watching and for your continued comments and support. We appreciate it

[@davidhyman9584]

Really appreciate this series

[@chrislittlefarm]

Thanks for sharing your expertise, that was very interesting to learn on that load balancing issue! Also really appreciate how you always spot on safety topics! Great teacher! Have a beautiful weekend -Chris

[@klauskarbaumer6302]

One learns from mistakes, but this one could have been fatal: The traces/ tugs need to be unhooked before ANYTHING else gets unhooked. Without a helper it is always good to have the horses tied up in front to something SOLID. Your honesty about former mistakes can help others to avoid these.

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[@normangarrand1106]

Looks like the blk flies are out ! My wife's Dad and grandfather logged with horses up at Furnace Mt. up until 1969 when I first met her they would let them bring the log to the yard then return back to where they were cutting her gramp would stay at the yd and her dad would be in the woods cutting and limbing. It amazed me that these horses would go to and from the yard without being led or driven .They also stayed in a shelter in the woods all night alone til the next day , of course watered and fed .that was the last yr. of the horses as the skidder came into play.

[@lubeekman1035]

Very well done and we really enjoyed the "Runaway" story. Please continue with the instruction videos. So much more information you can share than seven videos can cover. Part of what make your videos so interesting is the ever changing content and both of you being so engaging; speaking well and simply. The black flies are bad this year; wait until the horse flies add to the misery.

[@sueupham2519]

Wonderful full series for us all,, we're so glad you have the Lord for His helps and miracles..wish you would put bars across allll your skid steers, machines, for no broken thighs to snap ..or tumble into the frount,,,also thanks for being an honest,humble man to share everything .. super couple. Xx

[@sueupham2519]

Also we had no idea it was 60 lbs..uhhhh.. thought 35..

[@dawidvandyk296]

Good evening from Limpopo South Africa.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

good evening

[@tinachambers4887]

Nice series Jim an Brenda have a day love ❤ from TEXAS

[@310tammie]

I love you're videos the horses are amazing 👏

[@jasonhill4517]

Thanks so much for the information I really enjoyed the whole series

[@openrangelivestockguarddog4041]

Please go over proper adjustment of the D ring harness for the horses comfort when working. An example would be how much space in the breechen and belly band, possible chafe points or areas to watch. How to adjust the back pad and belly band to get the D-ring/front tug draft correct. Thanks for all of the great hitching information!

[@debrajabs9523]

I remember harnessing teams when I was in my twenties and thirties. I felt like a 50lb sack of grain. in weight without the collar. I am 5'6" and I weighed 130 lbs then but was tough. We very tall Percherons.

[@flynnclement3254]

They are very informative and I enjoyed them

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

You could spray paint your hitch links to color code them for a faster hitch.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

That would work

[@sueupham2519]

Yep thought of the same thing

[@barrybracegirdle2931]

Have a great weekend. Happy mothers day.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thank you!

[@jamesabare4877]

what a story, glad you were okay. God is great.

[@gregholl5011]

I would never imagine unhooking the neck yoke before the traces. I suppose it was explained to me when grandpa taught me how to hitch a team.

[@momclean]

The bugs are out and about - yikes!!! - same where I'm living...it's the dreaded mozies that cause the most problems for me, and they are out already..we have to go around and get rid of little bits of water lying around.. We now have the Tiger mosquito here, and it is a menace with a real bad bite..It's challenging to help the animals, I feel for you all...

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Guess they are everywhere....

[@jimcraig5208]

Ther always very interesting

[@mickholroyd2190]

That has been a wonderful set of videos..well informed... I have been converted to D ring harness since I started watching your videos..I could be wrong but I dont think D harness is used much here in Australia..as soon as I can I will be getting some for my horses..as always best wishes n thank you for sharing

[@jmaree89]

This was great help! I have a pair that angle out in a v away from the pole and one that’s pulling away from the pole I’m trying to see what is happening on it. I don’t have the front yolks just one clasp on each neck harness to attach on the front pole I’ll see if I can add a picture

[@yvonnechick7332]

I had no audio until 4:39 in then has trouble hearing Jim quite a few time as he walked away from the camera. I really appreciate all of these videos though!! Thanks for the great info!

[@jimmclam]

I'm surprised there is cell service out there in the woods and away from town. Thats a good thing!!

[@patpower5239]

Jim, when is the book coming, text and instructional sketches, and dont forget the anecdotes and storys

[@garycrockett4477]

I'll guess 35 pounds. Thanks for the videos!

[@SWAMPHUNTER644]

The cart frame looks like it came from an old Ford Model A or Medel T. I have a small box trailer with a similar axle that I know came from an old Ford.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. Been around for a while

[@konalis808]

Ok. I’m going to follow directions and put in the comments my guess for how heavy Buck’s harness is: 42 lbs.

[@spankatron5133]

Another great video, thank you! Just a small note - I have noticed that your audio is quite often only playing through the right hand channel.

[@russlong7175]

Great video, thanks

[@territn8871]

I was way off, I was thinking the harness weighed about 30 lbs. I love your stories of experiences you've had with horses relating to safety. Jim, if that happened a long time ago with Barney and Bill, I'm wondering just how old Bill is or if this is a new Bill working now?

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

This is a new Bill😀, we should come up with a new name. We named this Bill after the guy we got him from.

[@territn8871]

@@WorkingHorsesWithJim I'd love to see pictures of your other teams of horses you've had through the years sometime if you could go down memory lane with us in a video!🥰

[@johnking8679]

Glad to hear your story and, like me, I am a big believer in God's miracles !!

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Yes!

[@ibkhansen8036]

Jim I've been thinking a lot about what happened last video how to pull the rod and how to improve safety something to use when you need to have something connected to the car when you come with trailer so car and trailer are connected perhaps moderated in the two things for we who watch this channel will not see that you are in the hospital

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Thanks for your concern, it is appreciated

[@jakedog1976]

I have enjoyed learning about the d-ring harnesses. It seems to me the draft is higher on your logging cart. Is that by design?

[@Mouse2677]

I have a wagon with a 48 ford front end on it!!

[@gregwitkamp5583]

The axles are probably for old model A’s

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

👍

[@todd1808]

Jim, In your experience, what makes a "better" draft horse: mares or geldings? Also, have you ever used stallions and, if so, how do you pair a stallion? Or do you pair a stallion with another horse(s)?

[@thirzapeevey2395]

That is more than I would have thought. I don't think my leather harness was that heavy. I never weighed it, but I know what my limit is for lifting. I would have guessed it to be 30-35 lbs, maybe 40 tops. That said, it might have been more of a farm chunk size than a ton horse size. It was way too big for my ponies, but we made do. Those carts have drum brakes on them, as mine did. If that is a front axle, that would probably put it back into the fifties. The other thing about hitching up the neck yoke first is that the horse then has control of the cart and can stop and turn it. If you hitch the back end first, they can go, but they can't turn or stop. Taking a bridle off a horse that is still hitched at an ADS show will result in you immediately being escorted off the grounds, or at least it did when I was showing. Years ago, The Draft Horse Journal published an article on the direction snaps needed to face. We tend not to think of such things, but if a snap is facing the wrong way, a horse that is biting at flies or shaking their head can snap a rein to a collar ring or catch a bit ring on a yoke strap and panic and run away. That might be something worth discussing as well.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Hi Thirza! Sometime I am going to have to show a close up of my line snaps, I feel that they are are very safe snap. Thanks for your comments

[@outlawfarms6961]

Getting a wagon that is on an old stutabegger frame

[@MrTrikidiki]

A question about the blinder tabs behind the eyes of the horses. What is their purpose? I had a few uncles that used horses on their farms and neighbors that had two teams, but never asked.

[@momclean]

Hi, in England we call these ' blinkers ' it's to shield the horses eyes from anything that might startle them ...always remembering that horse have a strong ' flight or fight ' instinct, and the first reaction is to run from something they feel is a threat...even the best trained horses can bolt! Of course with eyes on the sides of their heads, and wearing blinkers, they can be startled by sounds that they don't recognise, and still bolt because they can't see the problem...it's a very specialist job driving horses in harness to keep all safe..hope this helps..🥰

[@daleevans4261]

Thank you for explaining that one. I was curious about that too. I figured that they were only there to help shield some of the light from their eyes. To protect their eyes. Not like sunglasses but to cut the glare.

[@MrTrikidiki]

@@momclean Thanks Mo.

[@MrTrikidiki]

@Dominic Glisinski Appreciate the response.

[@MrTrikidiki]

@@daleevans4261 See we’re all learning today.

[@peteshea155]

lady and bill know they are famous. look at the posing at the very beginning. Xfactor

[@kdb991]

Coller and harness 50 lbs just a guess

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

thanks for the guess!

[@jeffbrown9648]

If you could tell us how wide the axles on your carts are that would be great!

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Will try to get back to you on that

[@jeffbrown9648]

@@WorkingHorsesWithJim thankyou!

[@br927]

Stopped at 2:27-75lbs!

[@davidwhite4474]

Will you show us pictures of the different styles of harnesses please . Would your harness maker friend have some pictures, I would think he would need some kind of reference to make them from . Thank all of you for what you do .

[@robertdonaldson6584]

Salut

[@raymondcarpenter3905]

I have always been afraid to stand behind a horse, any advise to people on how to approach a horse and precautions to take.

[@ljs6446]

With collar 75lbs

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

good guess

[@georgegoertzen4723]

Thank you for explaining this but I had no idea that there was so much weight on their backs, that that tongue was so heavy... so why is the saddle so small? It would seem that it should be wider and padded to create a space to relieve the vertebra? And just so this doesn't become a rally for PETA PEOPLE- the horse isn't pulling the load here - it's just some added 'comfort' for a horse that might be working a full day, after day, after day - not like you work your's with a second team there to tag in and give them lots of time off.

[@stevejackson8600]

@ 21:15 you hooked both sides of Bill's and not the outside of both first as you did with the other cart. I didn't see a problem but if they were to bolt and run off there could be. As with a young green broke horse could.

[@stevejackson8600]

Could be a difference in the carts maybe is why you did it that way.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

if you were to go back and watch it again you would see I did the same for both. It is different when I unhook

[@cottoncandy1668]

I was Weigh off I was thinking around 300

[@allanhamm5825]

I believe Buck's harness weighs 50-55 lbs

[@jimputnam2044]

82 lbs with halter. 2:29

[@oldfarmshow]

👍

[@benjaminphinney276]

Hey Jim. I’ve got a team of mules age 20 and 24 well broke and a recent acquisition for me. Having trouble getting them to cross the pole and back up to hitch. It’s always a fight. They can do it flawlessly and have a couple times but don’t seem to like crossing the pole in general. Any advice?

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

I don't know for sure but maybe try leading them individually over the pole time and time again, whenever you have time and stop them there. Hope it helps

[@benjaminphinney276]

That definitely helped did that every time I hitched them for 2 weeks (I hooked them 2-3 times a week) and that was the turning point for getting them to cross the pole and back up. They do it almost flawlessly most times now. Thanks!

[@jameschainey2343]

Also in my days we called your cart a tough truck.

[@susanbrown2909]

2 stone.way off lol..thanks Jim.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

thanks for watching, Susan!

[@wyspurkallis2028]

You have a bumper crop of flies already.

[@WorkingHorsesWithJim]

Yes😔

[@davidmunro1469]

Smoothed out means no original parts. LOL.