Loading Logs with a Draft Horse Team

Joe films full-time horse logger Jeff Ferge of Somerville, Tenn. where he demonstrates how he cross halt loads logs on his wagon alone with his very well trained team at the 3rd Annual Brush Creek Plow Day at Carrey Burnett farm in Melber, Kentucky.
Jeff tells us of his family's history with draft horses and logging. His father always farmed with horses and taught him and his brother to log with them. He worked with them for a while and then went out on his own. He has plenty of work and often returns to woods years later to log again.
He talks about the importance of a good draft horse team.
This is amazing footage!
Watch for the full Rural Heritage on RFD-TV Episode of the Brush Creek Plow Day.

[@rodleger7132]

Love this. Real world skills. Love the horses.

[@bettytimberman8210]

Drafts are so awesome to watch work. He has such good looking horses.could listen to talk for hours.

[@kenchafin9890]

What can ya say, he asked those horses to "gimme a little" an they did. A thing of beauty!

[@abdennabizenasni1289]

Ķķìjì77

[@LogHewer]

The harness and chains make sweet music. 💪🏼 Few things in life are better than making your living in the woods. He seems like a good fella.

[@realreggie69]

Of course he is hes a Southerner! 🥰

[@thespiritof76.]

@@realreggie69 There's good people everywhere and there's bad Southerner's also.

[@realreggie69]

@@thespiritof76. and before you decide to come back with a reply why don’t you do a little bit of research. It’s not gonna take long before you figure out they do logging all over the world with a Horses. They have done it for thousands of years and they will continue to do it. And I do know one thing not sure I don’t care should you be man or woman You won’t stand up in front of a single one of us and Call any of us a bad southerner to our face. We have a lot of things in our culture that quite a few of you could benefit from. The first one the manners.

[@thespiritof76.]

@@realreggie69 LOL! Apparently your momma didn't teach you the mannerism's of not making assumptions about others. You assumed I didn't know about logging with horses. I will however call you or anyone else to your face or behind your back anything I want. That's my perogative. You would do well to lay off that corn liquor so early in the morning!

[@realreggie69]

@@thespiritof76. Yeah but if you approach me in my face you won’t tell anybody else that’s for sure. And if you seem to know so much...what’s behind the landing on me with both feet? I hadn’t bothered you I hadn’t said a word to you and I given you no reason to explain your actions. Were you just bored and Kinda went down the list and... oh here’s someone I can fight with! I didn’t sleep with you last night if I had of had been a whole lot better mood today. So I’ve said my piece I don’t give a flip what kind of piece you want to spit back out so you can go stand in front of a mirror and argue with yourself.

[@johnfradgley7368]

Top man .A pleasure to watch an expert at work.It would be marvellous to learn from him.

[@johnbrown9736]

Absolutely a horseman of good nature thank you sir for keeping this alive 😁😁

[@codylewis6647]

Its great watching old skills still being used.

[@BillB23]

It takes a little longer to do it with animals, or to work with hand tools. These days folks feel that instant gratification is not quick enough. They don't get the satisfaction of a job well done, more's the shame.

[@thespiritof76.]

@@BillB23 I just wonder if it's cheaper to use horses rather than machinery. In the long run I bet horses are more expensive.

[@dungeonmaster6292]

@@thespiritof76. It's all about scale.

[@maupinmaupin1472]

thank you for sharing this fine teamwork.

[@RuralHeritage]

You bet

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

Nice to watch someone who knows what they are doing. and better yet a pair of drafts that know the routine well. he cud hv tossed the reins on their hips and talked then thru it. nicely done. and best of all tnx fer sharing.

[@RuralHeritage]

Couldn't agree more

[@thomasglasscock2570]

That was an excellent video. Many thanks Sir.

[@RuralHeritage]

Very welcome

[@rickh7683]

Amazing

[@coldspring624]

That is the way you do it.

[@KtFuhrhalterei]

Gute Arbeit geniale Pferde. =Guter Fuhrmann

[@emeryedwards1219]

Nice little pig nut hickory. I always said easy step to get the horse to pull up just a little. Every teamster has a different way.

[@ivan4735]

✋👍🤝

[@jimsteele7108]

I thoroughly enjoyed this. An interesting man, I could talk to him for hours.

[@nathanmace3936]

He is a fella you drink coffee with for sure.

[@dyinomanfrini7824]

@@nathanmace3936 lo

[@dyinomanfrini7824]

@@nathanmace3936 ķl

[@JoseRodriguez-db5tt]

This is the difference, high people.

[@brucecullum398]

well trained horses and good man make for a good team

[@kenhurley4441]

That is a great team! 2 horse and 1 guy. All 3 worked together very well.

[@smailladgal6125]

0

[@MrKen-longrangegrdhogeliminato]

Fantastic Video, thank you sharing , I love work horses they are magnificent animals. ♥♥♥♥♥

[@jwrappuhn71]

Fantastic vid, I really enjoy seeing old school.

[@BillB23]

I get the impression that you were just scratching the tip of his knowledge. And that team! They'd done it before but the one needed reminding from time to time, lol.

[@louisecassidy5991]

I can relate to why you do that. Nice team, beautiful handling. Never seen how it is done before, but I've seen the damage a log-cutter can make with a bulldozer. I'm in Australia, there's a man near Nowra on the south coast of NSW who's got his great-granddaddy's bullock team, and he's doing the same sort of thing. "Course, they ain't the same bullocks, bit like the old axe that's had a few new handles and a few new heads. I saw that team at a old-time day out just like this one in the video. Its you guys keep the old ways alive.

[@andrewcameron1346]

That’s a horseman. No real wasted moves and no fuss. Pleasure to watch and learn.

[@user-ok5]

How I love this way of living I wish to live with you

[@anitaculp683]

That was awesome!!!

[@lonecoyote4012]

So proud of your horses. Do you know of a place I could come and stay and rent and use my percheron mare. Ive skidded logs with her dragged pastures. I live here in Az is so cut up cant find good place to work her. I am very interested in moving .

[@christopheleblanc9175]

dying art,,

[@newsnowadirondacksredux360]

Huge difference in having horses or mules log your land vs a skidder. I worked for a man using horse back in the 70’s.

[@suecastillo4056]

Blessings on those horses! Good job♥️🥰

[@guyjones3665]

Notice the axe @9.45... its purpose... very impressive... skilled and calm...

[@danguingrich9665]

That is a talent and thanks for sharing. Hope you can pass it on to your family and friends. Thank you.

[@joshknight6145]

Now that looks like work and these teams are doing an excellent job. I would love to do this if I had a horse and wagon. Great video. Thank you for sharing.

[@realreggie69]

I brokerDraft horses, Ive plowed, drove a hitch team a time or two.. I drove to S. GA To check on a customer who had just bought two pair to log. I watched em & they were perfect! He asked if I wanted to help. Oh I jumped in on that! They were pulling Cedar that day. It was a lot of bending & walking but I had the time of my life!!! We have always had Drafts from my great grand daddy on down. There aint no better horse than a Draft.

[@vigilantegal]

It’s a business. Loved the video, but don’t send your old tired ones to slaughter. I’ve rescued a few of those. That’s unacceptable

[@printaboul]

Did they understand the command «Give me a little» Wow.

[@oldtrio1]

loarding logs

[@everettskinner8195]

Awesome, I always wounded how that was done. But doesn't a log cart be faster ?