Making a Dorset Hurdle

Over the years Breeze and Freeze have been lucky enough to work with some real characters in the agri-rural sector. We think it is important to preserve some ancient skills and maintain the memory of some remarkable characters we have met along the way. Here Bert Manton from Woodford Halse in Northamptonshire shows us how to create a traditional Dorset hurdle. Bert has written a book about his life called 'The Bottom Rung Of The Ladder' By Robert Herbert Manton. The books will be available from the publisher. [e-mail] Tel. [phone]. Or from Bert himself. [e-mail] Tel [phone]. Or mobile [phone]. The price will be £15.00 plus postage. They should be available in October 2023

[@kriegschwert]

"Once you havn't got anyone to show you, it's lost." I wonder how many wonderful things we've lost because of this reason.

[@federigonumpty1213]

Proper hurdle making. My Dorset farming father, born in 1927 was in awe of these amazing skills. Thank you so much. I was teary watching this. You are ensuring these skills are not lost.

[@jennifereastin5028]

This is the BEST video for making hurdles!!! WHY is it so hard to find? KZbin, this should be on THE TOP! Beautiful hurdles, and excellent explaining! I had heard you needed to twist the hazel around the edges, but seeing it done helps so much! Also, showing us how to tie in the top and bottom is invaluable information! I appreciate your effort in making this video and trying to teach everyone who is interested in this craft how to do an ancient art! Thank you so much!!!

[@g.cosper8306]

I've not heard of a hurdle until just now and I'm 67. You've got me hooked in the first 3 minutes! Simply brilliant. Thank you

[@chrismullin8304]

“There is nothing worse than getting to the top of the hurdle and finding your spur rods hanging out”!

[@Ashimo]

Thank you Charle West, for sharing your craft.

[@salemaljaber221]

نعم هؤلاء الأساتذة من المعلمين الحرفيين هم فئة مكرمة إجتماعيا لحملهم هم تعليم الناس ماينفعهم وخاصة لقطاع الزراعة والحياة القروية فللأستاذ صاحب القناة الاحترام والتقدير خاصة من المملكة العربية السعودية حيث يروج لإستخدام المواد الأساسية والمتوفرة في كل بيئة قروية من أعواد الاشجار وجريد النخيل وهذه الاعمال تدوم وتورث للاجيال حيث انها من ذات البيئة خيرا من المواد الاخرى المصنعة كالبلاستيك وغيرها فعمرها محدود ومكلفة ماديا وهذا الفيديو مدعاة لتعليم اي انسان من الجنسين صناعة هذه الحواجز وكل مايحتاجه السكن والحقل وخدماته شكرا مع التقدير والاحترام.

[@bondee5865]

Amazing that he didn't have to buy rope or anything but one tool to make this portable fence! It took a lot work skill though which he learned from someone. Thanks for passing this on!!

[@kaelhooten8468]

These videos are extremely useful for me, this stuff just isn’t around much in the US and I need an economical solution to fencing for waterfowl livestock. Thank you for posting this detailed instruction.

[@amyyarak3302]

Kijk op van Aalsburg uit Hellouw Nederland. Grote hakhout gebruiker wereldwijd de grootste .kijk naar ontwikkeling van de Biesbosch na de sint Elisabeth vloed,,,of hoep makers in Nederland

[@fredflintystoneea]

Brilliant. Thanks for sharing. I'm grateful for the comments letting folks know just how great a watch this really is. Well worth the 40 minutes if you're interested in homesteading!

[@affintlewoodlewix]

Fantastic. How on earth does this video only have 125 views? I'm going to watch it again. Very interesting and informative and having a whole heap of hazel to chop down, I'm going to have a go. Thanks for uploading.

[@kingsley8766]

I'm so glad I stumbled across this channel, being a Dorset Lad myself. I'm part of a reenactment group based in Dorset and i'm constantly on the look out for skills such as these, they enrich the Living History part of our display and really engage the public (children and adults alike). Fantastic video and I whole heartedly agree with you on preserving the ancient skills.

[@zacchcanavan5390]

I'm also a dorset man

[@thistles4u]

Just watched this ,,, what a master to behold..I’m more educated each day to pass on and practice

[@jimviau327]

This is such a peaceful and refreshing episode in this crazy artificial world. Thanks for posting

[@terryteed1903]

Happy to see this being taught. Sad to see old arts dying out. I am about to start my own privacy fence in the garden and these techniques will be put to good use. Bravo sir.

[@lylemorgans]

At last, someone making a proper hurdle. This should be at the top as to how it’s done, not the poor attempts that get all the views

[@bidou1822]

Merci pour cette vidéo vraiment complète. Beau travail de préservation de cette technique durable et également très beau travail de montage vidéo 👍👍👍

[@MessyTimes]

YEAH! I hate poor hurdle making.

[@musoandafan965]

I cant get over a properly made hurdle

[@woodworks371]

This was such a delightful find! We’re just starting to renovate about an acre of old, rather outgrown hazel coppice (and are planning to keep sheep)! Perfect match! Thank you.

[@maricaplasmans6061]

Thank you for teaching. I love keeping old skills alive, so definatly going to use this skill on my new property. Have to work with mimosa and eucaliptus, but I'll make it work.

[@fjolliff6308]

Beautiful. Made by a real craftsman! I've seen documentaries about small rural civilizations that use this sort of hurdle as the walls of their houses. It must be a good bit of craft if its used all over the world with the same or similar design.

[@brashers759]

I went to a rural primary school, and we used to visit characters like this, as such by the time I was 12, I understood and was semi competent in most rural crafts, I even knew how to thatch a roof. I then went to a secondary school in a town and struggled with the curriculum, so much so that at 16 I left having not completed my GCSE’s and failed the 4 subjects that I did attend the exam. However I did obtain city and guilds qualifications in craft design and technology. In this mad and very strange world that we find ourselves in, where the curriculum is focused on teaching children that they can identify as a tomato 🍅, I feel very strongly that instead, kids should be taught some real world skills like these, where they’d be able to focus their thoughts on being creative, and maybe grow a tomato than identify and become one..

[@jeffreymoffitt4070]

Different strokes for different folks. I grow tomatoes and build houses, but i also know a former man down the road from me that grows okra and cabbage and cleans houses for a living.

[@hetrodoxly1203]

We live in strange times where reality and facts are irrelevant, videos like this help to keep me based and sane.

[@ptonpc]

Fascinating to watch this. Too much of our history has vanished without trace.

[@diracify]

What a great video with so many details that you would never notice just looking at one. Thank you for filming it.

[@lisaleah1986]

LOVE THIS! What an interesting, down to earth chap. We have loads of Hazel here, and having made quite a few obelisks in the past from the willow around the place, I am definitely going to give this a go and hopefully use them around our Shepherds hut!

[@cjfazio3012]

I love watching the old ways they use to do things!!

[@sharonmcanoe]

That was totally fascinating ❤ was looking up how to make hurdles, as i have a wire fence around our veg patch in our new home which I am looking to replace. As an ex bushcraft scout leader, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for learning this and sharing with thr world.

[@ABBABEER]

I have no hazel on my land but I have a species of soapberry that has nice straight flexible seedlings that work as an alternative..I may try with willow as well.

[@AnthonyDibiaseIdeas]

Thank you so much for posting this video. There is simplicity and beauty to this.

[@marymcandrew7667]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, this was wonderful to watch!

[@johnsullivan6560]

Great teaching video! Thank you!

[@chrism3839]

Didn't think I would be so engrossed by the end, well done.

[@annanelson6830]

I love the efficiency of the set up. For me, I am going to make the chopping block and the gauge stick higher up so my old bones don’t have lean over so far 😊

[@Mgt461]

There is a great amount of skill and acquired knowledge in making one of these. Thanks for posting this really interesting and informative vid.

[@caigner]

Excellent video. Good that old craft is preserved that way for future generations.

[@JasonBarnett-YTisantiWest]

Excellent video

[@dodgygoose3054]

This is why I love KZbin this visual library of human tool creation.... bloody brilliant!

[@LeisaStroud-df4yj]

I absolutely love your videos, you’re an excellent instructor, I could watch you all day. Wish I could come visit + study for a few weeks ☺️

[@annanelson6830]

Just lovely. The birdsong in the background is the perfect music.

[@matthewc4590]

This is incredibly informative and interesting. Thanks mate.

[@MessyTimes]

I look forward to making my first hurdle.

[@carolewarner101]

Fantastic! What a great skill to have. Forgive me, being from the USA I'm completely ignorant of hurdles as well as many of your names for things. Is "hazel" from a hazelnut shrub? We grow a very large percentage of the hazelnuts here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, but most of the orchards I see have hazel "trees" with a single trunk. But as I understand it, hazelnut's natural habit is a shrub with many shoots to it. Is that right, or is this witch hazel or something else entirely? Many thanks for sharing this amazing skill so that I can try it one day. Likely not for sheep, but I think they're so beautiful and would love to use them in my garden and possibly for an outdoor shower privacy screen. Thanks again.

[@callumglass]

Hazel is a native UK tree 😊. I have a few untouched hazels on my land and they're huge. Around 20m high and some trucks as thick as oaks! The rest are coppiced and used regularly, still very tall in height. Definitely not any form of shrub.

[@henry8631]

Yes it's the hazelnut hazel. Hazel is natural multi stemmed but can pruned to a single one like you have seen.

[@markewings7525]

The splitting image! I love it

[@andrewfeaver2805]

Fantastic, nice to see old craftsmanship.

[@52daa]

Beautiful work

[@orlandomartinez-rk9sr]

Thank you for sharing this time honored technique. Great job, Sir. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at this soon.

[@markgibbons4938]

I absolutely loved watching this, thank you so much.

[@johnleake5657]

_"This is where my belly dancing lessons came in handy!"_ Then realised _: _*_ballet_*_ dancing._ Thank you, a most interesting video.

[@j.m.1389]

What a cool art to know! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[@grandmasstories3418]

Beautiful work! Well done!

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

Excellent! You answered so many questions I had! Thank You!

[@theenglishherbalist]

Really enjoyed this video! The sheep are gorgeous too. Thank you.

[@kzookid2051]

Very interesting process! Thanks so much for sharing and keeping it alive.

[@MaxwellGouldEsq]

Fantastic work, thank you to all involved. I'm looking forward to trying this out.

[@bevfitzsimmonds3382]

Thankyou so much! So useful, and well-explained.🙂👍

[@julanesutton9626]

Thanks for posting this craft demo. It's very interesting and enjoyable seeing the old ways that were so effective.

[@joshfoster9832]

Excellent work, needs himself a big pair of levered loppers for the trimming up, the fiskars ones work a treat, will save him hours with the amount he makes

[@AutoNomades]

Thanks a lot, an amazing travel and lesson !! Thanks so much to share your beautifull work !

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Excellent demonstration with interesting facts added in, thank you very much indeed. 👍🇬🇧

[@markpyrah667]

An excellent video

[@EdNolan]

Brilliant, enjoyed that.

[@kimmowery-reams5694]

I love your sense of humor!!! 😂

[@CheckDare]

A wonderfully informative lesson; with what is - to me - ghastly title & linking music. Still a very informative and educational video. Thank you for posting it.

[@glennwoods2462]

Very well done....so enjoyable to watch... Thanks very much...

[@nickydavis9308]

Excellent lesson, thank you

[@richardroyles1423]

That’s neat. Thanks for sharing. God bless.

[@ezerikdaswahreleben2715]

Awesome , thx so much for sharing

[@horserider9578]

Brilliant well explained and saved.

[@y0nd3r]

This was fascinating.

[@lulutileguy]

been looking for an artistic touch for petite gardens you give me ideas

[@jimjohandes]

That was EXCELLENT!!! Jim in California

[@hamasmillitant1]

thanks for the info :)

[@amandadelport6394]

Greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 I just came across your channel and find it absolutely informative and great Techniques ❤ thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge 🙏💙💖💗💜💕🌹

[@petegraham1458]

Nicely done!

[@TerryC69]

Well presented!

[@ABBABEER]

Makes me sad to think of all the skills that were never passed along and died with thel last person who had that knowledge Thank You for sharing this art which surely would have died had yo no taken time to learn it and pass it alonv.

[@janeteholmes]

Fascinating. As it happens I even have a hazel bush. Just need a billhook and off I go. Maybe.

[@burniemaurins2382]

Superb, I want to make some half the height to close the gap at the bottom of a hedge to try and deter Rabbits, I'll have to make small gaps at the bottom for the hedgehogs though, so no doubt the rabbits will get through those too. Sure I will have fun trying to make them.

[@hanzketchup859]

Amazing

[@briansomes6023]

Awesome thanks

[@fairbrothersfields179]

fantastic

[@enoniemschybaniewiem1847]

Amaizing

[@mikemealey3661]

I imagined Jacob🕊and Laban the whole time❤🐑

[@vester681]

Very informative thanks

[@Mr.Ratchetstrap]

Well done.

[@samuelmuldoon4839]

The Dorset hurdle couod be used temporarily. If you want a coral for animals, or if you want to keep your neighbors dogs out of your yard in suburbia build a Dorset hurdle or wood fence. After that, shubs and trees can be planted. After the dead plants have finished decaying, the living trees and shrubs will form a long lasting fence for separating two suburban homes. Galvanized zinc plated chain link fence can also be used to keep the neighbors pets out a su urban yard. The fence will rust and be replaced by trees, shrubs, and perennial (lives yhrough snow) decorative vines such as Elsa Spath (somtimes "Elsa's Path") clematis vines.

[@johnners911]

Thank you for this video, I loved it! I do some willow weaving, baskets and living sculpture etc, but I would love to offer a service bulding hurdles like this but I have no access to any hazel plantation unfortunately. I am going to see if I can find a supplier in Ireland or Northern Ireland. Realistically, how many years would you have to wait to be harvesting newly panted hazel for this kind of thing?

[@bethroundell8424]

This is so wonderful! You have a perfect tutorial for making hurdles. I don't have any hazel wood. I wonder if alder would work here in Canada? I love to put them around our property in places. I have no sheep or other fur friends. I wanted to grow up doing these things.

[@eileenp4388]

I would think willow would work. I made a pathetic 😂little one for my flower bed. I’m going to try to remake it using this method.

[@vynedvyne59]

Cool❤

[@GoodWoodWorks-le4cd]

Thank you So Much. Ive enjoyed the sharing of historic methods. Is there a piece list available per panal? Or just weave till done?

[@stephanielovatt2787]

Thank you, for that! Very interesting and infornative! I'd love to give it a go sometime, but I'll need to find some hazel first. Would willow work?

[@carolvandale5597]

Fantastic video. Ditto on trying to find more stuff like this.. Question: why split?, maybe I missed it. Also, I'm from northern Saskatchewan with lots of wild hazelnut. Would they work? Thanks, I've subscribed so in case there's more

[@carolvandale5597]

Answer: its half the weight! Lol. Figured it out meself...

[@breezeandfreezeinfo]

Hi Carol - I am glad you like the video. Whether split is governed by the size of the material available and how malleable it is but the hurdles made from this bigger split hazel last longer than ones made of thin rods. These hurdles were used for keeping sheep in and being moved so they need to be strong and resilient. Nowadays I guess the material choice is whether it is for decorative purposes or practical use. Down here in Devon the ones made from thin rods only last about 2 years and end up as kindling.

[@carolvandale5597]

@@breezeandfreezeinfo thanks! I'm going to try with hazel and possibly young poplar/Aspen! Thanks so much

[@mrpolaroid123]

Hi Carol. Thanks for appreciating my efforts on making wattle hurdles.The fact that you live in Saskatchewan caught my eye as I taught grade 8 in a small village called Crane Valley. You ask" why split". The answer is if you had all very thin flexible rods then a hurdle could be made from these so there would be no need to split.any. There are a lot of hurdles that are made like this that are and imported into the U.K. but they soon fall apart. The ideal age for hazel to be cut is around 8 years old and the cut the rods will vary in size.. The thick rods with a diameter of around 2 in. are split in half for the uprights (sails) and the weavig rods of around 1in diameter are split so making them more flexible. The thin round rods are used in weaving the bottom of the hurdle. So everything that is cut goes into the hurdle. The hurdle should last around 8 years so the hazel coppice will have regrown by then and so the cycle of harvesting continues. I am sure that your hazel will coppice well. Let me know how you get on. Yours sincerely Bert Manton

[@carolvandale5597]

@@mrpolaroid123 Ahh! So you have been to this great province! Sadly our hazel, in the northern parkland only grows to about 1/2-3/4 inches diameter. Poplar/Aspen might be a possible option.

[@Matrai.]

Долгих лет молодец,спасибо за полезную информацию.Я из России.

[@AdamBechtol]

Nice.

[@ThisIsToolman]

In a world beset with all manner of existential threats and political dissidents, it’s refreshing to harken back to a simpler time...

[@trainingvam7529]

Would love to see more on tools you use...if you can reproduce then please do...were heading to a world where tools like this will be invaluable

[@adelinawarriner6259]

what species of hazel ? asking from Missouri, USA as there are a variety available

[@muttlee9195]

What is the action called that the bill Hook is used for. Not splitting - it’s got a name we still use today.? Anyone know?

[@lydiahubbell6278]

i could make these from wild grapevines-wonder how long they would last.

[@rwdyeriii]

How long will these hurdles last?

[@user-st7cu2xs9k]

🔥👍

[@weicheisen9999]

A great technic to do this, the first time i saw this without wire, rope or any other fixing item. But i see one Problem. Where can i get enoug Hazel to build this if i need 100 Yards ?