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

[@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.

[@John-x2j]

At the races ki

[@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.

[@g.cosper]

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

[@mayorsman0417]

Me too!

[@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!!!

[@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!!

[@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.

[@CapraObscura]

I'm also a dorset man

[@alganhar1]

Hurdles are hardly unique to Dorset. Its a woven temporary fence, there is not a whole hell of a lot of variation you can put into something so simple beyond the materials available in that area. You will find some version of hurdles in pretty much any region or area with a long rural history demanding light, easy to move temporary fencing and easy access to the materials required to make them.

[@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!

[@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.

[@MrRasheedgow]

“Good stick this one” Great teacher, nice video 👍🏻

[@chrismullin8304]

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

[@adamosman2142]

We've all been there

[@Ashimo]

Thank you Charle West, for sharing your craft.

[@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.

[@dungeonmaster6292]

Did the mimosa work out? I have been using the rods as net supports and attempted to twist on but I failed to make it rope

[@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.

[@jimviau327]

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

[@thistles4u]

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

[@dodgygoose3054]

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

[@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!

[@diracify]

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

[@cjfazio3012]

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

[@AnthonyDibiaseIdeas]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@marymcandrew7667]

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

[@johnsullivan6560]

Great teaching video! Thank you!

[@ptonpc]

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

[@lorellstoneman74]

Thank you, very much, Bert Manton, for sharing the knowlege...great job.

[@seanrowe3622]

Bet there’s a wonderful smell coming from all that freshly cut wood, thanks for sharing your knowledge Sir 😊

[@chrism3839]

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

[@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.

[@caigner]

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

[@markewings7525]

The splitting image! I love it

[@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

[@bryceanderson4864]

​@@musoandafan965I see what you did there

[@volkerfillies1541]

Excellent craftmanship. Thank you very much for sharing.

[@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.

[@matthewc4590]

This is incredibly informative and interesting. Thanks mate.

[@JasonBarnett-YTisantiWest]

Excellent video

[@annanelson6830]

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

[@andrewfeaver2805]

Fantastic, nice to see old craftsmanship.

[@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 😊

[@theenglishherbalist]

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

[@borealwhisperer6044]

Outstanding

[@adamosman2142]

Thankyou for this amazing knowledge.

[@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.

[@colinmayes9446]

A wonderful old craft, thank you.

[@markgibbons4938]

I absolutely loved watching this, thank you so much.

[@orlandomartinez-rk9sr]

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

[@grandmasstories3418]

Beautiful work! Well done!

[@MessyTimes]

I look forward to making my first hurdle.

[@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 ☺️

[@52daa]

Beautiful work

[@hennierust6839]

Very good, 👍

[@MaxwellGouldEsq]

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

[@albertojr.sanjuan1655]

Very informative ❤

[@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.

[@dungeonmaster6292]

You did not know how to thatch a roof @ 12

[@maxinehardy9411]

a shame you took a wonderful video like this sharing knowledge as a pointless excuse to share hate

[@bevfitzsimmonds3382]

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

[@markpyrah667]

An excellent video

[@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.

[@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!

[@emilecrotteau7312]

🇨🇦 VERY GOOD JOB

[@maxdecphoenix]

first came across some of these traditional rural crafts about 15 years ago, they're just captivating to me. What could be achieved with so little. i've experimented with making them before, and even making semi-permanent containers, like leaf/compost bins, in a process somewhere between basketweaving and hurdle making. Don't have much hazel where i live, but i found that privet shares *some* of the qualities, but exceeds none. It can be twisted, sometimes.

[@kimmowery-reams5694]

I love your sense of humor!!! 😂

[@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

[@BonnieDoonHomestead]

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

[@lulutileguy]

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

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

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

[@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 🙏💙💖💗💜💕🌹

[@ezerikdaswahreleben2715]

Awesome , thx so much for sharing

[@AutoNomades]

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

[@bigoldgrizzly]

I'm of an age when there would be hurdle making competitions at all the village fairs, but noticed, even then, that it was the same fellows every year ... but all one year older.

[@EdNolan]

Brilliant, enjoyed that.

[@janeteholmes]

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

[@glennwoods2462]

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

[@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.

[@richardroyles1423]

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

[@jimjohandes]

That was EXCELLENT!!! Jim in California

[@kzookid2051]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@TonyM540]

Fantastic, I’d really love to be able to make these. If I come across a load of hazel then I’ll try.Thanks for sharing. Why are they made with a bend in them and not straight ?

[@goodlookinouthomie1757]

Look at that mallet and imagine the work it's done. I bet he made that mallet when he was an apprentice. Like a Jedi building his own lightsaber.

[@conradnelson5283]

That’s a lot more complicated than I thought.

[@y0nd3r]

This was fascinating.

[@TerryC69]

Well presented!

[@cherilynne1946]

I’m watching in awe! I have hazels growing on my 15-acre land in the NC mountains, where I plan to learn and incorporate the old, nearly lost , practical crafts. Is there any reason why we shouldn’t make the hurdles a bit taller?

[@IanDamms-ov6rk]

You can make them as tall as you like.

[@horserider9578]

Brilliant well explained and saved.

[@adrianaw.s1679]

Amei, muito obrigada por compartilhar.

[@DarinMullins]

Great for developing countries

[@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?

[@petegraham1458]

Nicely done!

[@nickydavis9308]

Excellent lesson, thank you

[@hamasmillitant1]

thanks for the info :)

[@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.

[@DarinMullins]

Should come to America and teach it in an agricultural college. As a historical technique .

[@rachelalder2182]

When a new farmer or homesteader is starting out ... Saving pennies on fencing and pens is a good send ... Every penny goes on animals and feed and rent .. and fancy fences and pens can come later with time

[@KevinPhelann-gc1tu]

So that is where the term splitting image is form

[@hanzketchup859]

Amazing

[@Mr.Ratchetstrap]

Well done.