Extreme Loggers!

[RougeEmpire]

Did anyone else catch the episode of Extreme Loggers tonight? They were logging with most georgous(sp?) mules!!!!! Made me want to sell off all my belongings, move to the south and buy a fine mule team :D

[Tamara in TN]

Did anyone else catch the episode of Extreme Loggers tonight? They were logging with most georgous(sp?) mules!!!!! Made me want to sell off all my belongings, move to the south and buy a fine mule team :D



the mules were certainly smarter than at least one of their handlers;)

[Gnalli]

I loved that. My daddy and his daddy and brothers did that back when my daddy was a kid. I grew up on those stories. In the winter of 82/83, I got to see it first hand when Daddy used a pretty molly mule we had to bring a log up from the woods when nothing on the place would start, tractor included, and we needed more firewood. It was awesome. My oldest dd swears I named her after that mule. I didn't, but if I had, it would not have been far off the mark-pretty, strong, good confirmation, opinionated, no nonsense and a worker from the word go.

Did anyone catch the name of the logging co? It was on their shirts and I couldn't make it out.

[twofatponies]

I think that one was on some months ago. Huge wonderful mules, and some near misses loading and hauling stuff! Neat to see.

[Drive NJ]

Assistant Handlers seemed pretty dim, but the mules were nice. Don't know why you'd need to head south for this work. Horses and mules are actually more efficient for some sorts of logging. There's a guy here in NJ that makes quite a bundle logging locally with a pair of Belgians. They can get in and out with less land damage. They also log on some people's yards where they want to take out a tree to 'take with them when they move'... as lumber. Personally, I'd be rather ticked off to have a large tree removed from the property I'm buying, but I guess they agree on it beforehand. Supposedly some people (who can afford the price) have the tree down and either make furniture or lumber for paneling, flooring, wood ceiling, etc in their new home.

[sidepasser]

I used to log with my belgian mare - here is a pic of us in our "younger" days - lol. Logging with horses or mules is dangerous if you do not know what you are doing and can't "jump" the log when going uphill. You have to anticipate the logs rolling, the horse pulling, the slope of the hill and a myriad of other factors to keep both you and the horse safe.

I never was injured, but I can see easily where one could be. My mule Pumpkin is also trained to log singly or in a team, I have hooked her and the belgian up and pulled logs with them. But for what I need logs for, (firewood) it is simpler to use a single and cut the log shorter. I have hauled 2-3 foot diameter logs that were ten-twelve feet long with Molly without a problem. She is a great logging horse. The mule thinks she knows everything and sometimes doesn't want to wait for directions - good some times, but can be hazardous on other occasions. Snaking logs out of the woods takes a delicate touch to keep from hitting trees and hurting the horse pulling, one MUST think ten steps ahead and anticipate the route, walk it several times if need be, before logging out. I LOVE logging!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/Sidepasser/Molly/mollyme1.jpg

Here's a pic of Molly without gear: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/Sidepasser/Molly/Mollyisabiggirl41908.jpg