We got about 3 inches last night. It's an unusually dry winter for us, with almost no snow so far. I've been itching to try my plow for months! I tried on a dusting about a week ago. Didn't plow much, but it got the horses used to the scraping sound and feel of it on the forecart. This morning, hubby harnessed the horses for me, and then I got to plowing! WHAT A BLAST!! It was so peaceful and quiet (mostly), as we carved a perfect 14 foot swath down the drive. Even better was that I got to plow the 1/2 mile lane for the all the neighbors that the city plow doesn't do, so they can get in and out easier. One of those neighbors is near death from cancer, and has been of tremendous help to us over the last few years. It was nice to be able to do something for him in return, even if just to help his home-care nurses get in and out.

Best of all, right after I put the horses away, one of my children (the 3-year-old) was injured in a sledding accident. Had that happened last year, I would have had to either call an ambulance or spend time getting chains on my vehicle to get out of the drive. But God worked it so the lane was totally plowed, I loaded her up, and got her to the E.R. in good time. A dozen or so stitches later, she's doing well.

We got to plow here at Anarchy Acres as well! I made the plow small enough to fit through all my gates and so I have nice paths to the barn and manure pile now. I can't believe how much snow they can move in such a short period of time. We only have about 8" on the ground but it's still a big help.

what kind of plow do you have?

We have the Pioneer Forecart and plow blade.

I was looking at that thermometer on the wall. Just how HOT was it that day??

It was in the teens I think. But I am pretty impressed reading that other thread on working horses when it's -30. I'm not sure I want to hitch up when it gets into the single digits and below!

Boy that Pioneer blade looks like it is doing a nice job. The V-plow that I made definitely wanders around and it's hard to push into the snowbank. I built my plow with a running board so I could shift my weight and get it to track, but this only goes so far. I found that once a blade got loaded up too much the plow would just swing away and leave a big chunk of snow and a new crook in the path. So this type of rig is not good for precision work, at least the plow I built.

Nice picture. Looks like the pioneer works great and the home made does too.

Go to a post V snow plow, 2013 11 29, I haven’t tried these ideas, runners & high low hook up, but look like they shud work. I was impressed enough to save them in my Favorites

Safety – couple of things I shud of said. Put a guard rail across the nose and plank the whole V. If you hit a frozen lump and fly ahead or the horse jumps and you fly back there is a lot less chance you will get down in the belly of the V and get dragged.

I was very pleased with the blade. Granted, it wasn't much snow. However, what was there slid so easily and cleanly off the blade the horses hardly exerted any effort it seemed. We plowed roughly a mile worth of snow all together, and didn't even break a sweat. It was just enough to warm them and relax them a little.

I wonder if rudder of sorts would help stabilize the V-plow's wanderings. A trailing point of contact that could be centered or adjusted to one side or the other. Maybe like a coulter kinfe/wheel but trailing behind the snow plow instead of ahead of a soil plow.

Woulden't mind seeing some more pictures of that V plow

Here are the construction pics of my V-plow. Nothing fancy, everything is either a 90 degree or 45 degree angle. I think I made it out of 4' 2 x 10s doubled stacked, and it cuts a path around 5.5 feet wide. I made a running board to stand on behind the guard rail. Everything is glued up to make it tough. I offset the pulling point to be able to push into the snowbank a little better on one side. I suspect there are all kinds of improvements that would help it out, but I must say it moves as much snow in ten minutes as my snowblower would move in an hour. It does clear a path in a hurry!

what do you do to clean out a large area?

I have two V-shaped snow plows and the one with the 60 degree angle wanders around a bit more than the 45degree one. When the angle is lower one has to make the boards longer to get to the same width. This makes the plow a bit heavier and it seems to be less prone to wander sideways.
I only make paths, though, and do not clean out entire areas.