Hi all, I've had a team of Belgians for 15 years, until one unfortunately died last winter. Many years ago I started them out on a stoneboat/work sled until we (all) graduated to wheeled vehicles. The stoneboad was pretty much used up going up and down the road, and what was left pretty much disintegrated in the weather. I just purchased a new pair of young Spotted Drafts, beautiful girls, very good disposition, and after ground driving the first thing I will hook them to is a new stoneboat I will build. MY QUESTION: My old stoneboat didn't have a tongue, we learned how to deal with the tongue on my wheeled vehicles, looking on the Internet I see that many people have a tongue on their sleds, is there any advantage? I think when learning to pull something, the simpler the better, so I just hook the evener to the sled. Am I missing a good training opportunity? Is there a physical advantage to having a tongue on the stoneboat? Thanks in advance. <br /><br />
P.S. Any pictures of YOUR stoneboat/work sled would be appreciated for design ideas!
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Klaus Karbaumer says 2016-01-22 15:42:11 (CST)
It depends on how heavy your stoneboat will be and where you use it. If there is any chance that it might move forward onto the horses' heels like when going downhill, or on wet grass, even worse snow, then you'd absolutely need a tongue for hooking inexperienced horses to it.
8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum
Dan in Illinois says 2016-01-22 19:52:20 (CST)
A tongue gives you the opportunity to have brakes in snow or slick conditions.
8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum
K.C. Fox says 2016-01-23 05:45:18 (CST)
I was on level ground on packed snow when we stopped and the sled slid and hit the mules hind legs, he never kicked. I won't hook to anything without a tongue again ever. It could have been real bad if he had kicked I don't want anyone to get kicked around here
8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum
jhilyer says 2016-01-24 19:48:54 (CST)
I didn't think about the sled running up on the horses - good point. Seems my old one had enough resistance that it never happened that I ran up on the horses - but I see how it could easily happen. Thanks for the responses!
8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum
JerryHicks says 2016-01-25 06:31:01 (CST)
I've built several sleds and stone boats for my stock to pull. My grandpa would call them a drogue. He showed me to put chains on the front of the runners. They looped around the runners with a little bit of slack. When going down hill and I needed to hold the sled back, I'd drop the chains and they'd catch under the runners and slow the sled, when going up hill or when the sled wasn't hard to hold back, I could lift the chains and let they lie on top of the runners. They do a good job of holding the load back.
8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum
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