Sounds to me like you want everything "handy" Ralph to go to work. Handy is great. We fed 900 head of yearlings with two teams , feeding 20 4x4 square bales daily with one hired man, and I made everything as handy as it could be to get done without any problems. We used 6 horses switching one out daily. If it wasn't handy the hired man didn't or couldn't figure it out. Hard enough to get a hired man to understand a team is economical. I always gave him the best horses so we had no problems. Hitch and go, you have to if you have a lot to do so having several forecarts as you do is smart. Side note, we used 50 dollars of fuel a week to load the hay.

I have a home made forecart I made out of old baler parts and designed after the pioneer cart only I have the tractor tread on the tires as the wheele came of an old massy swather. The extra rubber rides very well. I haven't been on here much and would like to know more about your powered forecart . Thanks.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I also have three forecarts: One for the team, a single cart with shafts for a draft horse, and a single forecart for our Haflinger. All are on rubber wheels. Just like you, Ralph, I find it too tedious to change the team cart to a single cart for our big guys, even though I rarely use only one of the Percherons. Most of the single horse work I can do with the Haflinger.
Presently my wife is collecting pictures on her I-pad, and when we have more that show different uses we plan on e-mailing them to Joe .
That's impressive, feeding 900 yearlings with teams on a daily basis. I guess, you are in a higher elevation and may still have some snow.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Dusty, I should have added to my post, I wonder what your weekly fuel cost would be if you used tractors for hauling.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Well guys, you are right. I have only so much time so I try to have things handy. I cut corners where it makes sense, that way I get to spend more time with my horses.

I will post a couple of pictures of my powercart. It is a 4 wheeled cart because I was afraid that I couldn't engineer the balance correctly on just a single axle. The reach is very short and my rear axle has hydraulic steering too. It has 3-point hitch, PTO, and a set of rear remotes along with the rear axle steering. The hydraulic system is electric, so I only run the motor when the PTO is needed. The engine is air cooled.

It is rubber tired with a high seat so I can see very well, both forward and behind.

Dusty, it sounds like you have it pretty well figured out too, especially when it comes to your hired man!


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

So Ralph, I was wondering if you use a clutch, belts with tensioner or what to get to your drive line? I want to put a motor on a no:5 JD mower. I will also need some form of hydraulic pump. I will also build a 4 wheeled cart for this as I have the running gears.

Klaus , I hear you on the fuel, we could use a ton pickup with a 21 ft gooseneck trailer but someone drives and someone feeds. This carries 4 ton bales. But hey, I told the hired man I do all the driving. With the teams he does half the driving and feeding and I do half the driving and feeding and we are done a lot faster , so that's the way it goes. Three horses each, but two teams daily with a spare to switch. Living in Idaho there is no snow plowing with the teams also, which is very nice.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Dusty, around here my neighbors are shaking their heads and are wondering why I work my land with horses. My main arguments are ecology and fun as well as low costs, they would be amazed to hear you explain that you actually save time!!


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Klaus, here's one for you, nobody puts a price on plowing snow. I say it cost about 5$ a ton on your hay to plow snow. I have a neighbor that puts up 1000s ton of hay and has to plow his stacks and the road out to move it all out with semis . He could take 5$ ton off the price and have it moved in the fall. The outsiders try to embarrass you by telling you how much money you waste feeding a horse but fuel doesn't cost them a thing. A buddy of mine smokes a pack of cigarettes a day @ 5.50 a pack for 2007$ year. I bought my hay for 7 drafts 7 saddle horses for 1400$ .

I sold that one ton gas guzzling OPEC supporting gmc. Haven't missed it one bit. Talked to a guy that bought a new ford @ 71000$ and he is tickled. Seems that's all you do is pay for pickups and I'm tired of it. I would've bought 71000$ more land . Most of the time I can go a week without starting a engine. I understand we are a mobile society and if we all were Amish we'd all be speaking Chinese . Horses just ease the expense a bit , in my opinion . I think I'm off the subject of forecarts. Ha!


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Dusty, my motor came of an old highway broom. It has a "Rockford" clutch on it. When I want the PTO to run, I simply put the clutch in gear by moving the lever forward . I pull the lever back and it takes it out of gear.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I hope these photos will show what you'd like to know Dusty. We set the motor on the frame in such a way as to add a "jackshaft" to go under the cart and get the PTO shaft at the correct level. We also had to use the pulley and belt set up to have the PTO turning the correct direction and speed.

One photo hopefully will show you the "Rockford" clutch and a better detail of the drive pulley set up. The big lever in that photo is what puts the PTO in gear from that clutch. The photo from the rear just shows the 3-point hitch, duel remotes, PTO and tongue hitch.

The three levers for the hydraulics are used to raise and lower the 3-point hitch, work the rear wheel steering and supply fluid to the remotes.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Great photos Ralph, much appreciated . Nice setup. I thought of your idea when I saw an old street sweeper today. Thanks.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Dusty, Where in Idaho are you? I am in Driggs about as far east in Driggs and not be Wyoming.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

KM, I live outside of Dubois Id. I know where you live, seen you at the pulls before. I usually have a pair of black mares there. We ran the cattle near river rim and the old hoopes place. Probably never been formally introduced. You didn't come to the pulls this winter. I went to most of them but didn't take horses. We had our mares at river rim also a few years back. Saw Burnside a lot. You have a friend that has a motor on a mower, that's what I need to do, find out how many motor hp it takes to run a no:5 JD mower. Thanks.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Dusty,
I know those mares out on River Rim. Kept wondering whose they were. This year we were chasing boys wrestling and didn't get to many pulls. Finally got to the last one but didn't take mares as they are due to foal here in the next few weeks. Next time you see me come say hello and introduce yourself.

My Great Grandpa ran a place out of Medicine Lodge are. Clifton and Fay May he passed in the early 70's. Alyn is still in the area as are his kids. Small world.

As to the motor on the mower, a 8-12 hp motor will get the job done at not much over an idle. One guy machined the little fly wheel where the pitman attaches to take a vee belt. seemed to work find. Had a cam type tightener to make it work. There was a past issue of RH that had an article about it.


8 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum