Horses and Donkeys the ultimate downsizer tool ?

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Horses and Donkeys the ultimate downsizer tool ?
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nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 06 10:26 pm Post subject:

Mine was a downsizing neddy in a small way. We used to go out on loooong rides with a rucksack and panniers and gather up loads of crab apples, sloes and plums. (She used to hoover up the crab apples given half a chance!) Horseback is a great way to collect mushrooms too, you can spot them in the long grass, and reach the ones that are halfway up tree trunks!

My friend used to make use of her shetland for harrowing, and he had a little cart that we would walk him into the woods with. We used to fill up the cart with logs for him to take back. One day he got the hump with it and decided to lie down between the traces, and managed to artfully (and quite deliberately I reckon) drape a hindleg across one of them, as if to say "Now get out of THAT one!!"

Happy days

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 06 5:54 am Post subject:
One of the ideas that I had for a short holiday with the kids that I never got around to with Bridgett was to use her as a packhorse . It was my intention to plan a route using the canal towpaths, camping or stopping in a canal side pub each night . Its still something I fancy doing, but poor old Bridgett twisted her gut 6 or 7 years ago and had to be put down.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 06 11:42 am Post subject:

if you have the time, i can think of few better ways to spend a day than wandering about the countryside with your pack animal

millie lives going for a walk and plods along looking in people's gardens and checkingou the road signs, that sort of thing.........

being what she is, she causes a bit of a stir and she does have a habit of trying to get into people's cars when they stop to ask the obvious questions but by and large she is pretty good.....we have more problems with traffic not behaving than her..........

madmonk

Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 835

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 06 11:50 am Post subject:
Actually sounds quite nice, as long as I don't have to ride the thing.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 06 11:59 am Post subject:

madmonk wrote:

Actually sounds quite nice, as long as I don't have to ride the thing.

millie would be ok with that....................

you do have to stop though so that she can watch the cars disappear into the distance down the hill so you don't want to have an appointment that you are in a hurry to get to...........

percypony

Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 146
Location: Hants

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 06 10:42 am Post subject:
I've been looking for some sort of 'pack'# for one of my ponies for ages now but don't seem to be able to get hold one anything that doesn't have to attach to a saddle first. going on picnics where one of the ponies could carry the food would be great!

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 06 12:15 pm Post subject:

the packs that we have used for millie are actually llama packs and came from a place in the states that do all kinds of things for all kinds of animals

llama packs

goat packs
goat ploughs

all sorts of really interesting things if you are in the same sort of frame of mind that we are

now you are going to ask me the name of the site and i can't remember so i will have to look for it as we only had a catalogue given to us

google here i come

found it....................this is the company that we used

www.llamaproducts.com

but there are plenty of others

percypony

Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 146
Location: Hants

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 06 2:49 pm Post subject:
Excellent thanks Nanny, I never thought of Llamas! On the subject a lady across the road from our horses field has a few Llamas and she is currently teaching one to drive. I saw them out in harness pulling the cart but her not in it yet the other day. Quite a sight!

Sally Too

Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2511
Location: N.Ireland

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 06 3:04 pm Post subject:
Just love the earlier photos of Bridget! Reminds me of Scottie. Here with my two youngest daughters. A real gent loved by everybody! Sal

Just Jane

Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 140
Location: France

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 7:02 am Post subject:

percypony wrote:

she is currently teaching one to drive - Quite a sight!

Conjured up an interesting picture of a Llama behind the steering wheel of the family car with the lady in the passenger seat saying "keep 2 hooves on the steering wheel"

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 12:29 pm Post subject:
i think you will find that site has llama drinving harness as well as REINDEER HARNESS and i really really REALLY would love a reindeer my husband clearly doesn't love me enough because he won't buy me one

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 12:35 pm Post subject:
Can't you just put a humane reindeer trap on your roof on Christmas Eve?

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 12:47 pm Post subject:
nice idea what should i bait it with?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 1:03 pm Post subject:
A few years ago I would have said a glass or two of sherry but these days we shouldn't encourage drinking and flying so I suggest a few mince pies. I'm sure NL will be along to point out a recipe for home made mince meat. If you get the one with the red nose it could become a bit of a money spinner.

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 06 1:12 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'm sure NL will be along to point out a recipe for home made mince meat.

You mean this one?
For the sake of balance, I should also point out this one, but I'm fairly sure it's not as good.

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