>Tenzicut ~ Yes they are too big to take chances with...& a tame one is
>so much more predictable what ever their job on the homestead is..Less
>stress on them & us

*** Being a newer farm here, we do not have the large animal handling
equipment either. As a vet tech, I know the importance of being able to
handle animals with or without equipment because as a vet tech, it was
my job to get squashed over the vet *S*


<...An old draft horse man told me ages ago that the
>most important teaching a horse ever has is to be tied..Considering
>that every work required is as much of a matter of patience as
>anything else..

*** We had a half-a-horse who stayed with us for a year who did not
tie. It is a pain. I know why she did not tie.. she had wonderful
ground matters elsewise, but I saw how the lady treated her horses when
they were tied. She used to beat them with a lunge whip. I am glad that
horse is out of there. I would have worked with her on it, but that is
the year I was recovering from a fractured back.


<I like cattle & pigs to be easy to move & handle >too.

**** I took the easy way out last time. I was in the bathtub when I
heard the alert last summer that "Kid" accidently let a pig out. My hon
and the 2 boys went up on the rodeo to get the pig, grabbed it by its
hind legs and carried the protesting pig back into its pen. (large
pens.. they are about 100x60 for 3 pigs). I got to sit and watch the
show out the window from the comfort and cleanliness of the tub. I only
felt a little guilty ;op



<..It is encouraging to see you are doing your building from the
>bottom up...

*** Well otherwise it is not fair to the animal or the next person whoi
gets the animal. And I have found that it takes at least 6 weeks for a
human and an animal to become a team, no matter what the job.


<Do you make your own equipment ...sleds & >harness...halters..

*** I have ..3 years ago, my 1st woodworking project was a dogsled. If
you want to see it, go to
http://www.downtotherootsmagazine.com/Blogs/07_january_18.htm and
scroll to the bottom picture.



<how about hoof work.?

*** I do on my goats and horses (Amy helps me sometimes as she is good
at it and I cannot bend over long, maybe next year) and when "Daisy"
(the Jersey cow) was down, we should have nipped and rasp her toes. But
with all the leg massages I gave her when she was down, I noticed I can
pick up her front feet now. None of the cows really need it yet.


>I hope you continue >sharing...If you don't have the pattern for rope
>halters you might >google it...I make mine & save $$$$ & they
>last ....& have a bit >of "say so" & encourage obedience...I wish I'd
>have know how to do >them when the kids were leaving things lay
>around...


*** I make sheep, cow and horse rope halters and have written an
article about it in one of my magazines. They are so much better than
to buy, but I do have a boughten nylon turnout halter for my milk cow.

I do plan on making yokes for calves and as they get bigger.. make
bigger ones.

tenzicut
http://www.downtotherootsmagazine.com