Farm Progress Days 2013

[Hal & Deb Bryant]

We spent Saturday at Horse Progress Days in Arcola, IL. We watched field demonstrations with farm drafts and oxen and the day was capped with Breed demos of Show Hitches We saw everything from little to big - in the field and in the Show... Ring. Horse Progress Days is an annual event rotating in the midwestern states. It comes to Illinois every six years. Don't pass up the opportunity to attend - no matter what your likes are or your disciplines - there is something for everyone! The breed demo lasted over an hour with numerous hitches - different breeds and driving disciplines.

There were many vendors , seminars, and demonstrations of horse-drawn equipment for the field and garden. Even the concession stand was pulled by a team!.

 

[Sugar Baby]

Nice! I have a desire to have my mini earn her keep (okay, be somewhat useful) and have her drag branches, small logs, whatever. I love to see the horses at work. Here in Washington State there will be a draft horse event at the Monroe fairground during the Evergreen State Fair. I can't wait to go watch.

 

[MajorClementine]

Looks like a blast and an event I would like to attend.

 

[paintponylvr]

I so want to get to this event one of these days. Looked at going both last year and this year, but made the decision to wait. Will need to look to see where in OH it will be next year (don't know - Arcola may have been closer, LOL), but my goal this year was going to Congress w/ the 3 Shetlands in halter training.

Thank you for sharing!! I love looking at all the new stuff at Horse Progress Days.

 

[paintponylvr]

Sugar Baby - enjoy the event you are going to attend and please share pictures!

And working with the little ones is entirely possible - here are a couple of pics:

A ride on disk:

A walk-behind disk (or an implement that can be attached to a tractor or forecart pulled by ponies/horses):

I don't have good pics of some new equipment yet. On their website - the Bryants above have some really cool pictures with their mini shetlands!!

Working with the shetlands is work to get them ready and trained, but sure is a fun way to have them do something for you!! I have two trees we are going to be cutting up and dirt that needs to be hauled away from a trench at the barn - the ponies will haul it. Have several different pairs that will be doing the work.

 

[Sugar Baby]

Paintponylvr, love the pics! My hubby has made me a container that can be drug around to pick up rocks, or other small things. It's a plastic cement mixing tub set in a wood frame. It has skids (not sure if that's the right word for these) on the bottom with beveled edges. Havent used it for work yet, just trained a bit with it. But now it's time for work!

I'm also looking for a shaft setup that can be used with a four wheeled garden cart. I found a set on the Hoegger Goat Supply website, but they said it doesn't work for minis. If anyone can tell me where to find a mini set that would be great. It's the kind that curves down and attaches to the wagon down low, not the straight kind.

 

[paintponylvr]

Sugar Baby -

I don't know the Amish in your area - but there are Amish in the mid-west (Indiana, Iowa and Oh) as well as in the east (PA) that either already have something like you are looking for or can make them.

Might go on the forum at Rural Heritage and see if you can ask if anyone in your area already has or can build it for you... For that matter, I would think that if you have pics and the dimensions of your horse (s) plus the dimensions of where it would attach, I'd think any good welding shop could do something for you - some reasonably and some not.

Care to share a pic of your "stone boat"?