Horse Logging with the Schmidts
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Join Gerald Schmidt and his son Josh and their Belgian team as they cut and skid logs from their woods.
Gerald bought some draft horses after they stopped dairy farming and he had a little more time. His son Josh returned from the marines to join the family farm. They use the horse for logging, fieldwork, hay raking and sleigh rides.
They discuss the foot care of the horses. They have a local Amish friend shoe them and then use Drill Tec in the winter to make them more surefooted on the snow and ice.
Watch as Josh and Gerald harness the draft horse team, load them into the trailer and head to the woods.
Listen to them tell the story of how they acquired a 1948 two-man chain saw.
Then watch as they notch and take down a 75+ year-old pine tree.
Once down, the team is hooked up to chains to pull the logs out to a clearing. The team then retrieves the logging sled. Chains are used to roll the logs onto the sled. The team then skids the heavy sled: logs, Josh, Gerald, another helper and the family dog through the winter wonderland out to the road.
This impressive footage of the magnificent power of just two well trained Belgians.
Boy...logged pulp with a Belgian one winter in high school after school and on weekends with a friend who had a dairy farm in Northern New England. Got to the farm, did chores and logged till dark which wasn't long up north. Weekends, morning chores, log then evening chores. Made over $300 and it was a gold mine back then. Loved every minute.
He started bouncing his head!!! He was ready to go to work.... that’s one happy horse!!!
Yeah
Nothing beats that feeling like when you and your son have that type of bond and respect to work and trust one another.. God bless
These horses really are gentle giants, so quiet and patient but also powerful.
22:43 I love to hear those chains rattle. I feel like I’m dreaming. I can’t believe that I have my own team, and even more that they are young and I am training them.
All those westerns that I’ve watched with my father as a kid on the south side of Chicago, Wow!
Thanks for sharing, I’m paying attention.
Around 1960 my Dad brought home from work a 2-man chainsaw so we could cut down some very large pine trees. The Mall model #7 seems to match the description from my memory. The trees were 44" to 48" in diameter, so the bar might have had nearly 5' of cutting chain to use. The saw was a beast, started with a rope and my being about 12-13 my job was to keep two hands on the far handle. Those trees that came down that day were the largest trees I have ever had a part to fall.
Now that's what I call a triumphant way to ride-out of a job well done! . . . Everyone onboard, even the dog!
That’s a great picture for a card. …advertising, Greeting/Christmas cards.
No idea how I stumbled across this video, but I’m glad I did!
Environmental policy grad student here, forestry work in the back country with draft animals (horses, mules) has fewer impacts on the forest than bringing in heavy equipment. Love it, and would like to see more well cared for teams at work! Also, horses and mules can go to remote locations sometimes unreachable by motorized equipment.
You really didnt learn all that much did ya Nat?
Those two horses need to be kept together for life! That is one hell of a team you got there!
Some people go their whole life without having a team that good and well disciplined!
The way to get horses like that is USE THEM daily.
They look happy to head to woods they almost lead the way great team all you teamsters are great horse men every man on youtube i can see.this day and age a man that has a horse its his pashion you can tell how conected thease men are with the horses
What a cool way of life that is ! Working outdoors in the middle of nature, with the animals, pure clean air, nice team vibe, what else can you ask for ?!
Way to go !!!
I pulled logs out of the hills in Virginia with a team of mules back in the fifties when I was a teenager. I sure enjoyed this. Good memories.
good one pops!
Those horses sure are enthusiastic about pulling something!
The way those horses loaded up in that trailer, I know they are smarter than a lot of folks that I see on the evening news.
Sir, kindly not to insult the horses!
17:27 Slick maneuver. Nice way to use that standing tree as cover. One false move and it’s a broken leg.
Good job!
This was a great video turning back time , the horses were so well mannered and the Schmidt family is sure a logging family , Thanks for a great video . God Bless
Absolutely beautiful seeing the older way of doing things and your horses are so responsive and in great shape! Loved this video!
Robert Sanders --- Older way of doing things ? Modern way of doing these things , equipment is being modernized for the draft animal power and Europeans for the most part never mechanized the way the North Americans did during the 1960's into the 1980's and they still use draft animal power for most things .The whole world never became mechanized in their farming , primarily the U.S., and Canada did .
Beautiful to see such power and teamwork. Thank You for sharing.
Their gorgeous i love when the turn in stabel like yea its time to go you can tell they love working
Great team of Belgians
When I was 14, I started working out on farms, the first place was for a man who had two large browns. He taught me how to harness and use the horses - he hardly ever used a tractor. For the next two years, I used horses for plowing, haying, dredging the creeks and what ever else we needed done. They were gentle and never created a problem when even in a difficult situation, for example being stung by bees. That day I was mowing with them and tore into a paper hive along where I'd been mowing. They took off but were easy to be brought back under control once away from the bees. I felt like Ben Hur riding in my chariot that day. Some of my favorite memories as a young man were when working with the horses. I've written of these experiences in "Ten Dollars a Week Room and Board". Thanks for making these videos and bring back some great memories. prmorehouse
I like how the dog was was looking up when they were felling the pine. Smart dog!
Wish they had you tube channel id love to see more of thease guys horses love these guys they make it like a lost art and realy good teamsters id so watch any video of this loging crew great team love when you have drafts their peronality is awsome love the way they check stuff out he has a realy big team i think look like big ,
What a nice team. They do you proud !
This truly is a lots art and skill
Nice work!
Love those horses
Nice job
Good to see old tradition and hard work
Great video , proud to have men like this working so close to me . Also so cool to see that old saw in action , great video.
I used that McCullough saw back in the 70's, for topping out old Poplar trees, we'd use a rope to hoist the saw up to me and the ground crew held the saw so I could cut.. 150 foot Poplars were 3 foot across at 100 feet, last of the old growth in my area..
You doing a fine job cutting trees
People that don't like horses don't stop and realize that they helped build this country and worked in the military alongside a lot of hardworking people. Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
Helper dude is on it, too! Good to see the teamwork happening with all of you.
My first job logging was for a horse logger,learned quick it's a good hobby but no way to make a decent living.Enjoyed watching this.
What amazing animals, so beautiful and such strong/proud spirits.
Impressive. Great horses. Love that saw. You work more safely than most.... Looks like fun.
Love your Draft Belgians ❤❤
Someday I'm going to find me a Draft Mule. 💗
Boy does that bring back memories from the early 1940's skidding logs out of the woods when I was only 6& 7 years old, Dad had me ride, only got off if the log got hung up. I would rearrange the hook up get the log loose and off to the wood lot would we go. Cheers Don W
I was sure 2 logs are too much for the horses to pull, than you added the third one and I was speechless... wow, that was a beautiful video to watch!! Thank you for sharing your great experiences.
Yes, that must be at least 500 kg per log, for logs of that size, so 1500 kg total, at least 3000 lbs!
informatimago
amazing horses, aren’t they? We so much got used to machinery, that we lost contact with nature’s powers.
Great video. Not seen Belgian's before, very impressive, as is the 1948 2 man chainsaw. Great to see both in action.
excellant , purfictly matched team, thats how it is done
Loved this video! Would love to visit.
Where in West Virginia. I live in rural town in WV. And graduated from an all 12 grade school. That school still in operation for the county, not private
I went to Moorefield, WV to fiddlers contest. Just curious.
Enjoyed your video.
I'm 66 yr old woman and I helped my neighbor put up hay with horses when I was a child. And I live on my dad's farm and have a few cows and chickens.
Even on small scale is alot of work.
I'm doing what I do here because my grandpa worked hard to keep this land during the depression. My grandchildren are the 6th generation to walk, hunt, and play on this property. In Randolph County, West Virginia.
Please keep up what your doing. Thank you and Rural Heritage for making the heart felt video.
Ruth Ann Bennett
I love this natural, beautiful lifestyle. I hope you are doing well, madam
Thank you for sharing this story, the chemistry between the guys and team is really a thing of beauty.........so nicely done.
beautiful team they work so well together
What a fantastic vid. The shear power and beauty of it, man and his animals.
Such great command and they just love 💕 to be worked when they are treated with love and respect as is shown here. 👍🏻🇨🇦ON. Paul
It was such a pleasure watching these men working in the forest and with these great horses! So many memories for me!!!! Thanks.
Our pleasure!
I love to see the horses. They are so smart.
Good Morning Gentleman ! Very nice video and your horses are beautiful and good workers like their masters !!! Very nice to see that horse logging video !!! Cheers !
Awesome enjoyed very much
Wow so many memories watching there horses, we had Belgium’s and Clydesdales. Grandpa skidded logs for years with them in a logging camp
Beautiful and amazing! Thank you for sharing this experience, keep doing this way of life!
Brilliant , loved watching this , really great seeing tradition continuing , I remember the my uncles bringing manure from their farm to my grand dads garden when I was a child, and using it for the milk deliveries here in Scotland, would love to doing similar to yourselves , congratulations you all looked like you were happy and enjoying it and importantly the horses looked like they enjoyed the work too
Im a tree feller love seing thease guys using that old mic
That was awesome! I heard of it first time seeing it done I love the horses and saw!
We've logged with both horses and oxen... love it!
Those are beautiful horses! We can't wait to get horses on our farm that we recently purchased.
So darn cool!! ❤
Acabó de ver el vídeo más hermoso en UA-cam,🙏 Mi respeto y admiración para estás personas! God bless you guys! I really enjoyed watching this video! To much respect and admiration for you work!
What a beautiful team. Nothing more needs be said .
I run the bar end of an identical McCullough, 45 years ago, and HATED every minute of it! Cool video.
damn fine horses there and a damn fine lifestyle ya'll lead...... thanks for the upload and greetings from distant tasmania
Just the way life should be. Thank you.
Thank you!! I love how kindly you treat your horses. So many humans abuse them and degrade them. God bless you.
That's gonna be some beautiful knotty pine board's 👍
that one desirves a 10 star award thanks all involved *********** yes there are 11 ya got a bakers dozen
Cool stuff gentlemen!!
Great video
We own property in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Over the past 10+ years we have had a Horse logger do selective cutting to remove potential blowdown trees from possibly damaging the house. The trees are good sized (8-10 inch poplar) but nothing in the league of the pine in this video. The logger can hand cut the trees and skid them out to a decking area without chewing up the ground that would be the inevitable result of using modern fellers. The logger is a meticulous operator and come spring you can not find as much as a foot print; he even shovels the horse-apples! I marvel at the strength and training of the horses. My major question is how these fellow avoid having the loaded sled run down the horses when going down hill as the sled clearly lack any kind of brake.
Simply amazing to watch
SO COOL TO SEE THANK YOU
I thoroughly enjoyed this video!
Great video learned allot!
Great team.
MAGNIFICANT Animals!!
Got into a two man saw called a Maul or Mohl. It was a beast We earned every log with that monster.
I got one, was my uncles, Mall model 11, about a 36" bar, two man saw.
Had a mercury 2 cyl. Two man saw,
That was a real beast,
Strat cast exaust ports, no muffs ever.
A real torque monster
screaming banchie.
The looking up at 13:30 was from a smart dog watching for the moment the tree starts to go.
Incredible. Wonderful powerful beasts, well trained and well handled. Thank you.
Thank you, thank you for sharing this! What a blessing.
tellement beau good job
Nice team. I hayed with a team, one tall gelding (Browny), one short mare (Gray). The stout mare would lean into her harness and could staunchly hold a loaded hay wagon when a wheel had to ride over the crown of a big broad topped bolder welling up an inch or two in the field. Then, upon name-call and signal, Browny would pull, and the wagon would ride up and roll along and over the glacier smoothed bolder, for the team to proceed on. They knew the route taken every year in every hay field. We never had to talk to them much, if at all, just like the Schmidt team. ||| I logged with a single brown Morgan-mix (Jake) who pulled logs without a handler for a quarter mile or so to the yard with the reins rolled up and hooked over the left side of the collar hames... and then back to his owner and feller in the woods all on his own. He saved my leg once, when he stepped in and braced his right side front leg against a log pile that was about to roll down on me when i was cutting lengths. He held it until i could finish a cut and peavey away what was needed. He was proud of himself, horsed his neck up and down and snorted. I laughed. He whinnied. We finished our day. ||| I can tell Gerald Schmidt has a team that will teach him and they know that he has learned to understand them. Good on him. That is the proper definition of a handler, Mr. Schmidt. Keep on, Keepin' ON !
Nice set of bobsleds....
Beautiful horses. Beautiful the way you work with them, and their training. Now, the DOG, on the other hand, looks at first like an overweight Aus Shepherd. However, on watching the whole thing, I have to wonder if the dog isn't an Aus Cattle Dog or a cross. Aus Cattle Dogs can sometimes be quite stocky in appearance, especially compared to Aus Shepherds. Marvelous vid, my heart is glad you are keeping such stuff alive. My Grandpa was a forester in the 1920's through the '60's in the northwoods country. He started with teams like this, and I have to think he would have enjoyed seeing your work.
I took it to be a dog that spends a lot of time outside in cold weather so has a very heavy winter coat.
@@mumfordthepitbull4581 Could be, but I think he's just a tad overweight. You can see it in his chest at about 4:50+. Beautiful dog, though, as well, and obviously one who is still capable of working. You can see that at a couple of other points. It got my attention, since I have working dogs. It's certainly not a big deal to me, I just felt like giving the guys a little razz. What they are doing is great!
No
@@meganswan143 I see, a person of few words, eh?
That was true horse power
Rings on that tree we’re close together. Nice tree.
Amazing !!!
@ 13:30 the dog is looking up the tree 😆
What a piece of great wood!
Why is the gear so complcated? Why did you shear the horces' tail?
I notice u never hear a teamster with wip u never hear them yelling smacking the horse they are treated like friends my granpa treated the horse like a tool it used a iron fist im glad those ways are gone .I can imagin how awsome it is knowing you cut the tree you built the house with
I used one of those 2 man saws , it would cut 4x faster than a reg saw
7:31 Those beavers are no longer welcome on my property, they have been felling 16”-18” inch Hackberry trees.
I enjoyed watching them in the creek from my tree stand but they are costing me valuable shade trees, now they have to go.
A tornado had already diminished the my wood lot. I plan on establishing a maple tree stand for syrup.
They are definitely a threat.
I thought about doing that over thirty years ago in northern Ontario when a person could get free land if they cut the tree's and then later planted more
Awesome !!!!
pretty horses
The hours are a amazing.
Please be good to them.
The dog was looking up at the tree waiting for it to fall.
Gees! I would have let the saw cool off a bit before just shutting it right off after pulling hard.
wow they load nicely. and they are trained so well. what about the dog? australian shepard? does he have a job?