Timber extraction by horse ---- Film and promotional work -- Horse logging courses Practical courses, five days long, conducted on a one to one basis on a working site


Our fully insured and experienced crew ensures quality work combining a traditional skill with modern sustainable forestry management- the natural way to work woodland

The advantages of using a professional horse logger to extract timber are;


- Selective thinning is economical as no extra trees are cut down than needed

-The low impact of horses leaves the forest floor in good condition

- No need for line thinning reduces risk of windblown trees

- Ensures your remaining standing trees are undamaged

- Ideal for wet, steep, rough and small plantations

- Leaves no timber behind on the forest floor

- Minimal disturbance to wildlife

- No pollution of waterways

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For the past twenty eight years I have worked and trained heavy draught horses in all road, field and forest operations across Ireland - a trade I learned in the traditional manner where it was passed down through my family from father to son. This heavy horse heritage and the range of work we do with various breeds of these magnificent horses can be viewed in the archive below. References are available on request.
Feel free to contact me if you require any further information.

Tom Nixon, Athenry, County Galway, Ireland
mobile; 086 038 4857
email; tomnixonheavyhorses@hotmail.com

Member of
Forest Training & Education Ireland Ltd.
British Horse Loggers

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Windblow


'Windblow' can be a major problem on high ground sites like this Spruce first thinning contract we are just finishing for another forest owner in the County Clare Wood Energy Project (CCWEP). It can be avoided by thinning the trees in a selective manner ensuring no straight lines are cut through the wood.
When woods are thinned by machine this is done in straight lines. These straight lines leave tunnels through the plantation which can allow wind to move at high speed, building up enough force to knock over some of the remaining trees. This can lead to substantial losses in the crop.


 The horses come into their own when extracting timber from such selectively thinned woodlands, as they can weave in and out through the irregularly spaced standing trees.
On this job we are working Ardennes mares Chincha (above left) alongside her daughter Lisa (below)

This job marks a year for Lisa working in the woods since we started her logging last June (see earlier post 'Lisa's first day in the wood') She has filled out and is settled into her work.
Chincha is in foal again and kept fit by working light loads.