New Harness, Sled, and Pioneer Forecart

I've been busier than a one legged man in a butt kickin' contest lately, but I'm going to try to keep things updated here.

Last weekend I took a trip and bought all kinds of horse hitch stuff.  It was wonderful.  So here's how it all began.

Last fall, a member of the TDHMA (Texas Draft Horse and Mule Association) posted that he was selling a set of draft harnesses and an old pioneer forecart.  I've wanted one of those pioneer forecarts since I first started hitching up Lily, so I got in touch with him.  Unfortunately, he lives 8 hours away from me, and I just couldn't come up with the money.  A month ago, I sent an email, asking if the forecart was still available.  He said it was, and so I started planning to put away money for it.  Then 2 weeks ago, I got an email from him, stating that he needed to sell everything hitch related to clean out the barn and that he was dropping the price on everything.  I could not believe the price tag he put on things.  I talked with my wife, and we decided to take advantage of this great offer.

I planned to purchase the pioneer forecart (came with single shafts, team pole, and 2 implement seats), and a team set of new, 2 strap breeching, biothane harness (with new 25" collar, used 28" collar, bridles, lines, and collar pads).  I got another email detailing other things that were also for sale.  A nice meadowbrook cart, a sweet 4 wheeled marathon type buggy, wagon springs, and other harness/tack items.  The price tag on these items were unreal.  I sent an email to my teamster friends here, and soon found buyers for all this stuff.  I would haul it all back for them.

So last weekend had me heading to meet up with Arnold Isom and his lovely wife at their ranch out in Moulton TX.  The first stop on my trip though, was to purchase a draft sized saddle that I had found on craigslist.  It was incredibly priced, and I really liked the idea of having 2 saddles that fit my drafts.  So I had to stop and pick it up.  Now, I was riding my motorcycle, so I had to strap the saddle to the back of it..  I'm sure it was quite a sight to see.  I only had to ride like that for the rest of the 5 hour trip towards Houston.  :)  The picture shows it pretty well.

I spent the night at my in-laws in Houston, and then the next day I headed out to meet with the Isom's.  I had borrowed a rig with a trailer to pick up all the goodies I was going to be getting from my in-laws.  It was a beautiful drive, but that could've just been because I knew I would be getting 2 things that I have wanted for years.  The weather was great, and the scenery was very pleasant.  All in all, this was the beginning of what would be a fabulous day.

Arnold and his wife were so wonderful.  They were friendly as can be, and I consider them to be very good people.  We chatted a whole lot about horses, and Arnold then opened up his shop to me, to show me all his stuff.  We looked things over, and I soon began  making my list of things that I wanted to buy.  Lucky for me, I followed Arnolds advice and brought some extra money.  This was a shop full of a lifetime of acquired draft hitch items.  I felt like a kid in a toy store with money!  :)  And boy did I spend the money.  After it was all said and done, I had purchased the team harnesses, forecart, meadowbrook cart, 4 wheeled buggy, a work sled, a set of team hafflinger harnesses, a single set of hafflinger harness, an extra team pole, 3 sets of driving lines, 4 horse sized collars, 7 wagon springs, a half dozen drafts sized nylon halters, various quarter straps/pole straps, extra SS harness hardware, and some yokes/eveners.  I really felt like I cleaned him out.

After we had added up the total cost of it all, we took a break, and he showed me his barn.  I have never seen a barn that was so well planned out and built as this barn.  I will be using the layout of this barn as a plan for when I eventually build mine.  Perhaps I will draw up my plans and post them in the future so you can see how well this barn was thought out.  Arnold and his wife were VERY pleasant to visit with.  We never stopped talking.

After a nice break, we set at the task of loading all the gear I had purchased onto a 18 foot trailer.  This was not going to be an easy task, and so we got out the tape measure, and set about deciding what the best way to go about this would be.  One thing I have learned about myself though, is that when I am determined, I find a way to make things happen.  Soon the trailer was loaded up and tied down properly.  Saying goodbye to the Isom's was a little hard to do.  In the half day I had spent with them, I truly felt like I had gained a set of grandparents.  They were so fun, so nice, and so fun to talk to, that I sure didn't move fast to roll out of there.  I hope to visit them again with my wife and son.  There are just some people you cross paths with in this life that are worth hanging onto.  The Isoms are that way for me.

I drove to my In-laws house near Houston, and had to unload all the gear.  I had borrowed a trailer to get the gear, and my wife would be coming down the next day with our trailer.  I got everything unloaded and then took some pictures of the treasures I had picked up.  I was a happy boy.

When my wife arrived with our trailer, I realized this was going to be quite a task.  My trailer was 2 feet shorter and 1 foot less wide than the first trailer I had loaded them onto.  This would require a different scheme.  My mother-in-law hovered around as I loaded everything.  I think she didn't believe I would fit it all onto the trailer.  I did though, and have the picture to prove it.

The drive home was nice.  A few days later I met up with Roger and Bobby, my teamster friends who purchased all the other stuff I bought.  I bet it was pretty funny to see 3 teamsters all bright eyed and  bushy tailed at the new toys they'd just acquired.  Bobby was very happy with the meadowbrook cart and his single hafflinger harness, and Roger was thrilled with his 4 wheeled buggy, team hafflinger harness, wagon springs, and horse collars.

So ... chalk 2 things off my want list.  I now have a pioneer forecart, and I also have a team set of biothane harnesses.  WOO HOO!  I also ended up with some new matching halters, a nice metal runner sled, and all kinds of miscellaneous harness straps and hardware.  I guess the thing at the top of my list now is a horse drawn sickle mower.  Keep your eyes open for me.  Looking for a IH #9 high gear.  :)