Tractor Pull

Last Sunday was one of the most fun days I've had with my team all year.  We had just barely gotten home from scout camp, so we were a bit worn out, but the events that unfolded that day are the kind of thing that just make a teamster smile.

The  North Texas Antique Tractor and Engine Club was hosting a big event on Saturday and Sunday.  Due to scout camp, I could not make it Saturday, but they wanted me to come down on Sunday.  I got contacted by them thanks to my good friend Bev McGowan of the Double M Warhorse Ranch in Terrell, TX.  The club was looking for a team of horses to do some pulling, and Bev referred them to me.

I was under the impression that I was going to be pulling some type of antique farm equipment, similar to what I did at the Paris TX Antique Tractor Show.  Little did I know the fun that waited.

I arrived at 10:45.  Tractor Supply had provided a round pen, and Bev was there with 2 of her Clydesdale mares.  People were coming over and petting them and the kids especially were in heaven.  I got Rachael and Pam unloaded, brushed and prettied up, and they soon had a stall up front.  People started coming by, and I loved watching the reaction people had when they realized how gentle and kind these huge horses are.  One older gentleman kept coming back and was really enjoying Rachael.  I took pictures for him with him and Rachael nose to nose.

Rachael and Pam enjoyed a nice shady pen with hay and water.

The tractor club president came over, thanked me for coming, and said that I'd be pulling a sled at 1PM.  I was thinking a sled like my training sled I use.  I then found out that there were going to be quite a few people there to watch me.  At the time I didn't understand why people would be lining up to watch me pull a sled, but I came here for the club, so I was going to do what they wanted.

Rachael and Pam, getting fly spray.  Bev's Clydes are in the background.

At noon I started harnessing the girls up.  They looked gorgeous.  Soon after we started driving to where the sled was located.  It was on the far side of the event, and I hadn't seen it  yet.  While driving the girls over there, I actually let my son take a turn at the lines.  He ground drove the girls really well.  I really enjoy sharing this hobby of mine with him.  He seems to enjoy it too.


When I turned the corner, I couldn't believe my eyes.  There in front of me, was someone hosing down a long dirt path.  At the end of it, was a big tractor pull sled.  I'd only ever seen them on TV.  It was the kind with wheels on the back, and as the wheels turn, weight slides forward, putting more weight on the nose of the sled and thus making it a harder pull.  THIS was the sled I was going to pull.  I drove the girls over, and tied them, and began talking with the man in charge.

I can't say enough about that  "hook the tugs together" trick.  :)  Thanks Pat!!!

Apparently the tractors had all pulled the day before, and on this day, they wanted to see what a team of draft horses could do.  He asked me how much weight my girls could pull, and I told him that I honestly did not know.  I'd never done anything to test them like this.  I was grinning ear to ear.  This was going to be a new adventure, and I was loving it.  There were bleachers set up, and I estimate that around 100 people were there.  We started working out how we were going to hook the horses up to the sled.  Luckily I brought my double tree, and the tractor club had a clevis big enough to hook up to it.  While the tree was getting attached, an announcer started talking, and he came over and had me talk about my team.  I gave the crowd a brief run-down on their breed, age, weight, and how long I'd been working them.  They were very curious and asked me lots of good questions.  Soon though, the double tree was secure, and we were ready for the horses.

This is the sled we pulled.  Very cool!

Setting up the double tree and figure out how to hook it up.

At this point the guys in charge came over and were discussing what gear to put the sled in.  At first, they wanted to put it in first gear (the easiest) and then if we did that well, we'd move up to the 2nd gear.  Another guy had an opinion that he just wanted to start in 2nd gear, and so that's what we ended up doing.

Talking with the guys in charge about how to do things.

This is where I brag on my horses.  :)  I grabbed the lines, and drove the girls up into position.  They were stepping perfectly.  I backed them up to the tree, and they were so light on their feet and easy.  If I asked for one more step, they gave it and only the one step.  They were calm, relaxed, and no excited at all.  When I said to stand, they did, and it was awesome!  When you have a team like that, it makes them look fabulous, and makes the teamster look pretty good too.

Walking up into position

Hitching up

Stepping forward to get the slack out of the cables

Once hooked up, I eased them a few steps forward to get the slack out of the cables hooking us to the tractor pull sled.  Then I threw the lines over my shoulder, and asked the girls to step up.  And step up they did.  We were off!  The girls were pulling real nice ... until!!!  Remember how I said someone was hosing down the track?  Well ... hosing a track down does not work well for horses.  The girls hit that spot, and lost their footing.  Since only the first inch or so of ground was wet, their feet were sliding all over.  I stopped the girls, and they stood perfectly.  Calm and quietly.  Such good horses!

Here they are stepping out.  A few steps more and they hit the mud.

Stopped after losing footing in the mud.

At this point the main tractor pull guy proposed a new idea to me.  He said that he would move the sled 5 feet to the side, so that it was on the grass.  This way the horses would have traction the entire length of the pull.  So they pulled the sled back into position, and I drove the girls back around to hook up for our second attempt.  Once again, as the pictures prove ... the girls were perfect!

Hitching up for our second attempt

Once again, we stepped off.  This time we were in 1st gear, and the horses had no problems with 1st gear.  They pulled the sled the entire length of the track, and we stopped.  At this point, the coolest thing happened.  I heard the roar of the crowd.  They cheered loud.  I've never heard that before and it was actually pretty cool.  I turned and looked, and the crowd was smiling and clapping.  It was great.

Stopped after pulling the full length of the track.

Since we aced the 1st gear, we reset, and attempted our third pull.  This would be in the sled's 2nd gear.  We got hitched up, and off we went.  It was awesome to watch the girls pull for me.  The load got heavier and heavier, and the girls were doing awesome at working together to bear it.  They gave it their all, and they eventually slowed and slowed until they were done.  Once done, they stood perfectly and waited for further instruction from me.

Hitching up for our 3rd and final attempt

The crowd cheered loud for them, and I get the feeling they kind of knew they'd impressed some people.  The judge came up and told me that we pulled 104 feet.  He then informed me that we out pulled a number of tractors from the previous day.  I was grinning ear to ear.  My team had out pulled some of the very tractors that were created to replace them.  I was content and very satisfied.

After this, I let my son ground drive the girls back to the pens, and they stood wonderfully while snacking on some delicious alfalfa cubes.  People started walking over again and telling the girls how good they did.

It was a wonderful day!  I had a great time.  It was a nice relaxing day with the horses.  Much needed after the previous 3 days of pulling a wagon all day long.

I should also brag on my pal Bev.  She made me some business cards.  I was so flattered.  They have the picture of me with her black and white Clydesdale.  They call me "The Green Teamster - Training Hitch Horses"  They had all my contact info and the address to this blog.  It was kind of cool.  They came in handy too, because people were asking how to get in touch with me, and it was very convenient to hand them a card.  I wouldn't call myself a hitch horse trainer, but I am very flattered that Bev thinks so highly of me.  Thanks BEV!!!!