Oxfordshire Woodland Group

On Easter Saturday 2016 The Oxfordshire Woodland Group sponsored and staged a horse logging and Land Rover winching log extraction demonstration event in a woodland in South Oxfordshire. Mark Cottrell provided horse logging services along with his cob horse Hattie supported by Andrew Jarvis who also demonstrated his new electric powered winch fitted to his Land Rover that was part grant aided by The Oxfordshire Woodland Group to help improve the efficiency of Andrew's small wood tree felling and log extraction services.

A raised log bed comprising a pair of low value Douglas Fir logs was made ready to accept pole logs extracted by Hattie from the woodland.

A pair of posts were driven into the ground at the end of each log bearer to stop the logs being stacked falling off the bearers and to provide a tying off point for the ropes used to parbuckle the logs.

A closed loop of rope was wrapped around the delivered log and the horse repositioned to parbuckle (pull) to log up onto the bearers,

This techniques effectively quarters the pull that the horse needs to exert to lift the log up onto the bearers.

The process of log extraction and raising onto the stack continues to create a raised log stack.

After a while a rythm to the log extraction develops as the horse begins to memorise an understanding of the extraction route and what is expected of her.

The log is delivered and unhooked ready for parbuckling onto the log pile.

An additional pair of posts were driven into the ground at the near end of the bearers to prevent to logs moving under their own weight or by malicious or quite innocent initiation by playing children whom the woodsman must be midful of at all times. Children and their little legs are precious.

If the logs are to be left in stock for an extended period then further stack stability can be achieved by tying the posts on both sides of the stack together with rope or adding additional posts.

Ken Hume - Trustee - Oxfordshire Woodland Group

Safety Note
It is important to note that at all times children and dogs must be excluded from the horse logging areas and especially the extraction routes where flailing logs could cause serious injury to children and adults alike.