Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Holly and the Oxen - blackmamba recently posted a series on the Budweiser Clydesdales and marveled at their size. I remembered that I had taken these pictures a couple of years ago and though I'd show another gentle giant.

In 1810 Jonathan Hale purchased 500 acres from the Connecticut Land Company for land located in the Cuyahoga Valley in what became known as the Western Reserve. Cleveland's Western Reserve Historical Society has restored the house and farm and it is open to the public much like Williamsburg in Virgina. My friend, Holly manages the animals on the farm including a pair of oxen. Oxen are castrated bulls which makes them steers used primarily for meat. When they survive that fate and mature they become oxen and are typically 16 hands (4"/hand) at the shoulder and weigh around 2000 lbs. They are versatile draft animals which can be used to plough, drag trees for lumber out of forests, pull wagons (were preferred means of pulling Conestoga wagons later in our westward expansion) or any other task needing strength and control

This series of pictures is Holly demonstrating controlling a pair of yoked oxen and pulling a light load to simulate any of the above tasks. Holly is about 5'10" and svelte for a size comparison.

No reins, just Gee, Haw and a Tap of the whip is all that's needed to control these oxen

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The whip is also used to keep the oxen in line for even pulling and never used to strike the oxen.

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Pulling a sled with some weight on it to simulate ploughing or pulling wagons.

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Pulling the sled at a walk for the oxen and a trot for Holly, Look Ma, no hands!

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And a little reward for doing a good job.

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End of show, taking a bow!

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kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A fine set.

MosheR Loc: New York City

Either those guys are very well trained, or Holly is an ox whisperer ... or both. Great shots, by the way.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Very interesting
Thanks

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Too bad I didn’t know about the whip thing years ago. It would have helped me raise my kids! My grandfather always said that he only beat his kids in self defense. Ha!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

It's neat to see that kind of teamwork and obvious trust between oxen and woman. I feel sorry for the cattle I so often run into on my hikes, who see a human being and are utterly terrified. I guess they have their reasons.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Thanks for sharing this set, Reuss!

Happy New Year!

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Great set.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Holly is actually a horse person first and foremost. But generally a real lover of animals and ox whisperer works too. Those particular oxen are just big teddy bears and you can see it in their eyes.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Appreciate your taking the time to check this out. Glad you like them.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

It used to be a spare the rod world but no more. Never was in most sporting events involving animals. When I was in high school a long, long time ago, my teachers (all boys school) had paddles for discipline if you were disruptive in class. Some would give you a choice of a detention or the paddle. One of my teachers even had holes drilled in his paddle so it would go faster.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Thanks for the 3 thumbs up. Glad you like this post.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Thanks for looking in on this SW. Enduring relationships between humans and large animals involve building trust. And it's a two-way street. When you ride a horse that trust is especially important. From the horse's point of view, when something startles him, his first instinct is to flee and ask questions later. When you're riding him, he has to trust you're not going to put him in peril. As far as the rider, you're literally trusting your life to the horse that he'll do what you ask. Many people die every year because of accidents with horses. When I used to ride my horse past pastures with cows in them, sometimes he would just keep on going, other times he'd freak out and go no where near them.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Glad to share pictures like this, that's part of the fun here. Have a great new year and keep sharing your pictures because we all like to see them.