June Carney Behind the Horses

This shot was taken of a young June (Duffy) Carney behind the a team of horses on the family (Jensen) farm.

June is at the reins of the second photo too.

Horse teams may seem old-timey, but they are experiencing a come back.

“With smaller, more affordable equipment and with good teams starting at just a few thousand dollars, Klesick points out that horse farming can be an economical choice for the small farmer.

Klesick enjoys working with his 17 hand Belgian draft horse, half of what was once a team. Though he assures me that one horse can still do valuable work around the farm, he’s thinking of seeking out a smaller team in the 15.2 to 16.2 hand range—that is, 62 to 66 inches at the shoulder. “You don’t need to have a lot of horse,” he argues. “You want a horse with a powerful, healthy muscle structure and good angles in the hindquarters.” Klesick tips his hat to the moderately sized draft animals of historic farms, noting that “America was built with a smaller horse.”

(http://www.grownorthwest.com/2010/08/draft-power-using-horses-oxen-and-mules-on-the-farm/)

Photos courtesy of the Jensen family.

Click on image to enlarge.