September 2018 : Carnog was at the APF Exhibition 2018 at Ragley Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire from 20th – 22nd September as part of the British Horse Loggers team at the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboricultural, fencing and biofuel exhibition. In among all the forestry equipment, Tyler and Molly showed how good horselogging is for woodland.
February 2018 : We have spent a couple of weeks in the stunning and extreme climate that is Lake Vyrnwy. As machines could not reach, the horses were called on to help clear the unwanted conifers from the hardwood which included downy birch, rowan and beech. We used a combination of techniques, single, pair, timber arch and pulley set ups, to work off the steepest sections. Hard work but very satisfying.
October 2017 : A very satisfying Carnog job was cutting up a very old wind-fallen oak tree not far from our home base. It’s amazing how much timber can come out of one tree but it had been around for over 100 years.
October/November 2017 : Barbara, Tyler and Molly spent time working with the National Trust in Devon helping with some thinning, in a beech PAWS site (Barton Wood to remove the planted beech – shown here) and through a stunning oak woodland (Vention Wood).
Summer 2017 : Since 2017, Carnog has been making Black Horse Charcoal in small batches from hardwood trees, giving a natural, subtle, woody taste to your barbecue. Horse power (of course!) is used to extract the wood from traditional coppice woodland or other sustainably managed woodlands in the Tanat Valley. The small Carnog mobile kiln can also be taken to your timber and the charcoal processed in as little as 8 hours.
August 2017 : Molly, the newest member of the Carnog team (above left), had a great start to working alongside Tyler (above right) at the beginning of August. Molly was a superstar, considering she is still quite green to heavy work, but they had a great session together and we look forward to more pairs action soon.
June 2016 : When working at the National Trust’s Arlington Court in Devon we had the opportunity to try out horsedrawn mowing. We started out with the Victorian mower, fun but rubbish at cutting the grass, and progressed to a modern gang mower pulled by our timber arch adapted to take a tow hitch. We could mow quite long grass, although when it was wet it only seemed possible with the front section on. When it was dry and/or the grass was short we were just as quick as the petrol guzzlers. We did the posh lawn once a week, but preferred the overflow car park – less pressure if we made a mistake!
September 2013 : The Carnog team demonstrated horselogging on 28th and 29th September in Attingham Uncovered at the National Trust’s Attingham Park near Shrewsbury. Part of the Park’s woodland walk was transformed with Barbara, Tyler and Billy moving timber in the traditional way and a mobile mill processing the wood for use on the estate.
July 2013 : Tyler and Barbara spent a day bashing bracken for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust at the Nant Mawr Nature Reserve. The aim was to give the common dog violet leaves – the favourite food of the caterpillars of the pearl-bordered fritillary – a chance to grow. Click below for the story in the Shropshire Star. Contact Carnog Working Horses if you would like your bracken bashed. Thanks to Laura Dutfield for her photo.
July 2013 : Fordhall Organic Farm at Tern Hill Road, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3PS, held a Summer Fair on Sunday 7th July. It was a great day of fun for all the family, with a local producers market, family activities, tree climbing, local ale, live music, fishing, face painting, BBQ, hay bale tunnel, story telling, sack race, welly wanging, a helicopter – AND A WORKING HORSE DEMONSTRATION. We hope you didn’t miss us. Watch this website for future opportunities if you did.
