Side Plow Horses

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Side Plow Horses

These horses look pretty proud of their day's work. I like the markings on the brown ones.

Side Plow From Front

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Side Plow From Front

Now we see these three beauties from the front. They have almost gotten their whole furrow plowed.

Side Plow Turning

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Side Plow Turning

This man had to get up from his plow in order to do the turn. You can buy a horse-drawn plow for around $500. There's also a book out that you can buy to tell you how to drive your new plow. You can also buy a horse-drawn lawn mower.

Side Plow From Back

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Side Plow From Back

I was intrigued by this plow. It seems to be very simple yet effective.

,,,And Really Close

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...And Really Close

Now you can see the complicated harness on these mules. I really enjoyed taking this picture.

...And Closer...

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...And Closer...

Anyone who has tried to hand dig a garden knows how hard it is to break this kind of sod. I admire these mules for their strength and determination. I wish I had a few of them myself.

Two White Mules Closer

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Two White Mules Closer

A man and a mule could walk up to 30 miles a day on hard ground in the early days of farming. When working new ground, mules were used to pull out stumps. Only an acre of land could be cleared each winter using this method. Most of the cotton fields in the south were cleared this way.

Two White Mules

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Two White Mules

You can see these mules are holding their own with the bigger horses. I had fun snapping their picture as they came down the field.

Fancy Horses

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Fancy Horses

Now it looks as if these horses are pausing for a photo op. Meanwhile, the plowman is checking his work.

Hand Plow

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Hand Plow

Now the horses have made quite an impression on the field. Each team will be scored on how well it plows the field. These horses have an eye-catching harness.

Two White Horses

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Two White Horses

I really liked these white horses. They look so patient and gentle.

Three Brown Mules

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Three Brown Mules

Some of the men used mules to pull their plows. I liked the little contraption this man was riding on. Do you think it was a lawn mower once?

Four Draft Horses

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Four Draft Horses

Carriage Hill Farm is a living 19th-century farm just north of Dayton. Every year, a draft horse contest is held there. Horses from all over the country come to compete in plowing the heavy clay soil at the farm. I went several years ago and here are some of my pictures.