I had a question that i was hoping you might be able to help me with. So ive been looking into what draft animal i would like to work with and i choose oxen, but here is my dilemma I am 5.3 tall. now i have worked with some big horses like shires, but is my height going to be a challenge when it comes to certain breeds as far as being able to give commands correctly. And how tall do oxen get on average? awesome show always look to seeing what you guys are up too with your oxen!
I don't think your height will matter too much, especially if you train them to rely on voice commands. You may need a longer whip to use as a que for them but people and kids of shorter stature work cattle all the time. It may be more comfortable for you with a smaller breed but that also depends on what you want to do. Many people drive Chianina oxen and they can be 6 feet at the shoulder. Animals vary quite a bit by breed. You can get a breed like Dexters or Jerseys that are generally small all the way up to Holstiens or Brown Swiss that will be large. Training them correctly will make up for anything like that. Great question!
@@riendeaufarmoxencrafts7809 awesome thank for you help i did have another question about their feet, do you have someone come over and do their feet or do you do it and do you put shoes on your oxen and if you do any idea where you buy the shoes?
I trim their feet myself. This is a simple video but it is how I do it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hSg4CfzNTHg.html If you train them to pick up their feet as part of your daily routine you can keep up with trimming. I haven't shoed my animals before. There are a few people who still do it in New England and several in Nova Scotia, Canada. If you're in those areas I can send you some info on who might be able to assist or sell shoes. riendeaufarm@gmail.com
Draft animals are not like a tractor, you can't leave them in the barn for days on end because the weather is not good. My understanding is no matter what you have to work them on a regular basis to keep them at their best for training.
