Horses in Hillsdale

It was a great day to go to the Hillsdale County Fair. After gathering Bs workbooks (to get some seat work done in the car during the drive), we headed southwest to Hillsdale. We went specifically to see the draft horse pulling event. And see we did!!!!!

This sport has been around since the early 1920s. A special machine called a dynamometer is what the teams of horses are hooked to. This machine simulates the idea of pulling a weight out of a well. Between what distance the team pulls, the weight on the dynamometer and the time it takes the team to pull 27 1/2 feet, you can figure out horsepower. So what is horsepower and how is it calculated??? You can use this equation: HP = 1/2 (tractive pull) divided by 10 t (t being in seconds it takes to pull 27 1/2 feet). This equation is why the teams try to pull the distance of 27 1/2 feet. And if they do, it's considered a full pull!!!!

So what happens is pretty basic - the dynamometer is set at a starting weight, usually 1500 lbs. Each team has three chances to pull the full distance. If they do, they advance to the next round. Once all the teams have tried at the first weight, those who accomplished a full pull then begin to pull the next weight (which is usually increased by 300 lbs between each round). And so on ..... until the weight on the dynomometer is heavy enough that no team can complete a full pull. That last round is measured in distance that each team pulled.

Now for the visuals!!!

First the teams are brought around and 'hitched' to the dynamometer.

Then the driver (the guy on the dynamometer with the hat, he looks like he's being pulled off). See how the horses squat down their hindquarters right at the signal to transfer maximum power from their haunches forward.
Then it's easy, PULL (ha, ha).
A team waiting it's turn to hitch. 5100 pounds of draft horse
Hitch
Pull, pull, dig in, and pull

The dynamometer is built on the back of a truck, which is actually used as part of the machine that the teams pull. http://www.horsepull.com/MDA.htm

Watch the videos. It's almost like being there. Not really, but at least you can see in action everything we have explained.

After watching the pulling, we walked through the barns. At first, this as Bs pick to take home, but....
Then we found this draft mule. Now B wants a pair of draft mules. (remember what I said in a previous post - if you're going to dream, dream big!) When you are looking at this, remember that B is 5'4" at the top of his head, then look at how much more height this draft mule has. He is B - I - G!!!