# Why are horses used as working animals instead of oxen?



## vivache

Cows are sacred in Hinduism.


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## NorthernMama

I think that horses are more versatile. So while an ox is more efficient for slow heavy work, a horse can be strong and slow, but also fast and light. So you can take the same horse from the plow and hitch him up to the wagon or cart to take things to town.


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## Joe4d

oxen powered the westward expansion not horses. Wagon trains werent pulled by horses that's hollywood stuff.


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## waresbear

'Cause horses are way better looking than oxen, duh!


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## Eolith

I personally believe that horses are much more trainable and responsive. Oxen may be stronger and last longer, but I don't have the sense that they are nearly as sensitive to direction. I imagine that they were good for the wagon trains because as long as they walked in the same direction along the same road all day, everything was good. With horses however, I believe more finesse can be applied with stopping, starting, turning, etc.


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## Saddlebag

Here's a different tidbit-when settlers moved to our more northerly parts they often tamed moose cows to pull as a team. When tamed, they could be turned loose to find browse as grass was almost non existant, just scrubby stuff that barely kept a cow, never mind horses.


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## Saddlebag

Oxen were used on long straight hauls like across the prairies. The teamster always walked and with the crack of a whip near the lead team he could control the direction. Oxen were better when grass was sparse. Horses were used more in the eastern parts of the country with winding roads and plenty of mud holes.


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## Cruiser

Yeah in India cows are sacred so they won't be working, or altered to prevent reproducing, or used for food. 

Coming from a family with many Oxen teamsters (even ones that use to be on NS post cards), the are very trainable if you start with a young team, they just aren't that versatile I guess? They pull, they change direction, they are strong and steady workers. The word acre describes how much land a oxen can plow in a days work. You just can't take off the yoke and ride them well. 

I've haven't met a team that was sold when they were older so I don't know how they work if they aren't bonded with the person.


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## NorthernMama

Saddlebag said:


> Here's a different tidbit-when settlers moved to our more northerly parts they often tamed moose cows to pull as a team. When tamed, they could be turned loose to find browse as grass was almost non existant, just scrubby stuff that barely kept a cow, never mind horses.


What's really interesting is that they had to retrain them every year. During the rut, moose are completely unable to be handled and have to be set aside or released.


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## goodhors

Cattle were used for the pioneers because they were cheaper to purchase, moved a bigger load, easier to keep fed on grass or local browse than horses. They still are all those things, people in every continent use cattle as draft animals.

Horses can be flighty, harder to use, pull smaller loads. They are faster movers, but tend to be more expensive to purchase and own than cattle are.

There are probably almost as many cattle being used for work in poor countries as horses, buy you just don't notice them. Some places, like Africa, horses just don't survive the diseases because they are not vaccinated. Heck even the people don't always get vaccinated there!

I think when a choice is available, people chose horses because of the speed advantage in getting crops to market.

Oxen are very popular in the North East, lots of folks raise and use them these days.


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## yadlim

*Have you ever tried to train a cow?*

Horses are a lot easier to train then cows.


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## goodhors

yadlim said:


> Horses are a lot easier to train then cows.


I think it depends on who is working with the animals. Cows (females) are not oxen (aged steers), have quite different temperments and acceptance levels in situations. Cows are not usually driven, labor takes away from their milk production, the main "purpose" for being kept. Being tied to a load, oxen usually are less likely to run far or very fast, which is unlike driven horses.

Having had both horses and cattle (though we didn't drive the cattle), they can both be trained, just takes different techiniques and your choice of how hard to work with each species.

Our 4-H cattle were very easy to handle, since they got handled DAILY. Led all over, brushed, hooves cleaned and trimmed just standing. They got tied to stand or practiced loading in the stock trailer. Cattle loaded as nice as our horses do! All come when called, are very cooperative. Training takes time and dedication, but is not really hard. Working with them keeps them coopertive, thinking YOU are the Alpha of the herd, needs to be consistant handling and done daily. 

Our horses are NICE horses, very easy to handle and accepting of new things, good workers ridden or driven. We work at keeping them fun to use, so our standards of expectation are quite high. Again, not hard to train, just takes that daily handling.

So I would never discount how capable cattle could be for the pioneers of the past. They were the most common draft animal for moving westward with the family covered wagons. Freighters went to the equines (mules and horses) for speed, made more money getting loads delivered faster. Cattle STILL are the most common draft animal in most undeveloped nations, for many good reasons.


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## Allison Finch

When I read about moose pulling wagons, I thought...NO WAY!! So, I went to educate myself. Who would have thought?































Yes, you do learn something EVERY day!


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## PaintsPwn

.... I'm going to buy a giraffe and make it do my bidding. GOOD BYE, GAS PRICES!


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## Saddlebag

I have a pic of a modern fellow harnessing up a huge bull moose and one can see and almost feel the special relationship between them. I don't know how to post pics but one will find it by googling Alaskan moose in harness.


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## hoopla

Horses are able to do a lot more on a greater variety of surfaces and at faster pace.

If that's what you want and you can afford a horse then a horse is better.

However there's a heck of a lot of cattle breeds used as beasts of burden and for transportation where horses are too expensive and difficult to manage


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## DuffyDuck

PaintsPwn said:


> .... I'm going to buy a giraffe and make it do my bidding. GOOD BYE, GAS PRICES!


 
I have one for sale.... What Duffy may lack in some height areas, she makes up with ears and neck.


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## DraftyAiresMum

PaintsPwn said:


> .... I'm going to buy a giraffe and make it do my bidding. GOOD BYE, GAS PRICES!


And hello, astronomical hay bills!!  You thought feeding a horse was expensive. :shock:


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## DraftyAiresMum

Saddlebag said:


> I have a pic of a modern fellow harnessing up a huge bull moose and one can see and almost feel the special relationship between them. I don't know how to post pics but one will find it by googling Alaskan moose in harness.


I believe this is the pic you're referring to?


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## goodhors

After hearing the stories from Canadian friends about wild Moose and problems they can cause, it is sure weird looking at these photos of Moose hitched up.

In their area, the Moose are just bad news for all creatures living around them. Mother Moose with calves with HUNT DOWN other animals and attack them!! One friend was chased by a bull Moose, and only escaped because his horse had been chased by Moose before! Horse knew what to do, and rider was "taken for the ride of his life!!" but they were unhurt by the Moose who chase them FIVE MILES! Horse ran thru the trees, uphill, kept in the tight areas where Moose couldn't get up any speed. Paul lost his glasses, had most of his shirt ripped off, but no serious injuries. We saw some cattle the Moose had chased with big scars from striking hooves ripping their skin open. Usually the cattle are so injured they die or get put them down when the guys find them with huge infected or fly-blown wounds. 

We were up there and bought that horse from him along with two others. We got questioned in the nearest store where we bought fuel for the truck. "You the folks that bought Bug? Helluva horse, outran that Moose that was after him and Paul. You take good care of that horse, he is pretty special! Not many horses get away from a mad Moose, unhurt." Quite the local Celebrity horse. He was a wonderful horse for us as well. He didn't save us from any Moose, but was one of the best horses anyone could want for all our needs.

I have just never looked at Moose the same, after hearing how they are actually the worst predator to injure animals or people in that neck of the woods. Bears don't even come close to causing damage to cattle that the Moose do.


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## pintophile

This is the most interesting and educating thread I've stumbled across in a while. Thanks for the good reading, everyone


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## yadlim

A few years ago, my family were on a tram going though the tour at a wild animal park. We had the bad forture of going during rutting season. The bull moose took exception to the tram and threw it off the road. Luckily he stopped after about ten feet and looked for something with some challange to it. 

It was exciting....


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## mudpie

I want a moose!!!!!!


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## MangoRoX87

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I believe this is the pic you're referring to?


That looks SO photoshopped! lol


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## doubleopi

Work Moose in Harness (Moose Logging) - Urban Legends

It's a fake picture for sure


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## hoopla

You do know that moose photo was photoshopped don't you?

It did the rounds about 5 years ago as a spoof photo


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## Jessabel

Next to elephants, draft horses are the strongest land animals in the world. It's no wonder they're used as work animals. 

In case anyone wanted to know that bit of trivia. :wink:


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## damnedEvans

They are still in use but they are to slow so people tend to stick with horses. 


















And if you really don't have what to hitch you can use cows also :lol:


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## Corporal

Joe4d said:


> oxen powered the westward expansion not horses. Wagon trains werent pulled by horses that's hollywood stuff.


This was bc oxen could maintain their weight while crossing the "western desert" on the Oregon trail (and other routes), while horses could not. Plus, you could eat them when you got there...or before. In Michener's "Centennial" (book and mini-series) the character Levi Zendt drives his 6 Percherons west from PA, but when he gets to St. Louis wiser heads prevail and they push him to sell them his horses there and replace them with oxen. They reason (above, and) that in the early 19th century there were local farms and a good market for his horses, so he'd get good $ for them, too.
Horses have _always_ been more valuable as driving animals. Look at Wilder's Farmer Boy. Alonzo wasn't allowed to train young horses to drive the first time. His father didn't want them ruined. Instead, he was given weaned calves.
We have a friend in CW Reenacting who has been driving oxen for decades. He drives them exclusively with his voice. He did the same with a pair of Appalousas about 20 years ago--voice only. His horses would pull ANYTHING for him.
_...I gotta find some pics of him to post..._


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## goodhors

Interesting on those vehicles behind the cattle, having the piece on the outside of the wheels. Used on both wooden (older) wheels and the car tired wagon. Wonder if the purpose is bracing for strength? 

Those folks look pretty poor, so any animal power has to help in moving things and not costing money for fuel.


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