# Stone Boats



## Saddlebag

I'd bet money that the number of people who don't know what a stone boat is will greatly outnumber those who do. As a teen we used one in the barn. It was about 4' wide x 6' long with what looked like 2x10 planks to support the deck off the ground and 3/16" thick steel protecting the edge. We could haul a pretty good load of manure on that once we were taught the technique for loading it. A slightly chunky 14.3hh could pull this loaded. Because the traces attach to chains to the front corners (no shafts) one had to keep the turns wide. We would sometimes take if out in the winter on the hard packed road with a bale of hay for our version of a hay ride.


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## GreySorrel

Saddlebag is right...not many people know what they are unless you come from "working" stock..hehehe

Wanted to share this with you, had it in my links that I had found some time back when we were looking to build one for our Percheron team. Hope it helps:

http://www.tillersinternational.org.../EstimatingSledandStoneboatDraftTechGuide.pdf


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## Saddlebag

It was a stable that used one and I had never heard the term stone boat. I was 13 so I was confused because it hauled manure and wasn't a boat. To me it was a manure skid. The nearest stone was likely 30mi from the stable. It was later I learned it's original function. Anyone know where the term "boat" came from as it really is a skid.


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## Left Hand Percherons

I don't know how people can start horses without a stone boat.

I see homemade ones all the time at our local draft horse auction. The runners are made out of 4x4 or 6x6 6 to 8 feet long. Angle cut (around 45 degrees) the front and with extra long screws attach a 8-10 inch piece angle cut so you get that sleigh runner ___/ Brace the sides. Cut 2x6 at least 36 inches wide for the platform and screw them down on the runners leaving a little space between the boards. Plywood is too slick to stand on while moving and the spacing will help you grip. Drill a hole in the long 4x4 not the short part. Run a big eye bolt through the hole with about 2 feet of heavy chain (both sides to the inside). Connect them together with a large spring clip and you will attach this to your singletree. You don't need a pole or shalves. Or come to our sale and pick one up for $200.


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## NotSoSimple

GreySorrel said:


> Saddlebag is right...not many people know what they are unless you come from "working" stock..hehehe
> 
> Wanted to share this with you, had it in my links that I had found some time back when we were looking to build one for our Percheron team. Hope it helps:
> 
> http://www.tillersinternational.org.../EstimatingSledandStoneboatDraftTechGuide.pdf


Grey- That did help, thank you. And very true...iv driven with people who have never started a cart horse or drive only Minni horses...and they had no clue. They even asked why his tail had to be so short.



Left Hand Percherons said:


> I don't know how people can start horses without a stone boat.
> 
> I see homemade ones all the time at our local draft horse auction. The runners are made out of 4x4 or 6x6 6 to 8 feet long. Angle cut (around 45 degrees) the front and with extra long screws attach a 8-10 inch piece angle cut so you get that sleigh runner ___/ Brace the sides. Cut 2x6 at least 36 inches wide for the platform and screw them down on the runners leaving a little space between the boards. Plywood is too slick to stand on while moving and the spacing will help you grip. Drill a hole in the long 4x4 not the short part. Run a big eye bolt through the hole with about 2 feet of heavy chain (both sides to the inside). Connect them together with a large spring clip and you will attach this to your singletree. You don't need a pole or shalves. Or come to our sale and pick one up for $200.


Left-And where would this sale be?
I can see if i can get my dad to build one, but normally its allot simpler to buy one. He is pretty busy haha.


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## HunterbrooksFarm

Stoneboats designs are as open as whoever wants to make one. If you do a search on the internet on one of the swap/sell/buy pages like craigslist you may find one for sale. I've seen them all from steel, or all from wood. Its all about making contact with the ground to cause resistance. I've made them from 2x10's with angles cut on the ends and a deck accross the top to hold some cement blocks, to just some logs layed down with angles cut in their faces and a bus seat bolted to the logs. Skies the limit. Most stoneboats I've seen are at the fairs for pulls, with a large flat belly pan of steel with the ends turned up and a hook to drop the double tree over on either end. THen there are scoots, which is what we call them here and they have the runners, and some sort of deck to lay the weight on. good luck hope that helps


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## Chevaux

FYI -- As kids, with a stoneboat, we were always taught to plan our stops as it can slide into the back of the horse's legs (what with no shafts or brakes). The stoneboat I'm familiar with was pretty basic - homemade, wood construction, 4 x 4 runners with angle cut in the front and much patching from use.


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