Horse numbers in the US are rising each year, however the vast majority are light 'pleasure' horses, not ones trained to harness. This does NOT mean they can't be, rather they will be less likely to work well for farming or heavier drafts. Also using a horse on a small holding is a challenge. Unlike a tractor, it requires fuel 24/7 whether it's used or not, one of the reasons for farm mechanization. Human labor with spades can do adeauate work on small holdings, and there will not be shortage of human labor, and YES they need fuel 24/7 as well, but humans are more apt to feed the human labor than the horses.
Horses require carbs to work unless you want to ruin (founder) the animal. They can NOT function for long on grass/hay alone.
WIth that said, it takes up to five years to get a replacement from conception to harness.
Yes I can see horses (mules, oxen, etc) being used, but not overly aboundant until about three years after TDM or more depending on how organized etc the are is towards recovery. Nothing we have discussed about recovery will be immediate, there will be the slide, halt and gradual climb.
Leadership... leadership.. leadership.
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07-01-2009, 05:23 AM
Hybrid Mode
