Working the Oxen from behind - starting without a rope

[Guest guest]

> -

> Dasgopal (AT) aol (DOT) com

> Monday, January 5, 2004 5:16 pm

> Re: Developing a cow-herd friendly community

 

> > Working from behind

> > reduces the need for an extra teamster to work the plow.

 

********************

 

As I mentioned, if you are using voice commands, there are two general methods

of training to get oxen to the stage where you can drive them from behind.

 

As I mentioned, the first way, used by Drew Conroy and Balabhadra, is to start

with a lead rope, but abandon it later on.

 

The second way is to avoid using the lead rope altogether. Both Paramananda and

the old-time Australian bullockies, such as Arthur Cannon use methods which

never use a lead rope.

 

Cannon's book "The Bullock Drivers Handbook" has many good tips, and it

certainly is worth reading. However, in general, I think his methods seem a

little severe for 21st century Hare Krsna devotees. Or even dangerous. For

example, he advocates using bulls, instead of oxen, as the lead team in a

6-team string of oxen.

 

But Paramananda's instructions, like Balabhadra's and Drew Conroy's, place more

emphasis in building up a relationship of trust with the animals. Thus they

are more acceptable to devotees.

 

The main difference is that instead of using a lead rope, Paramananda advocates

the use of a training ring for training oxen. Paramananda told me that he and

a devotee named Yudhistir learned to work the oxen in the 1970s from a teamster

named Johnny Lamb who lived in upstate New York. Johnny Lamb used a training

ring.

 

In "Ox Power - Ki Jaya!" Paramananda discusses use of the training ring:

 

*************

 

Avoiding Use of a Lead Rope

 

I recommend the use of a fenced in training ring or corral in all cases, to

make things easier, although a fenced in ring is not always necessary. A

confined area without any foreign objects should be used in every case, but it

could a less formal set up than actually building a ring. It could be inside a

hay barn with everything cleaned out, no foreign objects, nothing on which the

animal could injure himself if he ran or became frightened, and also with no

outlet where he could escape.

 

Otherwise, if he is not in a confined area, then you have to have a rope on him

all the time, which is very restricting. In his working condition you won't

have a rope on him, so to train him like that; always having to hold him by a

rope is conditioning him to a bad habit.

 

**********************

 

Later he talks about the first trip to the ring. A rope is used to get him to

the ring, but not as part of the actual training process. Also, as he notes

below, most of the possible difficulties he mentions are not present when

starting with a very young animal:

 

**********************

 

The First Trip to the Ring

 

The first trip to the ring from the barn or the pasture where you are keeping

the animal should be made carefully. For one thing, you don't want to try to

teach the ox anything on that trip. That is not part of the lesson. We just

want to somehow or other get him into the ring without having to hit him or

drag him. As much as possible make it an uneventful trip. We want to minimize

his anxiety.

 

For an animal that has not been handled much, the first trip to the ring can be

very traumatic. If that happens his negative his first impression of you may be

lasting. That is something we want to avoid. So if he is just standing and he

won't move, if he doesn't want to be led, then just go slowly. You should have

a strong halter on him and a lead rope. And, you should have one or two people

with you.

 

The best way of moving an ox or cow that does not want to move is to push him,

not to pull him. The reaction for most oxen or cows when they are pulled is to

pull back in the opposite direction, and they are much stronger than we are.

Even ten men can't pull a cow or an ox that wants to go backwards. You can even

hook a tractor to them, and if they are stubborn enough, they will just lie

down and make you drag them, which certainly we don't want to do. So just

cajole the ox along to the ring. By no means should you let him get away.

 

It is important that when you start to take an ox into your hands you must

maintain control of him. You are making a commitment. If you let him control

you in any way, you are encouraging the worst possible thing: disobedience. So

once you set out to bring him to the ring, you have to get him there.

 

You cannot let him overpower you; you cannot let him drag you around the field.

You have to have enough people. If necessary, attach two ropes to his halter so

that there is no question of his overpowering you and running away. That would

be a very bad way to begin the first lesson.

 

You should have a halter on the ox. The halter should have a lead rope fastened

near the ox's nose because the way to control an animal who is much bigger than

you is by turning his head. If he tries to run away, you can usually pull his

head around and control him in that way.

 

If you just have a rope around his neck, it won't be possible to restrain him

because he will pull with his full strength and bodily weight, and no man or

even group of men can restrain an animal in that way if he really wants to get

away. But if you have the rope attached next to his nose, you can turn his

head. Then at worst, he will run around in circles and eventually get tired of

it.

 

So, somehow you have to coerce the animal toward the ring. When he gets very

close to the gate, he will understand that he is being brought into a confined

area, and he won't want to go in. Even though most animals won't go in easily,

you may come across one who will become very curious and willingly walk right

into the ring, not realizing that the gate will be closed, locking him inside.

 

Once again, if the animal is very young, then none of these factors will pose a

very great problem. You can forcibly cajole a small ox to the ring without any

big traumatic experience, simply because you are as strong as he is or

stronger.

 

 

Now the ox has entered the ring and the gate is closed behind him. The first

thing is to simply let him explore. When you shut the gate behind the ox, he

may walk up to the gate and sniff it and try to see if he can get back out

again. Then he will walk around the ring to standing in different places and

look around, maybe looking for some other cows. If he sees anybody, he may

start mooing -- "Help! Help!" Allow him to freely explore the ring and calm

down because he will probably be a little nervous.

 

After a few minutes, when he starts to settle down, it's a good idea to

approach him to comfort him a little bit. It is important to be very

demonstrative, both when you are pleased with an ox and when you are displeased

with him. There should be a very clear distinction between your pleasure and

your displeasure. As I mentioned previously, everything should be

overemphasized because you are dealing with a dumb brute who doesn't speak the

English language.

 

Let him know that you are his friend and that he is not actually in a dangerous

or threatening situation. Approach him slowly. Hold out your hand and pat him.

Stroke him on the head and behind the ears, speaking some kind words like,

"Good boy, good boy" -- very demonstratively, very clearly. Make it very clear

that you are being kind to him.

 

You are complimenting him. Your pleasure or displeasure will motivate the ox

and show him when he has done right or wrong. When you compliment and comfort

him and indicate that you are pleased with him, you will see a change in him.

His anxiety will be greatly reduced.

 

A lot depends on how you give rewards. If you reward the ox in such a way that

he fully comprehends that he has done what you wanted, it will be a big help to

you in fixing an impression on his brain.

 

An ox's fear of you is what makes him resist training. That fear can be removed

by systematically rewarding the ox when he does the right thing. If he has

confidence in his master and understands what he wants of him, the ox will be

ready and willing to obey every command that is given him.

 

When you see that he is calmed down and is actually waiting to see what is

going to happen next, then you can begin to teach him the first command which

is "Get-up!Get-up!" means to go forward...

 

***********************

 

So, returning to Gopal's original query, we find that indeed, there are many

examples when oxen are used with voice commands, that it takes 2 people to plow

with a team (or teams) of oxen.

 

However, with good training -- either when starting with a lead rope or

starting without a lead rope -- the teamster can come to the point where it is

possible single-handedly work the oxen with various types of equipment.

 

All that is needed is to become familiar with the different training options

and decide which method will work best for that particular teamster.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi