In later years, Jim went on to start a second KZread channel called “Rocking chair stories with Jim”. Can’t wait!

@jamesabare4877

3 ай бұрын

lol

What it takes? Patience, continuity, knowing your horses limitations, and a loving and caring attitude. Kind of the same as being a good parent!

Great video! I certainly hope someone didn't accuse you of being arrogant regarding horsemanship. As long as I've been with you guys, I can tell you all are the "salt of the earth" good and respectful people. You and Brenda are very humble and so kind! Jim, my Papaw was a horseman and did logging work back in the late 1800s thru early 1900s. He logged for the coal mining areas in southwest Virginia as they were getting mines and tipples set up. My daddy was born in 1910 and he and a brother helped as well some after graduating high school. So watching you work the horses has brought back memories of stories Papaw has told about his horses back in the day. He had 2 teams of Belgians. So I enjoy every single podcast of Working Horses with Jim and thank you for the enjoyment it brings me. I always watch each episode at least 3, sometimes 4 times!! That's how much I love your videos!!

I noticed when the cart and Jim were going their separate ways he never let go of the reins, he was an acrobat but had the team under control.

Horsemanship to me is something you're born with. I can still remember when my dad would give me the lines when I was little and it was almost if they were magical. Even now at almost 70 I still get that feeling sometimes when I'm driving a team.

Calm, consistent, confident, considered, committed and kind. These qualities show through in any great stockman. I was incredibly fortunate that my father had these qualities. He left school at 13 to lead plough horses before WW2. Now as I draw toward the end of my life I am once again privileged to keep company with a retired stockman whose grandfather taught him to go "quietly" when working with stock. Animals and young children actively seek out his company as they did with my father. It is moving to watch. I adore watching the channel. Love to you, Brenda and your family and to William and his family. And of course the horses. May God bless you all.

Skippy is such a happy dog. He lives a great life!

i'd say ,you are very good with horses, because of your patience with them.Working as hard as you do, there is no room for arrogance, You take pride in what you do as it should be, it brings tears to my eyes to see these horses give it their all .Truly great horsemanship. And your wife does a fabulous job as well. Thanks for the videos.

@thirzapeevey2395

3 ай бұрын

It does that to me too. Nothing like watching an honest and loyal horse give everything they have. Makes me cry every time.

A great horseman is one that puts his horses first😊

Hi Jim & Brenda, it’s always a good idea for subscribers to click on the bell every weeks or so just to ensure that yahoo do not unsubscribe us, which as I have noticed they do if you stop watching any of the podcast for a bit if time. And young William really is developing into a fine horseman under Jim’s supervision a fine example of which we seen towards the end of the podcast when Jim had to think quickly and act accordingly to avoid a potential disaster.

Amen! I am 76 years young and I think you hit the nail on the head. I takes much love and respect of your horse or horses, dedication, persistence, perseverance and a thick skin to become a good horseman. Other things I think it takes is a good sense of humor and humility. Continued education is always a must all throughout your life. Thank you, Brenda and family for all that you do and so willingly share.

Jim Gordon is a great horseman ~ Jason Rutledge, offering an unsolicited comment, by a friend.. we're all lucky to have him. One thing that makes him great to me is that he's always looking to improve.... that humility and determination, make for great results. We'll see all of you at Horse Progress Days in July 5-6th, Lancaster County, Pa. We'll be working together to present modern horse logging at the worlds largest draft horse event. Jim Gordon, Rich Dumonds and Jason Rutledge.

@drafthorseswithalexa

4 ай бұрын

And you are right there with him Jason! We had the privilege to spend some time with Jim and Rich at the Dapnet Field Days last September - we will be making our way down to HPD to see you guys this summer. Looking forward to meeting you as well, very much appreciate your own substantial contributions to horse logging, Suffolks and just the draft horse world in general. Anyone here who hasn't had a chance to check out the movie "Somehow Hopeful" should!

@thirzapeevey2395

3 ай бұрын

Wish I still lived there. My young'n is following your every move too. It seems every conversation starts with Eyke's Sovereign these days...

Attending the horse pulls each year at the Iowa State fair, towards the very end and when the weights are astronomical; the winner is the one who pulls that weight the farthest before being unable to go any farther. When Jim takes his horses to the horse pulls, he stops his horses before being totally defeated by the weight of the sled. He did it again today by cutting the tree in half saying he always wants his horses to trust that they can pull anything he asks them. Proving one of his points of being a great horseman, consistency! Thanks Jim for the example to your point.

I could listen to Jim’s words of wisdom for DAYS!! While he may not want to hear he’s a GREAT HORSEMAN, the fact is… he IS a great horseman! His ability to own his mistakes, learn from them and then teach others to not do it that way because he’s been there is one of the things that makes Jim that great horseman. Along with the hours and hours and hours of time he’s put in on the reins with his teams and the many different horses that’s he’s had the privilege of handling and work with is a testament to the great horseman he is!

@monaliberty473

4 ай бұрын

Very good, Jim. After being around work & saddle horses for 68 years, your very correct in that consistency is probably very near the top of the list. Everytime you go near that horse, you are training or untraining. They need fair, consistent treatment in order to excel. I agree on the confidence aspect; however, a great horseman will be able to see in advance if he is putting his horse(s) in a dangerous situation. There have been many times when riding, when I have just said, I am not putting my horse in there, you can put yours; but, I'm not. It is very similar to you not hooking Baron to heavy loads - he might very well do it; but, if he can't or hurts himself you have lost a ton of ground in the training. Just not worth taking the chance. Respect them, treat them fairly & they will do their best for you.

First thing I was taught.. stay calm but react quickly in a situation . Like when you jumped off that cart! 😅

Your talk about being a great horseman is applicable to all facets of life and all professions. I applaud you for such a great talk!!!

@annt5410

4 ай бұрын

Exactly what I was thinking. Everything you said really applies to many things in life, not just horses. Unfortunately many people don't think enough about what they're seeing or doing.

Being with the horses daily and having lots of patients

If you enjoy what you are doing that is the greatest gift you can have in life.

Glad Jim didn't get hurt !! It's always a good reminder how dangerous ur life is.

Thank you for the video. The principals you list to be a good horseman are the same principals you need to all walks of life. Great life lessons.

Jim, I've followed your channel for a long time and find it to great. Don,t change a thing.

@WorkingHorsesWithJim

4 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Jim, you are the best horseman I have ever seen. And I grew up 60 years ago with an uncle that trained Clydesdales. He sold a couple to Budweiser. It's obvious you aren't the kind of guy looking for compliments but you are going to get them lol. I look forward to this channel's videos every Mon, Wed, And Fri :D Thank you for being here! And Brenda... you're wonderful :D

When I was young we cut our 20 chords of firewood by hand, to 4-foot lengths that we could handle in the woods and twitched it out with a bobsled.

William is a pretty good horseman as well . No doubt the result of starting young. We could all learn a lot from the Amish. :)

Jim you’re talking about being consistent. Well my friend you are for sure CONSISTENT.I have watched you ever since you came on KZread and you are CONSTANTLY getting better at being on and talking to the camera. Pretty sure there were days when just wanted to go to work and forget the camera but you were CONSISTENT. This don’t just go for you but Miss Brenda as well. You should be proud!

Well Jim and Brenda walk the walk and teach by precept and example! And are forever students! God’s speed to ya!

Skippy playing king of the log pile

In my humble opinion, Jim, you are an excellent horseman. You certainly love your horses and your patience and consistency show all the time. Another reason is the sheer number of horses that you have. I never realized how much effort it takes to keep that many horse's active, and in shape physically as well as continually teaching them. You do an excellent job, both you and Brenda. It's good to see that you now have the good help of William working for you. Thanks for the look into your life and operation.

@sueupham2519

3 ай бұрын

yes,Brenda too..and she may need new brushes,rakecombs,for the mud guys..wow Billy boy, sure would leave the hose on ya.

Jim, I think what makes a great horseman is compassion and love for the horses which you certainly have. So that makes you a great horseman in my book. For what it is worth. Love watching you with the horses😊

Hi Jim & Brenda. I loved being a part of your day. Glad to see how they utilize their water tub. So glad to keep learning their names a lot too. You can spend way more time showing their groomings. Love knowing what ya doing out in the field. Safety 1st yup.!. Hi Wm. So glad he's w yall.!. Jim has Horsemanship down to an tee.❤ hope you all have a gr8 rest of your day. ❤ yw. I'm subscribed.& wkc.!. Cheers😊 were having bad spring mud too. It's still "winter"!😢

Thank you for sharing. Feel free to share your stories. Wishing you and Brenda all the best!

Skippy likes to live dangerously !

Your words ring true Jim......we all need to strive each day, to do better than we did today, in all things. The horses, I think, just help us as we manage the road of life

Thank you Jim!!! Honesty...Perfect!!!

Jim, your comments on How you become a Great Horseman are so true. It takes years of work and experience around these wonderful animals . One of the most important issues that a person needs to do to get started is investigate and seek out a mentor to teach you the strong basics of horse care. . If a person is afraid of a shovel , broom and a brush and curry comb Your in the wrong business. As Jim stated You have to develop a thick skin and be able to accept common sense criticism . But be able to accept defeat sometimes and move on and learn. Horsemanship is a 7 day a week job . It's not like a truck or car that you turn off the key and close the door. A horse is a working athelete .As Jim stated consistency in feeding time cleaning , building up working muscles and etc. The most important to become a good horseman is to develop good horse sense and try to develop an understanding of what an individual horse can tolerate as far as moving loads and building them up to a great daily work. As Jim mentioned the important words in the horse world are calmness ,consistency and the love and respect these wonderful animals. It'll pay you back in spades. Take it from an old horseman who owned and rode and drove horses for over 40 years. If you watch and observe there so much natural communication between a horse and it's master. Along with a lot of serenity. Also you need a good way of making an income to support your horsey lifestyle.

Horses standing while can hear and see the logs swinging on their best side view is impressive! Watching the loading itself is also an event as well as having faithful William standing safely at the horses heads. Thanks for all the horse and human interaction you post for us!

I love this channel because, even though I don't own horses, I've always been fascinated by draft horses and you teach me to have persistence, tenacity, grit, patience, and be practical in life! ❤ Our five acres of raw land have put my husband and I to the test. You inspire us❤. Thank you both for sharing and filming and editing and all the things you do 🎉!

we all love Lady ❤

You have never come off as arrogant and I've watched every episode from the beginning. I've learned ALOT from you. You are definitely a great horseman! 😊

Thank you always enjoy your videos and look forward to Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11am central time. Please keep them coming!!!

I personally think nYOU ARE A GREAT HORSEMAN even though I cannot judge whether YOU are or not but as longtime viewer I see the care YOU and BRENDA give YOUR HORSES over the years I have watched YOUR videos.

The way of life you have chosen, is a blessing to watch. Prayers for safety as you do what you love!!!

I can see those teachings and training in your daughter Abbey as she works on her house she's not afraid of work but always learning how to get things done also willing to learn so many people don't have that trait enjoy the videos😊

No matter what you set your back to, if you don’t have a passion for it you are beat to start with. Jim recognized his passion long ago. Thank God he stayed at it! Just watching him thru training Barron, then working with Duke and Earl, then going to Bree, you can see different steps of training and recognize that you saw the same steps with the other horses. To me that is the epitome of consistency! Just think, if someone said that Jim Gordon was arrogant, that person is the one to be pitied. Jim doesn’t have to take time to share all of this with us, but I for one am very grateful that he and Brenda have done all this and shared their lives with us. Thank you Mr. Horseman! You wear the title well!

Consistency and confidence are both so important in raising children, also! Love is the key, especially when you realize how much the Lord loves us. 💜 And I love, love your horses, and hope to visit again sometime this year! 😊

Just loved Skippy on log pile and how agile Jim was jumping from cart along with his words about how to live life in general Looking forward 👌 ❤😊

Wew, now that's something to chew on, or as my grandpa would say, "put that in your pipe and smoke on it". Thanks Jim for taking the time to share those gems of wisdom, not many folks have the experience you have and none have your experience. Shifting gears,..pulling those limb filled trees appears to be dangerous as they shift around and do unpredictable things. I have always processed my trees right on the spot, at least to workable log lengths , so moving a full tree for me would be a new experience. You guys processed a lot of trees and that will make a great meadow. I was even imagining a pole barn or machine shed in that area. Or a building with multiple units for renting storage space. But yes, a pasture, so nice..Thanks for the great video. I being a lover of the Northern climate, little hard for me to see your warm winter, in a way , I hope you get one more spell of winter B4 old man winter leaves for the year. It's like he never arrived, ah ha. In Alaska we are colder than normal with snowbanks over my head, in the woods an abundance of snow, and I still have a 6" snow base in my work area, but that will change soon. Looking forward to another video up at Paul Smith's, sure like it up there. Thank you. Keep up the nice work and your doing good, good pace , not too fast not too slow, "in the groove" as they say, such truth to that. To God Be The Glory.

I have so much respect for you being careful with younger horses. You are an incredible man!❤

Brenda you pick up 🆙 THINK 🤔 SAFETY and always put SAFETY FIRST around hydraulic equipments lol 😊. Great video from working horses with Jim have to add William now . 😊

If you ever quite trying to learn new things , what do you have to show for your time. I like it when someone tells me that can't be done when I have already formed a proscess of doing it in my mind. I remember once I was doing a room above my shop, almost completely out of scrap I had save over several years. I told my wife what I had planed for a sink and the counter top I was going to put it in. again all of scrap . She told me that I could not do it. At that moment I knew I was going to and how I would do it. Nothing like a good challenge. Enjoyed your pep talk,so full of wisdom.

From my place here on my rocker I see you not only a great horse man but more so a great person. Both you and Brenda make a great team. Love your videos and look forward to seeing each and every one.

Good farmer, respect from Poland

I do watch a lot of other logging with horses/mules and so far you’re the best I’ve seen, so far.

Hallo schönes Wetter bei Euch, wünsche Gesundtheit und persönliches Wohlergehen …Danke für den Hauch von freier Arbeit mit den Pferden,welchengut im Futter sind-Gruss aus Deutschland/Köln-Bonn

Love your videos, I am concerne that your dog gets very close to the working horses and wagons often. Just an observation on videos.

I think a good or a great horseman is one that knows his limits as well as his horses limits And that's physically, Mentally and together as a team of what yas can do and that's what impresses me about you jim is how you handle your teams

I wholly agree with you Jim , so full of good advice based on a lifetime of experience.. it was so funny I was listening ,thousands of of miles away , whist doing other things and at about the 38' minute mark , I found myself out saying "consistency "as you said " what's the word" and for a couple of sentences could have been there talking to you !! 😁😃

I watch your videos daily, I luv how well kept and healthy the horses are,,

I was going to say patience was the #1 trait for being a great horseman. I remember my dad telling of his grandfather that didn't have patience for people, but when it came to horses he had all the time in the world. He said when him and my mom and oldest brother went over to Europe to visit His sister on a missions trip, his grandfather had his horse broke to drive in the 10 days they were gone.

I have been around Jim many times at horse puls and he is a great horseman, he doesnt over stress the horses. When he knows they have enough he doesnt push them. We have seen in all his videos that he is a great horseman. we have seen in several of his videos where he doesnt get nervous in stressful situations.

Love how the dog completely stole the show with that majestic entrance

Bree is going to be big......lov from south alabama........enjoyed your video as usual. hello to everyone here..

It’s not just about confidence in the face of negativity. It is also about confidence with the horses. If you lack confidence with the horses they will sense that and not feel safe with you so it is important that you are confident in the way you work with them.

like the video and the horses are looking great, all of them. Thank you both for the hard work you put into the farm and the community. Your humility and leadership are exemplary

beautiful weather and William is a god send

Hi Jim I am at this moment watching your theory about being a great Horseman and I am amazed that you have not bothered to write a book about this,you are a very talented person and I love watching your videos,Peter McFarlane Adelaide Australia cheers to you and your lovely family may God bless you and your family xxxxxxx

Not only are you an excellent horsemen is that you take very good care of all of your horses !😊

Hi Jim and Brenda!!😀😀 Great talk Jim. But you left one thing out that I think is number one. That is you have to love your horses unconditionally. Everything you said after you are spot on!! Take care my friends!!😀😀💚💚 Logger Al

@WorkingHorsesWithJim

4 ай бұрын

Good point!

William is great with with carpenter work. and a very hard worker.

Well Jim - as my dad and I are both fairly new horsemen, we aren't really in a position to judge anyone else - but as we told you at Dapnet, if it wasn't for you and Brenda doing this channel, we wouldn't be working with draft horses ourselves. Your world-class horsemanship aside, you are also a terrific leader/mentor (even if it is via the internet!), and most importantly, both you and Brenda are wonderful, caring human beings. Nothing else really matters! Alexa and James

@WorkingHorsesWithJim

4 ай бұрын

That’s nice! Thanks Alexa and James! Keep up the good work!

Bigo , takes paciients and commitment.. And so much more . Thankyou for the vidio. Skippy is adorable. Thankyou for the frank talk .

Printaboul = Gaëtan (Quebec city) In french we say «vivre par procuration» the Google translate it by «vicariously» So I'm 73 and I watch your videos to live «vicariously» the life that I would have liked to live. Does it make sense. The thing is I'm to much of a dreamer, and not enough a doer. In the last part of this video, what I can relate to is, the goal is ok, but you have also to be good enough at the process ... You said, one would have too be concistent .. May I had what I did lack ...persistent, in a way to not to be too jerky at moments, as too sloopy at others. Now I'm retired, and I'm more at peace ... Thanks Jim and Brenda. Also thanks to bear with my english.

Thank you Jim Brenda and William. That is a great bunch of firewood. I will start cutting mine ss soon as the ground is dry.❤❤❤.

A lot tougher today to start what you're doing than when you started 30 or 40 years ago!!!

Brenda, a good vacuum cleaner is the best way to deal with a horse like Bill. I worked with a groom whose horses always looked head and shoulders above everyone else's horses in the barn. I determined to know her secret, to the point of sneaking around to watch her when she wasn't looking. Her secret was she always vacuumed the horse first, before she curried them. If you curry first, the mud gets broken up and driven down into the coat, but if you vacuum first, you pick the mud off the hair before it gets driven into the coat. It also keeps you from breathing so much dust. An Electrogroom is great if you can afford it, but even a bigger Shopvac is better than nothing. Use the upholstery attachment like you would use the curry comb, and the mud will come right off the surface. Jim, one of the great things about you is your humility, but you are a great horseman. Yes, I agree about the confidence to keep going, but other important traits to a great horseman are humility, and a desire to keep learning. My definition of a great horseman is someone who can get the best out of most horses that are presented to him/her. There are always going to be those that you can't work with, but in the instance of most horses, a great horseman can figure out how to get along with that horse. A great horseman can figure out the strengths and weaknesses of the individual horse and work with that horse. A great horseman cares about his horses, and seeks to make them the best they can be. That doesn't come out of spending a lot of money on them, but rather spending a lot of time with them. I've been watching you for several years now, and I can see that although your various horses are very different in personality, you are able to work with them all, and get them to work well together, even when you are down to working with your two least suited horses due to circumstances beyond your control. Your stalls are always clean and comfortable, your horses are well fed and have clean water, your collars always fit, and your shoes are always in good shape. When there is a problem, like leg mites or lymphangitis, you always catch it quickly, which means you are paying attention to your horses, and you treat it quickly. A great horseman also disciplines his horse effectively, but never uses more force than absolutely necessary to maintain order and respect. A spoken word is all you need to maintain respect with your horses, although I don't doubt that you've had to use more than that from time to time to establish that respect. My daughter is watching your every move these days, and she does so because she knows I highly respect your horsemanship, and feel you are a safe person for her to learn from.

I love the videos when something doesn't go smoothly. Jim getting pitched from the cart for example. Glad nobody was hurt but it shows everyday work can have some difficulty. Not sure if I heard a chuckle in the audio but I know when that kinda stuff happens at our place there would have been a chuckle.

I could not agree more with Jim ! So true, money does not guarantee life quality. Love for horses is in everyhorseman genes, and true love for horses is when someone asks you well why do you love them so much and you answer well i don't know, i just do.

Very fine videos. Always enjoyable. Wish the Gordon's were my neighbors 'over the fence', 'last ones in the church parking lot talking', or 'helping to get in my hay before the rain'.

Well said Jim, well said. If you don’t believe in yourself nobody will.

My Grandfather and uncles were teamsters in the Ottawa valley skidding logs out of the Bush. They never used a cart. They just used a set up similar to what you see at a horse pull. Much safer on hills and uneven ground.

Hi Jim, Brenda and William. Thank you for letting me see your farm, horses and way of life. Very different to my urban existence in the UK! Only comment? Jim, next time you fancy taking a flying lesson, please use an airplane!

@WorkingHorsesWithJim

4 ай бұрын

Haha, great tip! Thanks for watching!

Such an inspiring end of the video!! Thank you Jim and Brenda for sharing your thoughts and insights with us all!

You and William could do double team plowing and mowing. That would be neat to see.

Great video Jim. I particularly like the method of putting Baron in harness and explaining the art of not trusting the team too much.

This is all so true! It's great advice for anything in life. You have to KNOW that you love what you're doing & no one will talk you out of it! Oh, I'd love to hear your stories! You need to make a couple of storytime videos!! 😊 I never even thought of you as arrogant! I wouldn't be a subscriber & never miss a video if you were!!! 😁

Hey Brenda, you and William were talking about the possibility of spring being here to stay. Then you mentioned William making ice. Can you and William explain why he is making ice, and how it is stored with no electricity.

Jim, you have a great skill set. I was a skilled construction inspector, and they always asked me to mentor new people. I did that until I retired. Right now, I make delicious afternoon snacks, like peaches with cottage cheese. Love your family. God bless.

Very good explanation! It's all true probably for everything you want to do. We have to take the risk to fail otherwise no learning. Lately I was surprised that my horses were scared and spooked because there was a big tractor working in the forest, but quite a distance away. I was not thinking that this might be an issue as they are not at all scared when a tractor works next to them. Sometimes horses think the other way around than yourself 😆 Please, everybody, subscribe. Jim and Brenda put so much effort into their videos and offer this unique content! Have a wonderful week everybody! -Chris

I made sure we were subscribed bc at one point we weren’t (not of our own doing). You reminded me to check it so thank you. We love you both so much / family. You are our happy place and we learn so much even though we don’t have horses. We have 2 donkeys and goats. ❤

Love your videos and enjoy watching them. Jim working the horses and cleaning the barn

Anybody whose horses are as well behaved and calm as your horses in all situations certainly can claim to be a great horseman. Other than that, I say becoming a good horseman first of all takes tremendous lasting love of horses, patience, endurance even under adverse circumstances, willingness to learn ( from the horses and people who are good with them), and experience. I have been working with horses for the last 61 years and have done almost everything and still don't feel that I know everything. There is always room for improvement!

Well said Jim. Thanks you all

Wonderful video. My friend and I would have loved to watch the full grooming and brushing of the horses in the morning. Let those who do not skip it. I miss those moments in the early videos. I also enjoy the unharnessing. Perhaps it could be included. It like unfinished stopping at the barn door. Love yall.

Great instructive footage at abt 30:30...responding to the unexpected! (Then "Jim be nimble, Jim be quick" jumped to mind. 😏)

Really good. Delving a little more into the details of succeeding at being a great horseman (i am a heavy horseman but by no means a great one) is setting yourself up in a part of the country where conditions are favorable. That is, cheaper land, lower taxes, yet still opportunities to make money with horses, that is access to a decent larger economy. You won't do it setting up in expensive regions servicing a great deal of debt. You also have to understand that "money" is not the same thing as "life." You have to be content living modestly and derive your sense of value and happiness from your setting and your day to day experiences rather than from displayes of outward material status and havng access to the widest array of upmarket material goods. At any rate, i think you are a not only a great horseman, you are also the future. Our current machine-driven way of life is dependent on a set of conditions that are right now in the process of going away, both literally and economically, although many don't understand this yet. They see the mounting chaos of the process underway out there perhaps, but they don't fully grasp the root nor the implications. We are going to need a lot more horsemen and women in the not too distant future.

You are a great horseman cause of you demeanor

The best video on great horsemanship I've seen. Thank you Jim! 🙌

All good points Jim. Love for the horse is key! Thank you for sharing. 🐴

Another great video! Self confidence in what you do and arrogance aren't the same thing. Actually you are able to get the self confidence through doing your best and getting advice from others such as yourself along the way.

@russlong7175

4 ай бұрын

Agreed

Good video. Glad you didn't get hurt Jim.