A traditional, low-impact approach to woodland management and timber extraction.

Our goal at Wild Arborist Horse Logging is not to compete with machinery-based forestry operations, but instead to work alongside machines in unity, providing a low-impact extraction, specialising in a sensitive approach to forestry. We aim to offer a combined method where man, machine and horse work together. We also operate a 3.5-tonne mini excavator, which has little impact on the ground and works well with the horses to move, and stack timber and windrow arisings. Our felling is done primarily by hand, ensuring a skilled and sensitive approach, especially for thinning operations. However, also working with a harvester allows us to provide a highly productive and efficient method of felling suitable for clear-fell operations.

Why are horses used in forestry?

Horses are well suited to horse logging due to their agility, low environmental impact, and ability to work in challenging terrain where heavy machinery might struggle. Their lighter footprint helps preserve the woodland ecosystem, making them a sometimes preferable choice for logging operations over machinery. Additionally, horses can navigate through dense forests without causing as much damage to the surrounding vegetation compared to heavy equipment. Although taking longer to carry out forestry operations, the cost comparison works out roughly the same as machinery or in some cases, it can be a more cost-effective option.

The benefits of using horses over heavy machinery:

• Low Environmental Impact: Horses have a lighter footprint, which minimises soil compaction and reduces damage to delicate ecosystems compared to heavy machinery. The minimising of soil compaction allows for a healthier woodland floor following forestry operations, making it possible for immediate restocking as there is no necessity for ground prep following the works.

• Reduced Disturbance: Horses cause less noise and vibration, minimising disruption to surrounding wildlife and maintaining a quieter working environment.

• Waterways: Due to the use of horses, there is no risk of contamination from burst hydraulic fluids, diesel fuel from refilling or leaks etc into waterways during extraction, which can often occur with machinery use.

• Versatility: Horses can navigate dense forests and uneven terrain more easily, allowing access to areas where machinery is impractical.

• Cost-Effective: Although the work invariably will take longer, in many situations, horse logging can be more cost-effective, especially for sensitive sites or areas where extraction of timber is limited for machinery. The low-impact nature of horse logging means tracks do not necessarily have to be instated at the start of the works and minimal, if any, reinstatement of the woodland is required at completion.

• Positive environmental practices: Horse logging has a strong place in today's society and values as it aligns with the goals of sustainable forestry practices, promoting a closer connection to nature. This, especially for commercial organisations can be a great opportunity to show that care is being taken to minimise the environmental impact of forestry operations.

Our Equine Team

What breed of horse is used for horse logging?

Heavy horses, such as Clydesdales, Percherons, Contois or Shires, are often used for horse logging for several reasons. At Wild Arborist we use Shire horses, a native British breed known for their intelligence, gentle temperament, their love for work and incredible strength. They are also well suited to the climate in the UK, being a native breed, and enjoy a life outside in the elements. They are now considered to be a rare and endangered breed having been nearly wiped out after the second world war when their jobs were taken over by the use of machines. We feel it is our responsibility to look after and nurture this endangered breed by continuing to use them in this field, for which they are very well suited.

Shire Horse Facts:

• Incredible Strength: Pound for pound they can pull the most weight, and are surprisingly nimble for their size! Shire horses are heavy draft horses, and their weight can range from 820 to 1,100 kg or more, depending on the individual horse and their conditioning.

• History: The Shire horse originated in England, with records of the breed dating back to medieval times. They were originally bred for use in agriculture, particularly for heavy hauling and ploughing tasks. Over time, they later became popular as carriage horses due to their imposing size and graceful movement.

• Gentle Giants: Even though they are one of the largest horse breeds in the world, their calm temperament is very well suited to noisy and potentially dangerous forestry sites. 

The Wild Arborist Shire horse, Alfred, is 4 years old and currently in training to be a fully-fledged logging horse. The shire currently working with the Wild Arborist team is Jackson - a 17-year-old veteran horse logger owned by Keith & Carolyn Trickey. Keith is our mentor at Wild Arborist and, although retired from full-time logging now, used to do much of the horse logging for the Duchy, National Trust, and many other landowners along with his wife, Carolyn. Wild Arborist has recently joined Keith and Carolyn as active members of the Cornish Heavy Horse Society.

Please consider joining the Cornish Heavy Horse Society, not all members have heavy horses, but they all have a love of heavies and enjoy being involved with them. The Cornish Heavy Horse Society aims to promote Heavy Horses and Working Horses within Cornwall and beyond by showing, attending Rallies and Country Fairs, holding working days, training days and supporting charity events and fundraising.

Horse Welfare

Our horses' welfare, safety, health and happiness are always our priority. Here are some of the ways we ensure they have a happy and fulfilled life:

• A happy life: Alfred’s day-to-day life is one of leisure, spent out in nature or a large open barn with his friends. Alfred’s daily routine follows this sort of schedule: First thing in the morning he is turned out in an 8-acre field with 4 other horses and ponies as company (and sometimes a herd of bullocks). He grazes all day and comes in later in the evening to a hearty meal, a large clean stable and two haynets. He lives in an open barn with his friends Eric and Poppy (featured in the photograph below). 3 or 4 times a week, Alfred is long-reined or ridden on the local country lanes to keep his fitness up and engage his very active brain! The days he will spend working will likely equate to less than 5% of his time.

• Strict shift patterns: We rotate on a shift pattern, with each shift never exceeding 2 hours. Between each shift, our horses are given food, haylage and water. They will do a maximum of 3 shifts per day depending on the site and demands on the horse. They never work more than 1 or 2 days in a row.

• Backup: Our mini excavator is always on-site as a backup should our horses need to stop work for any reason.