Ask A Teamster: Rigging Chain
by Dr. Doug Hammill D.V.M. of Montana
QUESTION:
Dear Doc,
I’m wondering if you might have a solution to a bit of a problem I am having when I drag bunches of poles with my team. A lot of my stuff is small diameter, like 2 to 6 inches, and I put two good size bundles together with a figure 8 hitch using a log chain. I can’t seem to get things tight enough to keep from losing a few or sometimes all of the poles before I get where I’m going. This doesn’t happen every time but just often enough to be frustrating. Any suggestions?
Mike Hughes, Vermont
RESPONSE:
Although I do a lot of work in the woods with my horses, I certainly don’t consider myself to be a real logger. In addition to what I offer here, I would like to encourage horse loggers and other teamsters out there to drop us a line and share their ideas and suggestions.
Before we get started, I need to make it understood that I’ve chosen to use two logs instead of two bunches of poles, and placed the chain unacceptably close to the ends of the logs, strictly for photographic purposes. This was done for visual clarity so the pattern the chain follows around the logs is easier to see and not confusing. For actual skidding, the chain must be placed back at least a foot, or more, from the ends of the logs (photo #1).
As with you, Mike, much of my skidding is bunches of poles and small logs. In the past, I too had unsatisfactory results with a simple figure eight wrap (photo #2). Many years ago, using trial and error, I stumbled on to a different pattern with my chain, and it has proven to be very satisfactory, not only for bundles of poles, but for logs of all sizes. I don’t claim to have discovered anything new. When my stepfather, Tom Triplett, first saw me using it, he was surprised to see the same method his father had always used. It’s very likely that it has been, and is, used by other teamsters as well. For all I know, it may be in common use, and perhaps even have a name that I’m not aware of.
SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Before I get to the actual pattern of running the chain around the load, I want to mention some safety and equipment considerations.
My late friend and mentor, Addie Funk, was one of the most careful, safety conscious and best horsemen I’ve ever known. Addie didn’t like to skid with a chain that had a hook on both ends. He was convinced that a loose hook bouncing around on the end of a chain way out behind the rigging had as it’s sole purpose to hang up on something. Addie’s concern was not only the inconvenience of a dragging hook snagging trash, but the danger that it might catch solidly on a root, small tree, stub, etc. In addition to potentially jerking the horse(s), a hook that catches on something solid may break loose under pressure, causing the chain to fly forward, perhaps injuring a horse or the teamster. Addie, therefore, used a skidding chain with a slip hook on one end and nothing on the other end. When dragging the skid chain around empty he always hooked his chain with it’s only hook very close to the swivel grab hook on the rigging (photo #3). Doing so, puts the only hook on the chain up close to the rigging where it is not so apt to catch on something. Furthermore, the mischievous hook drags along in front of the teamster with the rigging, where he can see that the whole works maneuvers obstacles safely. The majority of the skid chain, with no hook on the free end, drags harmlessly out behind. To Addie these were important safety considerations.
Another of my great teachers, Tom Triplett, doesn’t like a hook on both ends of a skid chain for the same reasons as Addie. However, Tom likes to use a chain with a slip hook on one end, and a “bitch link” (grab link) on the other end (photo #4). He finds the bitch link to be very useful, without the inconvenience and danger of a second hook. Being a closed loop rather than a hook, a bitch link is not apt to become hooked on things as it drags through the woods. Of course, it could happen, but neither Tom nor I have ever had that occur. Whereas, a hook dragging out behind is always catching on something.
The bitch link can be used in several different ways. Positioned as in photo #5 you can drop a loop of chain through the link and create a slip loop that will tighten around a log, (photo #6). Unlike a loop made with a slip hook, one with a bitch link cannot accidentally come unhooked, although getting the chain on in the first place is sometimes more difficult. Having a bitch link on the free end of the chain is very useful because it allows you to create a loop to pick up additional logs after you have started your skid – without having to undo the chain from the logs and re-rigging it to include the additional logs. Turned end for end, the bitch link can also be used much like a grab hook (photo #7) for when you want a loop that will not slide and tighten (photo #8). If you need to hook two chains together, a bitch link can also accomplish that task by working like a grab hook (photo #9).
Although a shorter skid chain will suffice for many jobs, I find about a 15 foot chain ideal for most of my work in the woods and around the ranch. However, a couple big bundles of small diameter poles, some extra large logs, or a big round hay bale will sometimes require splicing on another chain with the bitch link, or using a longer chain.
Before I get into placing the chain on the logs, there is an extremely important safety consideration that I feel must be emphasized. I implore you to always have your skid chain completely unhooked from the horse(s) when working to position and attach it around logs, or any other load. In other words, a chain that you are hooking to logs, poles, or anything else, should not be attached in any way to a single tree, double tree, or any other rigging which is hooked to a horse, horses, oxen, goat, etc. If a horse moves unexpectedly, and even the best of them do at times, I guarantee that you do not want your hands and fingers near the chain and the log (or whatever) that they are hitched to. “Stung by a yellow jacket” comes to mind here. Being careful and watching the horse(s) is not good enough – the chain must be completely unhooked from the animal(s) when you work with it. I know of two men who lost fingers when a horse, in one case, and a mule in the other, moved unexpectedly – need I say more.
POSITIONING AND ATTACHING THE CHAIN
There are actually two variations of this hitch. With the first method the point of draft is near the bottom of the logs, while the second pattern puts the point of draft up towards the top of the logs. The method that is most appropriate for a particular situation depends primarily how high off the ground we need to hook to insure the proper angle of draft for the horse(s) – (see: Work Horse Handbook, second edition, Mechanics of Draft, pages 31 – 46). The weight of the load and its tendency to dig into the ground as it skids along is another factor to be considered. In other words, how much lift do we need on the front end of the load?
For simplicity and visual clarity, I have chosen to talk about, and illustrate with, just two logs. However, the same procedures apply for more logs, bunches of small poles, etc.
FIRST METHOD OF ATTACHING THE CHAIN
Run the slip hook end of the chain from the outside of the first log all the way under both logs, continuing up the outside of the second log, over the top of it, and down between the two logs. Attach the slip hook to the chain where the chain goes across beneath the two logs (photo #10). Be sure to point the tip of the hook back when you hook it to the chain. Work any slack out of the chain and tighten it around this second log. Next, the free end of the chain is brought up the outside of the first log, over the top and down between the two logs. Run it behind the portion of the chain that goes across beneath the two piles, and bring it forward underneath that part of the chain (photo #11). Thread it through, but don’t pull it tight yet.
Next, grab the chain where it goes over the first log and pull towards the second log to tighten the chain and pull the logs together, eliminating the space between them. When doing this, be careful not to pull the end of the chain up and out from between the logs as it may be difficult to thread the chain back down between them once they are pulled together. Finally, remove the rest of the slack by pulling forward on the end of the chain. You are now ready to hook your team to the chain.
Alternatively, you can end up with the same pattern by running the slip hook end of the chain under one log from inside to outside, up the outside and over the top to hook the chain between the two logs. This puts a slip loop on one log. Then, simply throw a half hitch around the second log such that the finished job looks like photo #11.
This first method permits hooking to the load very close to the ground for maximum lift on the front end.
SECOND METHOD OF ATTACHING THE CHAIN
The second variation of this same hitch is to simply put it on upside down from what I have just described above. To do so, we run the slip hook end of the chain from the outside of the first log, over the top of both logs, down the outside of the second log and under it, then up between the two logs. The hook is attached to the chain where it crosses on top between the two logs (photo #12). As before, the tip of the hook should be pointed back.
The loose end of the chain is now wrapped around the first log by taking it down the outside of the log, underneath, and up between the two logs, and passing behind the chain where it crosses the two logs on top (photo #13). Here is where the better tightening comes in. Because this free end of the chain is coming up between the logs it works very nicely to stand beside log two, and place a foot on it, while pulling on the free end of the chain. By pulling on the chain while pushing against log two with your foot, the load can be worked together very tightly (photo #14).
An advantage of this variation is that you can pull the chain tighter and pull the two logs (or bunches) together more securely. The tighter the load is bound before you start to skid, the less the likelihood of spilling the load. With this method, the horse(s) will be pulling from near the top of the load rather than from near the bottom. This may put the point of draft too high, as well as creating less uplift on the front end. However, the point of hitch can be adjusted downward by rotating the chain on the logs to reposition it. With a little practice you will be able to get the point of hitch just where you want it. Of course, your logs must be well pulled together and the chain very tight before you start the skid, or the chain can be pulled out of position – but that is true regardless of how things are rigged.
As with the first method, this second pattern can be applied a little differently by placing a slip loop on one log and throwing a half hitch on the other.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
A little care and consideration in putting together your paired bunches of small diameter material can help keep the load together while skidding it. Experience has taught me that putting the largest diameter pieces on the bottom of the stack tends to keep it from shaking apart as it drags along. Keeping all the poles parallel and tightly piled with minimum free space between them also helps. The larger diameter butt ends should be at the front of the pile to reduce the tendency of the chain to slide forward and off the end. It’s also a good idea to stack the poles so the forward facing butt ends are all even with one another, rather than some back and others sticking out forward.
Taking great care to work all the slack out of the chain, getting it as snug as possible and generally “tightening up the load” is well worth the time and effort. When necessary, the horse or team can be used to give a final tightening before starting the skid. To do this, position the horse(s) beside the pile with rear end(s) at the level of the already placed chain, and the head(s) facing straight out at a right angle to the length of the logs. Hook the chain longer than for skidding so that if the logs or bundle of poles roll over they will not hit the horse’s legs. As always, be careful about your own safety with regard to where you are and where the logs/poles may potentially move. By using horsepower to first pull straight out to the side rather than forward, the chain can be cinched down much tighter than by hand. Pull only enough to bind the load together tightly, then, reposition the horse or team in the direction you want to go, hook the chain the appropriate length for skidding, and hit the trail. The pattern the chain takes around the load will determine which side to pull towards, and whether it will run from the center over a log and to the horse(s), or under a log then to the horse(s).
The more pieces per bundle and the more irregular (crooked) they are, the farther back I place the chain – up to 2 or 3 feet in some cases. When doing this keep in mind that it affects the angle of draft and diminishes lift to be pulling so far back from the horse(s). In such cases it may be advisable to throw an additional half hitch around the entire load closer to the front end (photo #15). Besides adjusting the draft angle and creating better lift on the front of the load, the half hitch will bind the load together very securely.
I don’t hesitate to use this double pattern any time I suspect a load might come apart without the extra half hitch. Logs or poles with the bark peeled off tend to be slippery and are good candidates for the extra half hitch. Position the half hitch so that the chain comes away from the load in the center on top (photo #15), or centered at the bottom – whichever will give the desired angle of draft and lift. This double hitch also helps to keep the back end of the poles from spreading apart on turns. On skid trails with lots of turns the repeated spreading apart and coming together of the rear ends can work the load apart. If all else fails to control such spreading and loosening, tie the back ends of the poles together with an old, dispensable rope.
Regardless of the pattern used for placing the chain when skidding, upward lift on the front of the logs can usually be increased by re-hooking the trace chains as short as practical while still maintaining the proper line of draft. The obvious limitation is that the chains must not be hooked so short that the horse’s rear legs hit the single tree as he pulls.
I’m suspicious that my references to angle of draft, line of draft, point of hitch, and so forth may have raised some additional questions. Although it’s tempting to define, explain and compare these dynamics, doing so now would exceed the realities of time and space available. If you have an interest in angle and line of draft, point of hitch, or any other teamster subjects, please send us your questions.
Doug “Doc” Hammill D.V.M.
Doc Hammill lives on a ranch in Montana. He and his partner Cathy Greatorex help people learn about gentle/natural horsemanship and driving and working horses in harness – through writing, workshops, demonstrations, lectures, and his horsemanship video series. www.DocHammill.com
