Below are the stages, rules and scoring system for the BHL Horse Logging Competition.

The competition 'evolves' and parts of it are changed or added most years. This is especially true for this year as we shall be finalising the rules for the European Competition which will be held at the APF in September.

British Horse Loggers Competiton

Rules

Entry per team : free entry for BHL members, a charge to be levied for non members.

Allowed one run per entry (plus one practice run if required prior to the actual competition).

Runs to be conducted at safe working pace - this is not a race. Time allowed to complete the course should be reasonable. Points are for forestry related exercises and time only comes into play upon a tie. Course to be in an open woodland setting, as realistic as possible and avoiding excessively tight turns.

Spreader bar/swingle trees and traces to be used for all elements. Choker chains or skidding grapple as preferred. Judges will award points for horse handling and timber handling. If timber is handled (eg to assist log onto stack, the timber must be lifted only when the horse is in traction.)

Suitable work harness in good condition that fits the horse and feet in good condition. Judges reserve the right to penalise/withdraw a horse under this rule if necessary but any penalty should be discussed with the handler.

Safety is paramount and working a horse loose in a public competition needs an experienced and well trained horse. Novices are to be encouraged to attempt the course but assistance may be required to ensure safety.

A ‘white horse’ should be taken around the course to demonstrate the order of the course and the tests to the competitiors. This will give reassurance that the course is achievable.

Course. Singles and pairs competition.

Gates. Box and other gates need amending for pairs. Generally 3’6” for singles and 7’ for pairs.

Course is described as for a single horse. Same course applies for a pair. This is a driving course and horses will be penalised if led, with only half the full amount of points possible. Before starting, competitors may re-position the log until they are happy with the end they are pulling and it’s alignment.

1. Time to start when horse’s nose crosses start line.
2. Horse to cross the ‘water hazard’ (which can be artificial) on way to the box.
3. Log in position in Box to start. Log to be 7m softwood pole with ‘rounded’ ends (no flare or buttresses). Same log to be used for all single entries. Larger diameter log to be used for double/pairs entries. Box to consist of 18 upright posts set at 2.5m x 2.5m with suitable entry and exit alley widths. Approximately doubled in size for pairs competiton. (See above)
4. Box. Teams to enter box, turn and reverse to log and hitch. Pull log out of exit to box. Horses and handlers to be within box at all times.
5. Head up course to timed stop. Nose of log to be between markers and horse to wait for 15 seconds. Continue up course to chain saw hazard.
6. At chain saw hazard, reins are to be dropped or hung up. Assistance may be called upon to stand by horse’s head if required. Chain saw is started and revved and a small pile of logs is moved to one side to allow the horse to pass. Correct handling of timber is required using lifting aids and work gloves.
7. Voice command. Horse to be commanded to move from a stop through a marked gate and then stopped again by voice command only. Reins can be held loosely if horse is novice, expectation is that they will be trailed or hung up on the hames. Reins not to be used to correct the horse and taken up again at the second stop.
8. Shunt. Shunt to involve reversing the log to fully roll a log (with roll indicator) without knocking over the peramater markers.
9. Balance. Log to be balanced at right angles to secured half round log.
10. Around course to Stack. Stack to involve pulling or rolling course log onto two parallel logs pinned and roped down with smoother ends. The objective is to place the log safely in the groove formed by the ‘stack’, parallel with those logs and the end of the log flush with the ends of the two fixed logs.
11. Loading exercise; log to be pulled up ramp with pause (5 seconds) before completing. Log to pulled at right angles to ramp.
12. Wobbly bridge. Two large diameter round logs with round log across to make wobbly bridge. Two small ‘markers’ to be positioned at ends of bridge to measure movement. (ie, they will fall off if the bridge is nudged) Log to be shunted under bridge, choker detached and re-attached to pull log through obstacle without hitting bridge or knocking off markers.
13. Parbuckle. Roll log up onto forwarder using ropes fixed in place for the purpose. Log to be rolled down by hand.
14. Return the log to correct start position in entrance to box.
15. Time finishes when team leaves the exit of the box. Same conditions apply as in 3 and 4.

Scoring.

Competiton is designed to be positive - awarding good standards of work with points rather then penalising mistakes with penalties.

Water Hazard. Total of 20 points to be awarded. 5 points awarded if horse enters the ‘water’ and then leaves. No points for a complete refusal.
Box. 2 points for each of 18 pegs left standing. Total of 40 points to be awarded. 5 points lost for each occasion handler steps out of box. Similar marking (overall) for the pair. As with all gates, horse and handler must stay inside.
Timed stop. Horse to stop for 15 seconds while nose of log is in marked zone. Total of 20 points to be awarded. If horse does not stand relaxed, points may be deducted and all points may be void if the log leaves the marked zone within the stop time. Judge’s discretion.
Chain saw hazard. Total of 20 points to be awarded. Points deducted for horse moving etc at judges’ discretion.
Voice command. Perfect 40 points. Use of reins, 20 points for each touch. Missing gate 20 points. Failure to start or to stop on voice, 0 points.
Shunt. 5 points for each of 4 uprights left standing. 20 points for a full roll. Total of 40 points. If full roll not achieved, all points void.
.Balance. Perfect 40 points. Pressure with one finger needed to achieve balance 20 points. No balance but otherwise correctly achieved, 10 points.
Stack. Maximum 40 points to be awarded. Deduction of points for non flush ends (to be calculated by 25 cms increments, 5 points per 25 cms. All points lost if log is fully on ground. Maximum of 10 points awarded if one end is on the stack only (subject to flush rule).
Skid upramp. Perfect 20 points. No pause only 10 points. Failure to complete 0 points.
Wobbly bridge. Perfect 40 points. Wobble but markers in place 30. One marker down 20, two markers down 10. Destruction of bridge 0 points.
Parbuckle. Perfect 40 points, attempt but not completed or pulled right over, 20 points. Complete refusal/failure 0 points.
Return log to marked position in box for next competitor to start. Max 20 points; log to be aligned correctly and with its nose between the markers. Time to be stopped when horse and handler leave the box. Points can still be lost for leaving the box rather than along the exit or for knocking over pegs (box will have been reset during the run).

A possible maximum of 380 points can be awarded for a clear round. Time to be used only to decide in the event of a tie. Judges may disqualify/mark down a horse that is worked with excessive and atypical speed, ie. at a speed that could not be maintained throughout a full working day. A horse that is considered unsafe may also be disqualified.