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Prince Charles: my countryside heroes - Telegraph Article
The horse logger
Simon Lenihan:
''I grew up with horses farming in Co Limerick, Ireland, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. My wife, Katherine, used to work the horse while I did the timber-felling, but she now looks after the house and the farm in the Lake District while I – and four of my sons – do the horse logging.
“It remains the most environmentally friendly, low-carbon form of timber harvesting. Horse loggers are often asked to work in difficult areas: big machines have their place, but, usually, other big machines then have to come in and repair the damage.
“None of us has the right to destroy the forest. We recognise mechanised harvesting will be the main mover, but on sensitive sites of archaeological importance or by rivers and watercourses, horses are best.
“We have six horses, a mixture of Belgian Ardennes and North Swedish, which have been bred for forestry work. The Prince is a real champion of champions for horse-logging. He’s provided work on his estates and put on events in every corner of the country to revive the practice and keep it alive.”
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