Draft Animal Services

Marco & Polo learn from Morgan Taggart.

Animal Training

While Tillers' primary goal is to teach good training techniques, staff and students regularly train teams of oxen as part the program. We occasionally help others with this, or recommend people who can help train oxen or draft horses.

Buying a Team

Tillers occasionally sells a team of oxen or a draft horse. We are also pleased to help others buy and sell. However, the best place to find a selection of draft animals for sale or to list your animals is probably the Rural Heritage website.

Every year during the June Oxen Basics class and the Ox Training Clinic, Tillers trains a new team of calves. If these calves are not sold to a student of the class, they receive farm training in everything from logging, manure spreading, and mowing hay, to educating groups at fairs and events. With this wide range of exposure, these oxen are ready to go to work for the hobbyist, small farmer, or living history museum. If you are interested in a pair of oxen, call about enrolling in Tillers' Classes or acquiring a team of oxen trained at Tillers. They will surprise you with their abilities to learn and follow commands.

Oxen Demo at Michigan State University's Ag Expo!

Demonstrations

Tillers provides rural and historical educational exhibits at County Fairs, MSU's Ag Expo, and Historical Sites. These usually include demonstrations of oxen power. Many events appreciate the uniqueness of a quality exhibit that demonstrates the way farms were run in the Midwest in 150 years ago. Prices for this service vary by the distance of travel and the number of staffing needed. Call staff for a proposal.

269/626-0223

Jan Ott demostrates training in Uganda.

Overseas Training

Tillers organizes and staffs overseas classes that exchange a wide array of animal training techniques. These sessions emphasize hands-on practical demonstrations and instruction. We enjoy interacting with other experienced teamsters, and learning their techniques as well. Email us at: tillers@tillersinternational.org

Dulcy trains calves.

Ray Ludwig