Bounding out to work: Farmer ditches modern technology and turns to horses
Sampson family has owned farm since 1882 and always had working horses
Old fashioned approach is supported by Mr Sampson’s wife Barbara
Powerful and magnificent, the Percheron horses kick up a haze of dust as they pull the heavy plough across a field.
The nostalgic scene could come straight from the pages of a history book. Or perhaps a modern sideshow to demonstrate the methods of a bygone age.
Yet this is just an ordinary working day for farmer Robert Sampson – who has chosen to ditch machinery to stay true to the traditional ways his family have used for five generations.
Horsing around: A normal working day for farmer Robert Sampson - who has chosen to ditch machinery to stay true to the traditional methods his family have used for five generations
His beasts of burden may not be as fast as a tractor, but Mr Sampson believes they do a reliable – and often better – job.
And such is his enthusiasm for the old methods, he didn’t even bother to fix a tractor he kept for occasional jobs such as trimming pastures when it broke down recently.
So now his four strapping Percheron horses do all the work.
The 56-year-old farmer takes them out each day to plough and roll the ground, to sow crops and to turn hay on his 265-acre farm in Hampshire.
But his determination to remain loyal to the old ways brings its challenges.
Horse-drawn ploughs can no longer be bought, so Mr Sampson has had to convert all the machinery himself from equipment designed to be pulled by tractor.
Happy family: Three generations of the Sampson family in the yard of their old fashioned property. Son Tom Sampson with daughters Megan and Isabel and Robert with wife Barbara.
Horseplay: The end of the day - Hard work, but Robert maintains it is much more satisfying than using a tractor
Sturdy stallions: Four strapping Percherons do all the work. The 56-year-old farmer takes them out each day to plough and roll the ground, to sow crops and to turn hay on his 265-acre farm in Hampshire
Hardworking: Although it takes him three times as long to till the land as it would with a tractor Robert maintains the economic benefits as well as his enjoyment more than make up for the slightly slower progress
The Sampson family has owned Harbridge Farm, near Ringwood, since 1882, and it has always had working horses.
‘My father never fully mechanised the farm and we used horses in conjunction with tractors,’ Mr Sampson said.
‘Using horses is slow but for some jobs they are better, such as rolling crops, because the machine works better if you do it slowly.
‘We have 265 acres of land and they work on anything and everything.
'I’m doing my bit to save the environment because I am producing my own fuel and I am self-sufficient with the horses.
‘I do it because I enjoy it, I love it. People think I’m mad and there are times when I think I am.’
A tractor is several times faster than horses. In a day it can plough ten acres of land compared with only two with horses.
For grass cutting, a tractor is around three times faster. And for harrowing – smoothing the surface of the soil – a tractor can do six times as many acres in the same time.
But despite its inefficiency, the old fashioned approach is supported by Mr Sampson’s wife Barbara, 56. ‘Robert gets a lot of pleasure from it,’ she said.
Timeless: Robert Sampson with father Tom in the early 80's. Robert says his determination to remain loyal to the old ways brings its challenges
Simple life: Robert's father Tom with his sisters on the farm in 1940. A modern tractor is several times faster than horses
Beautiful beasts: Tom Sampson ploughing the land in the late 60's. For grass cutting, a tractor is around three times faster and for harrowing – smoothing the surface of the soil – a tractor can do six times as many acres in the same time
Beautiful scene: Robert says - 'I do it because I enjoy it, I love it. People think I'm mad and there are times when I think I am'
Rolling around: Despite its inefficiency, the oldfashioned approach is supported by Mr Sampson's wife Barbara
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