2011 - Volume #BFS, Issue #11, Page #56
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Horse-Powered Snowplow
When a 90-house development went up across the road from Sam Lapp’s farm in Pennsylvania, he found a unique way to provide a valuable service to his new neighbors. His horse-powered snowplow quickly became the talk of the development. The Amish farmer doesn’t use tractors or any equipment with rubber wheels so he had to get creative when designing a snowplow to clear driveways. He came up with a push-from-behind plow that’s powered by 2 or 4 draft horses harnessed between the front and rear wheels.
The 7-ft. wide front blade is raised and lowered hydraulically, powered by an 8 hp. gas motor mounted in back under the operator’s seat. Steering of the front wheels is also controlled hydraulically. There are a total of 4 hydraulic cylinders on the machine, which can turn on a dime thanks to its single rear wheel. The angle of the blade is changed by hand.
Lapp, who recently relocated to Wisconsin, says horses quickly learn to follow the moves of the machine. For most snowfalls, two horses provide plenty of power. But when snow piles up deep, he can hook up two more horses, hitching them four across behind the blade.
Lapp will custom-build the snowplows to sell. He says once he started using it, word of mouth about the unusual plow rig got him plenty of customers.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Samuel F. Lapp, 8310 Ames Rd., Darlington, Wis. 53530 (ph 608 482-0500).
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