21/10/2026
The Decline of Horse Power on the Farm. Before the little grey Fergie, the power behind the plough had four legs—and needed feeding before breakfast.
On Cumbrian farms, working horses such as Clydesdales remained a familiar sight throughout the 1940s and into the early 1950s. Tractors gradually took over, with the much-loved little grey Ferguson, or “Fergie”, becoming a symbol of that change.
But the transition took time. On many farms, horses continued working alongside machinery, carrying out jobs they had done for generations.
A day’s ploughing began long before the first furrow was turned. The horses needed feeding, grooming and careful harnessing before heading into the fields. Suitable ground conditions mattered too: working waterlogged soil could make the job harder for both horses and ploughman.
For a two-horse team, collars were fitted over their heads, followed by the rest of the harness. Backbands supported parts of the equipment, while chains connected the harness to the plough through bars that helped distribute the pull.
Every strap and connection needed checking. A poorly fitted collar could cause painful rubbing, and successful ploughing depended on the horses and their handler working together.
Then came hours of steady walking, guiding the team and holding the plough as it opened the soil.
The tractor changed farming—but it also brought an end to a working partnership built on skill, patience and knowing your horses.
