The Huron Expositor, 1979-12-13, Page 251 eming
Horses are a way,- of life, for, William:
Leeming of McKillop Township in :Huron.
County. •Raised on the 14th of McKillop, be
started farm work in the days when horses,:
not tractorswere used for ploughing,
At 13,E lie plowed behind a team at itis
first Huron County Plowing Match.
"*Anybody mould ,plow with horses.," Bill`
Leeming says and he predicts that we'll see
Mere ;and More horses working on small
farms, as energy .costs Continue to climb.
"A tractor is just a bunk of Machinery,"
he says,. while a horseis a- let Mee *halt
that.
'though herecently sold his farmand:
moved south a few miles to the seventh of
McKillop, horses are still a big part of Bill
Leetning's life. He owns 40, 1.1 op his new
two and a half acre home place and the
others pastured out with. friends and!
nephews.
He buys heavy colts from Eastern,
Ontario, near the Quebec border and
raises them, along with ponies, to sell. This
fall he'll sell 12, aged from a year to two
Years'
He often mates them up as teams and
sells them that way, mostly to people who
want horses for parades and shows. It's a
booming business,
} Harness maker Malcolm Jacobs of
Brussels, with whom Bill bought colts last
summer, brought, another load up this
summer "and they are all sold now," .Mrr
Leeming says.
Mr: iLeeming' has raised "I don't know
low many ponies" which local parents
have bought" for their kids.
"I tell them to try, them out first. If the
ponies don't suit the kids, they canbring,
them back."
He's careful' to buy only mildtempered
Ponies. "I won't keep a bad one: " One
wild tempered pony that he "wouldn't sell
or give. away," Mr..Leeming sent , to the
Kitchener horse sale. Most animals sold
there go for horse meat, a popular item
with some Canadians.
"I don't like to see a horse go for meat,"
• Mr. Leeming admits but he says horsemeat.
isbecoming; a profitable commodity. There,
are feed lots fatteninghorses; for meat and
the McKillop farmer has heard there's one
near London with 500 'head. It's not yet
part of °the Huron farm .scene however.
County Ag rep Don Pullen says he doesn't
know of anyone raising horses for meat in
the area.
Those sold for, meat at the. Kitchener sale
areusually old, bad or perhaps race horses
that are tooslow for the track,. Bill Leeming
says.,
While horseslif`, just abet* any' 'iiiiupd
interest Bill Leeming, his eyes really, light
up when he talks about his. "hobby.
horses," several Miniature teams 'that he
exhibits in parades as far away as Mount
Forest and Kincardine.
These include sorrels for a four hitch
wagon, a Palomino team S1" high and ;a
pair of hackney ponies 42" high. He's
working on ' putting .together a team of
Belgians, black with four: white legs and.
faces. He hopes to get heavy colts next
He's driven milestofind matesto match.
up his teamsand often gets calls. from:
other, horse lovers who. know what he's
looking- for: "We help each other," Mr.
Leeming says,adding that the main thing
he enjoys about: parades end steam shows
:is the "fellowship" with other horse
.owners. Horse breeders and raisers knew
each .other and hunt for each other. "It
drawseveryone together.' he says,
Mr. Leeming has several different sizes
And types of buggies and wagons, for his
small teams. He's -cut down old ones and
made new ones. Not ;long ago he bought a
very .old but factory made small pony
Sleigh . One priceless item his horses .pull?
is an early McKillop mad grader, over 100
years old, which he bought from the
township and exhibits occasionally 1n
historical parades, Bill is a township
councillor and, he sometimes represents the
township with the grader.
Also priceless is, Ole sorrel mule which. .
Mr. Leeming bought near "St. Mary's. At►:
RCMP representative front the west was,
keen to buy it at a recent parade in Mount ,.
Forest. "But. I wouldn't even put a price on
it. I've learned, I did that once and sold a
team,' didn't want to sell," 'Mr. teeming
remembers with a senile.
"it's a business and a hobby," Bill says.
"I like buying and selling."
There's a real art to getting horses ready.
for a parade, Mr. Leeming says there
always must be at least one experienced:
horse in a team. Even so, horses regular ly
shy at crosswalks and other lilies on main
street pavements, and at railroad cros-
sings. Newly painted lines on a Listowel!
streetcaused a lot of problems for horse
owners during a parade there, BillLeeming
reemnembers.
Despite what 'spectators might think,
music from bands doesn't much bother
teams on parade. "You can get them ;used
to -that. with the radio at home," Bill
explains.
Flags flopping in the breeze Cad scare a
horse though as can a child's 'balloon:.
breaking. But the big hazard is "what they
walkover. I haveone pony who won't walk.
over a . manhole cover yet," the horse
breeder :Say!.
The Leanings own their own float to take
the various wagons . to parades and Bit
admits it costs quite a bit to haul his teams
around the country. But he gets satisfac
tion from the. appreciation of the crowds.
Breaking the horses he raises isn't easy.
Firstthey must trust you, Mr. Leeming
says"and understand they must do what
you ineani, them to do." And Clobbering
horses is ;'for the binds. 'Kindness goes a
long„ Way withhdrse's,' the -McKillop
farmer believes.
He once . bought a mare that had been'
cooped up in a barn all winter, existing on.
what straw she could pick out of manure:
She 'could barely walk when he got her. It
took two years but he eventually, got, her
gentled down and. back. to good' health:
"Some people shouldn't own a dog either"
he comments and adds abuse of horses is
less common than it used two be.
The Leemings trim all their ponies'
hooves themselves and get them shoed in
;Millbank. Two neighbours Doug Riley of
Winthrop and Les Campbell of R.R. 1
Seaforth also shoe.
Bill Leeming and his two sons who live sli
home ere gradually :renovating their `baro,
to make boa :and tie stalls and a tack shop
where they can keep their eight sets of
chrome harness, made by Malcolm Jacobs,
A new drive shed on the farm hou$es the
wagons, Bill's collection .of antique farm
machinery and a workshop.
Bin Leeming's father, Tom,, was a great
I tseTover4Tlis, five children all ride..And
it looks like the future isJ goad, fiorse
lo4ing hands.
Bill's: 'fent year old grand.
daughter whose parents are Mark and;
David Brady, had her first ride on cite .of
grandpa; 's Palomino ponies a recently
and ,did just fine.
Bill Leeming, left, with one of his pony teams at. Seaforth fail' fair;.
McKillop reeve Allan Campbell is riding with him.
Centralia College
of Agricultural Technology
FARMERS, .
FARM SERVICE BUSINESSES
Agricultural Short Courses
WINTER 1880
Centralia College offers 1 or 2 day short courses, January courses are:
• Sow Herd Management January 8
Course. also available in Hanover March 13
• Feeder Pig Management - , January 10
• Using High' Cost Money January 16'`
• Farm income Tax Update January 22
• Beef Feedlot Management January 23
Course also available in Chesley January 23.
• Farm Welding! January 30
r_r.•-w-r.-_-ir-r. r._----rr --_--_..-rr.w---b___r_r•-rj.
There are,17 different courses this year.
Please send me a brochureon your 1 and 2day short courses
Please sendme information on your 2 year diploma programs..
Address
Ansa Codi Phoni l`
Mail to Centralia College of Agricultural Technology
Huron Park, Ont,
NOM 1Y0
i
tearing snow froth our highways'"
can he a 24-hour, sev ys-a-week
job for the rnen who.elrlvve the pr'ov-
ince's snowplows.
They worktri the worst kind of
driving conditions so people and
products tan keep .moving across the
. province, even in the worst winter
weather. ..
As soon as Yell see the snow plow's
blue light slow:down.tient .
don't try to pass; that's dangerous
for you and them.
Help them do their'ob.
Then do your part: be extra
alert, adjust your speed and driving
tactics to suit weather and road
Conditions,
James Sri
Minister of Transportation`
and Communications
'
William Davis. Premier
Cintatkt
Cet the free booklet "Defensive
Driving Tips' expert advice on
winter drivuxg, freeway and day/night
driving..
Write, Public $c Safety
"Information Branch
IViinistryof Transportation
and Conu'nunications
1201 Wilson Ave,
Downsview,, Ont. M3111 ug
THE ROfit
0160%41144. ' Malt
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Santa and his helpers.
will love these --
cozy slippers ; and
soft soled casuals.
So comforting on,
Christmas morn
..°. every morrnl'
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