Ox Wagon Ride

Today on our morning bike ride we stopped by the Oxen Wagon Ride as the wagon and oxen were being
prepared for the day.

As the men were hooking up the oxen to the wagon we got to watch the process.

After the oxen were prepared for the day we went on a wagon ride.  The ride is only about 10 minutes.  During the ride one of the men talks about the use of the oxen as the primary means of the pioneers transporting goods to the west.

The advantages of oxen over horses are many.  Oxen can eat just about anything, they don't tire as quickly, they are less expensive to outfit, and they can be eaten as beef when needed. Oxen travel at about the same pace as a person walking ... where horses travel much faster.

Nauvoo has four oxen.  Their names are Abraham and Isaac (the black and white oxen) and Chip and Dale (the red oxen).  Abraham and Isaac are 3 and  4 years old and weigh about 1,400 lbs.  Chip and Dale are about 2 years old and are around 1,000 lbs.

Elder Thomas, one of the men, will complete his mission in about two weeks.  He talked about how he has trained and prepared the oxen for this use.  He was emotional as he  talked about the animals.  He has trained them and will soon be leaving them in the care of others.  They are his "kids".

Some of the oxen (Chip and Dale) are steers that were no longer useful for rodeo roping.  When they come to Nauvoo they need to be trained for this use.  He said they are kinda wild when they come.  It takes time for them to trust the men who care for them.  When they are trained they can be managed well.