Why major Scottish firm has had to use actual 'horse' power for electricity transmission project

The term “horsepower” may have been coined by Scottish engineer James Watt more than two centuries ago.

But a new project led by one of the UK’s largest electricity transmission networks shows the definition still holds strong today.

For the first time since the electricity network was modernised, horses are being used to extract timber on SSEN Transmission projects.

SSEN uses horses to help with timber clear up in transmission projects for the first time | Craig Stephen

It may be the image of a bygone era, but horse logging, as the practice is officially known, still has a place in today’s society, with several projects on the go across the country.

But in a first for SSEN, the company has contracted in Future Forestry, an Aberdeenshire-based business that combines the latest in forestry technologies with the tricky extractions only possible with horses.

Future Forestry said horse logging is needed where “access, space, environmental, or ground sensitivities don't allow for modern-day machinery.”

It may be the image of a bygone era, but there is still very much a place for horse logging- the extraction of timber - from Scotland’s forests, and for the first time since the modernisation of the electricity network, horses are being used on SSEN Transmission projects. | Craig Stephen

While the business has recently invested in robotic machinery for removing timber from sites, it has also welcomed three new four-legged team members to help with the task - Eli, Luke, and Ben.

Director of operations Angie Smith said: "We have to consider the environment we are working in and how we can leave a site having caused as little impact as possible on what remains. It's always a balance between getting value for our clients and mitigating our impact.

"When I heard that the previous owner John was retiring from working with the heavy horses, I knew we had a place for them, even on some of our commercial contracts.

“Our fantastic equine manager, Annie Hutchison, spent a year settling them in after their move from Rochdale and has also been helping with staff training. We currently have four staff members who have undergone horse logging training courses as members of the British Horse Loggers. ”

The horses help remove timber from areas that are more sensitive and don’t allow for modern-day machinery | Craig Stephen

To date, the horses have worked on a number of projects, including one for SSEN near Brechin in Angus.

Future Forestry's work on the spur that connects the overhead line to the Brechin substation is the final phase of the resilience work on the 132kV overhead line circuits from Tealing to Arbroath.

The site was classed as a ‘high risk’ to the network due to the size and proximity of conifer trees in the area, so the trees were scheduled for removal.

Commercial harvesting operations are being used for much of the work, but an area around 0.5 hectares in size required sensitive felling and pruning as it was adjacent to a neighbouring property.

Helping to minimise disturbance, manual tree cutting along with horse logging was used to sensitively extract timber from among the broadleaf trees that are being retained.

Martin Sangster, of SSEN, said: “We are not aware of horses being involved in tree-felling work since the network was modernised; however, we’ve been aware of the practice. 

“Future Forestry have been working with SSEN Transmission for a long time, and when they suggested this technique to help manage the requirements of the task, we were supportive.

“It also alleviated the concerns of nearby residents who were worried all trees were being removed with heavy machinery. On learning of the horse logging technique, they became supportive of the plans and appreciative of the steps being taken to reduce the impact of felling operations.”

Chair of the British Horse Loggers Charitable Trust, Steffi Schaffler said: “Horse logging is a method of extracting timber from forestry sites that is sensitive, sustainable and effective. Horses don't replace machines but do jobs that wouldn't be possible with other methods. 

“They were traditionally used as an only tool, nowadays they are a specialised and brilliant one. They make it possible to keep the forestry system intact while extracting large amounts of timber without damage to the ground or the standing crop.”