Restoring a Sweep Power

Ohio men salvage hand-built horse sweep power and bring it back to life.

By Fred Hendricks
Updated on November 11, 2022
article image
courtesy Lynn Telleen, Draft Horse Journal
Eight Belgians, hitched to a sweep, provide power for a sawmill at the 2021 Horse Progress Days in Mount Hope, Ohio.

From the beginning of time, humans have adapted to their environment. As part of that adaptation, creative thinkers employed natural power in the form of wind and water. But these sources of nature’s blessings have limitations. Wind is not constant and water is not always available. And neither natural resource could provide power to till the land for food production.

As a supplement, beasts of burden — most commonly horses and oxen — were harnessed. These wonderful animals were also utilized for purposes other than working the land. It’s estimated that horses were used to generate rotary power well over 300 years ago.

In about 1840, horse sweep powers began to be developed. A large iron gearbox was mounted on a rotating frame. Sweep arms were attached at the top of the gearbox. Varying numbers of horses were hitched to the arms and walked in circles to turn a vertical axle in the gearbox. A series of gears under the frame of the gearbox drove the horizontal output shaft. A pulley at the end of the output shaft transferred the resulting power to implements.

Angle of the horses hitched to the sweep that shows the safety rope hanging between…

In a gristmill, the sweep power was often connected to one of the burrs in the gearbox. When the horses walked in a circle, it turned the burrs, grinding the grain. Operating this form of gristmill required caution. The person feeding the mill hopper had to step over the sweep arms when they were moving.

Oddly enough, horses were the only animals considered as a power source for the sweep power. Oxen were a popular farm traction animal. They are lower maintenance than horses and provided food when no longer used for draft purposes. However, they were thought to get dizzy from walking in circles.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388