#DRAFT HORSES
Bringing Wes Home: Part III
Love knows no distance: Stacey Chepren of “The Jumping Percheron” blog shares the story of how she brought her former carriage partner “Wes” home, 2,100 miles across the country. In the final chapter, Wes finally arrives home at Stacey’s farm.
Bringing Wes Home: Part II
Love knows no distance: Stacey Chepren of “The Jumping Percheron” blog shares the story of how she brought her former carriage partner “Wes” home, 2,100 miles across the country. In Part II, Wes boards the trailer in Salt Lake City.
Bringing Wes Home: Part I
Love knows no distance: Stacey Chepren of “The Jumping Percheron” blog shares the story of how she brought her former carriage partner “Wes” home, 2,100 miles across the country. In Part I, we meet Wes.
6 #DraftHorseProblems
Special problems from our special biggest horse friends.
Why It’s Dangerous To Be the Jumping Percheron
Stacey Chepren of the blog ‘The Jumping Percheron’ shares an important answer to a common question: how does eventing work on a full Percheron draft?
Harnessing Draft Horses: Expectation vs. Reality
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been a teamster all your life, let’s set the record straight right now: there are a few things that, no matter how hard we try, will never go by the book.
A Draft Horse Show Day, Deconstructed
Since getting one horse tacked up and to the arena on time for her class wasn’t enough of a challenge, Kristen Kovatch upped the ante: she unpacks a recent draft horse hitch show day for a behind-the-scenes look.
4 Other Things I Got Good At After Getting Draft Horses
(Other than trying to fit two giant animals and myself into one selfie frame.) As it turns out, actually enjoying time in their presence makes up maybe 5% of the total time I spend on these boofheads.
6 Reasons Adopting This Team of Belgians Basically Makes Me Daenerys Targeryen
Just call me “Mother of Draft Horses.”
World Equestrian Brands Helmet Cam: Percheron XC
Percherons wouldn’t normally be good event horses … but this isn’t a normal Percheron! Ride along on the Plantation Fields Novice cross-country course aboard “Klein.”
Draft horses are most commonly seen pulling carriages and wagons; they can make great riding horses but very few have the athletic build and drive to be an event horse. “Klein” is one of these rare individuals, a more refined Percheron than other members of her breed better suited to more typical draft horse uses.
Climb aboard Klein and go for a spin around Plantation Field’s Novice cross-country course!
From the rider’s perspective, you might not guess you’re riding a Percheron. We’re loving “The Flying Percheron” blog, which chronicles the long and patient process of training a draft horse eventer — check it out here.
Go Percherons! Go riding!
HN Best of 2016 #15: Beach Ride Becomes Sea Ride
This footage is heartstopping, hilarious, and will make you want to crawl under a stack of electric blankets in your fuzzy socks.
Daily Dose of Hilarious: Draft Horse Sled Rescue
The draft horse rescuing the broken-down snowmobile is pretty cool … but watch all the way to the end, because then it gets hilarious.
While there are many uses for draft horses — farm work, carriage livery, riding, maximum snuggliness and more — perhaps one of their greatest applications is their ability to aid stranded motorists in the winter. This video is a variation on that theme, when this draft horse is hitched up to a broken-down snowmobile in the woods to haul it home.
That in and of itself would be reason enough for a fun video, but watch all the way to the end, because boys will be boys and can’t resist an opportunity to goof off. Good thing karma has a way of getting in the last laugh.
(Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)
When the sled breaks down… Frank to the rescue… with some unexpected entertainment.
Posted by Mark Leslie Hamilton on Saturday, February 20, 2016
Oops. I’m sure it will come out in the wash.
Go draft horses! Go riding!
#ThrowbackThursday: Draft Horses vs. Winter
When you’re stuck in the snow, there’s only one kind of horsepower that can help you–actual horsepower.
Happy #ThrowbackThursday! Each Thursday, we’re sharing a popular piece from the HN archives that’s just too good to be lost to the internet.
Even in today’s technology- and engineering-driven world, there are times that you just have to go back and do things the old-fashioned way. Winter, unfortunately, seems to be one of those times. Horses may have been replaced by the combustion engine a long, long time ago, but I think it’s safe to say that horses are getting the last laugh on us.
This team, named Iceman and Mario, make it look easy:
According to this next video’s description, this is what happens when Floridians drive in the snow. My favorite part is when the guys trying to get the truck out cry “but he doesn’t have a tractor or four wheeler to get it out!” Don’t worry, because these Percherons have got ya covered, and make it look like the truck was hardly stuck in the first place with the speed at which they get it rolling.
In a weirdly full-circle kind of moment, this four-up is pulling its OWN truck and trailer up a snowy incline…maybe just drive the horses there directly next time? Either way, this is really impressive. (Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)
These photos were taken in February of 2015 by Amy Snyder, an occupational therapist making a house call to an Amish family in rural Hartfield, New York. Her car got stuck in the unplowed driveway, and the tow truck driver admitted that he wouldn’t be able to make it up to pull her out–so the family hitched up its team and went to work, getting her back on the road in just a few minutes.
Photo by Amy Snyder.
Photo by Amy Snyder.
The last video in our collection has been making the Internet rounds for a few winters, and is arguably the most impressive horses-saving-trucks video in existence: this four-abreast pulls a dairy tanker out of a snow drift. It’s certainly not easy for the horses (there’s a few scary slips on the slick surface, but everyone keeps their footing) but they get it done.
Draft horses: the best tow truck you could ever ask for.
Horse Nation, have you ever needed a draft horse rescue? Share your stories and photos!
Go Driving!
The Draft Horse Driver’s Countdown to Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!… and for draft horse drivers, it’s one of the busiest times of the year too. Here are a few seasonal signs for our draft horse lovers.
7 Times Draft Horses Saved Us From Winter
When you’re stuck in the snow, there’s only one kind of horsepower that can help you–actual horsepower. (more…)
Some Jobs Still Require Horsepower
Kristen Kovatch eplores the art of horse-drawn logging.
Holiday Confessions of a Santa Driver
Who knew that being part of Santa’s entourage would be such an emotional roller coaster? (more…)
‘Kind of Like Racing a Dump Truck’
Last year’s winner Tom Parker returned to the victory circle again on Saturday in the second annual Clydesdale race at Exeter in Devon, England. (more…)
False Alarm: The Budweiser Clydes Are NOT Being Retired
Social media went berserk yesterday with a misinterpretation of a ‘Wall Street Journal’ article — but Anheuser-Busch promises the big horses are here to stay. (more…)
Adventure Clydesdale: Versatility With Feathers
Looking for the ultimate riding adventure? Head to Dartmoor in the UK, where the horses of Adventure Clydesdale will blow your draft-horse preconceptions right out of the water. (more…)
5 Things You May Not Know About Shoeing a Draft
Shoeing a draft horse isn’t like just shoeing a really big horse. Here are five ways the process can be totally different. (more…)
