The heyday for draft gymnastic horse was comparatively short survive : During World War I , draught horses ( and mules ) were employed to transport supply , ammunition and heavy weapon to the front . Of 182,000 swig animals the Americans took with them when they entered the state of war in 1917 , only 200 take back home . To sum up to their decline , by the 1930s , electric motors and gas engines virtually replaced the draft horse cavalry in DoT and greatly reduce their number in factory farm .
As GIs rejoin from World War II , there were few than 2,000 registered draft horses left in the country , and the futurity of these hard - working equines wait cutting : Many breed association ceased operations , and some breeds , like the Suffolk Punch , ring on the verge of extinction . The 1950s was an especially heroic time for the big breeds , with numbers drop to all - time lows ( as evidenced by the Percherons , with only 58 registration in 1954 , compared to about 3,000 per year at the offset of the century ) .
However , in the 1960s and ‘ LXX , humble farmers and hobbyists began viewing work horses with renewed stake , and today , draft horses , from the native American Creams to the mighty Shires , still tender something for small farmers . They ’re crowing , they ’re beautiful , they can draw their own free weight and as Darrell Van de Hoef , a part - time farmer with 50 Acre in Zeeland , Mich. , say , “ There is something special about sitting on a plough , feel the power of the horses and listening to the root snapping off as the plowshare hits them ; you’re able to hear the soil slide over the plough and the birds let the cat out of the bag . Those are experience you just do n’t get with a tractor . ” Van de Hoef laughs , “ That probably sound half romantic , and I ’m not really the romantic type , but to me that ’s the biggest understanding for husbandry with horse . ”
AROUND THE FARMWhen one thinks of draft horse , the ogre , like the Clydesdales , at 18 paw , and Shires , at 19 hands , come to take care , but not all mold horses are giant ; some , like the Norwegian Fjords or the Haflingers ( both about 14 hands ) , are small but stocky animals that are equal to of gruelling work .
In playing field and forest , the little , act upon equines supply adhesive friction , without causing compaction of the stain . They are often run into at special outcome pull beautiful carriages and carts , or supply town and city streets , giving tourists a restful way to see the sights . And many small - scale farmers are finding them utilitarian as part of agritourismoperations .
David Lynch is a respectable example of a Fannie Merritt Farmer who has found opportunity and advantage by comprise draft horses into his functioning . He owns Guidestone Farm , a community - supported agriculture ( CSA ) operation near Loveland , Colo. , which supplies sore milk to member ( members buy part in the dairy ruck of 10 Jersey kine ) , and produce meat and eggs . He is also agricultural director of The Stewardship Community , a nonprofit organization associate with Guidestone that ’s dedicated to “ bring home the bacon education in sustainable living skills and teaching where food comes from and what it takes to acquire it . ”
He practice his three sawbuck , Ike ( a Belgian / Clydesdale cross ) , and Jack and Jake ( a team of Belgians ) , to work out in bailiwick and to cater an agritourism constituent that helps fulfill both the educational mission of the non-profit-making and the selling needs . During exceptional events and school day programs , like the pumpkin vine harvest , visitors are transported around the farm on sawhorse - drawn paddy wagon , thus offering a howling experience that facilitate pull in century of visitors to the farm each year . These visitant afford an crucial income stream , helping the farm to be profitable .
With 150 land , Lynch still use tractor for many performance , but he say , “ There are some activities we do with buck that I consider are simply better for the soil . For example , we have a six - acre vegetable garden , and all of the seeding for cover crops is done with the team , because pulling a heavy - obligation seed exercise with a cock-a-hoop tractor wad the soil . The horses have an array of recess problem in the farm program that only they perform . ”
NOT JUST FOR WORKThe Place To GoHorse Progress Days is the only barter show in the earth focus on newly designed and cook up Equus caballus - power farming and logging equipment . See the equipment present on a variety of stock of draught horses and scuff , some work in the field , and some presented in a parade of breeds . From singles to 12 - up hitches , they certify deal , hay making , planting and many other farm - related activities . The 2004 consequence will be held July 1 - 2 in Middlebury , Ind. For more information , visitwww.ruralheritage.com/progress.But the expectant thing about draft horse is that they are n’t limited to force a plow or a wagon ; they can be turn on westerly or English , with a just numeral plant in show annulus , competing in halter , conformation , dressage or hunter / jumper class .
Horse Progress Days is the only trade show in the world focusing on newly design and manufactured horse - power farming and logging equipment .
See the equipment demonstrated on a variety of breed of draft horses and mules , some mould in the force field , and some presented in a parade of breed . From 1 to 12 - up hitches , they exhibit plowing , hay making , planting and many other farm - related activities .
The 2004 event will be held July 1 - 2 in Middlebury , Ind. For more information , visitwww.ruralheritage.com/progress .
Shine Hill Peanut is a Percheron stallion with a logging background signal who has now entered the world of competition . Professional horsewoman , Dani Schacht , is his current owner . “ I ’d see some draft sawhorse / pureblood hybridisation and I thought I ’d really wish to have one , because the cross give the horse a more relaxed mental attitude , plus they ’re much vainglorious in body-build , and they ’re denser in bone , ” says Schacht .
“ I went to see Peanut when he was available as a he-man . I really like him , but I did n’t end up breed my mare to him at the time . shortly after , Peanut ’s proprietor became ill and could n’t give care for all his horses . He remembered me , and how much I like his stallion , so he sell Peanut and a maria to me .
Schacht apace discover what many potation horse aficionados already knew : “ They ’re astonishingly easy to sit , most of them are laid back in their temperament — equate to a Thoroughbred they ’re a piece of cake . They are very saucy , very quick learner , and always willing . ”
Peanut was leap out cross rails within a couple of weeks after he was relegate to ride , and Schacht started present him within a yr . In his first trial , he lay third overall , compete in hunter / jumper , dressage and combined classes .
“ When I first originate taking him to display , the great unwashed fairly much looked at me like , ‘ Is this woman crazy ? ’ They could n’t believe his size of it , much less what I was doing with him . ” But the doubter changed their melody when Peanut land up second in the crabby - country field , and received a 75 percent score on dressage , which is quite impressive for a training storey horse .
DRAFT BREEDS
Percherons derive their name from the small French district of La Perche , southeast of Normandy . They ’re think to be one of the first draft breeds to come to America , and remained the most legion until surpassed by the Belgians after World War I. They are large horse cavalry , and are usually disgraceful or grey , but there are Jamaica sorrel , bay and roans as well . They are still wide used by farmers and loggers .
GETTING STARTED“I pick up how to fleece sheep from a picture , ” says David Lynch . “ I would never , ever , do that again . I did learn the hard direction and the sheep study the hard way . Now if I were going to do it again , I would go get grooming from someone who knew what they were doing . Finding a mentor for working with horses is even more important than for shearing sheep . Do n’t do it by trial and error : There is too much at stake . ”
Darrell Van de Hoef agrees , “ The old standard advice is , get next to a horse James Leonard Farmer , because there ’s so much you need to know that you are only decease to learn from somebody who ’s doing it . line up an old - timer and pick his brain clean . ”
For first - time emptor , consider purchasing a well - educate , older team ; these animals can instruct you as you begin the journey from initiate to accomplished teamster . experient truck driver also recommend that you buy your first horses from a private party who will mentor you closely , or seek the assistant of an experienced trucker in select your first sawbuck if you plan to attend a sale b or auction bridge . “ you may get real prosperous , or you may get a real disaster - in - hold off at a sale b , ” Van de Hoef tell . “ An experient hand will help you make the right choice . ”
