New Horse... Need Advice.

[Fudgie]

And don't take their word for it either, a lot of people drug their horses when trying to sell them........not that this lady did but just keep an eye out for that as well for others interested in buying a horse.....We bought one that a child rode into the arena....got her home and well I have a broken pinkie now. She was one squirly chicka!

 

[Florida chick]

"Of course, no child is getting on his back any time soon.
If I hinted that I'd be throwing a kid on his back right away I never meant to.

He isn't HUGE height wise for a Belgian, he's 16HH. But you are right about his size not being a great confidence booster.

I was concerned about kids being about to get their legs around him and actually cue him to do what they wanted.

I think it's going to be a wait and see. I was trying to find one horse to suit a bunch of different wants, something that both my husband and I could ride for pleasure (we're both bigger people and the reason I have gained all the weight I have if from getting out of horses, the ridable draft seemed like a good way to start to get me back into shape) and also a horse that was gentle enough for my kids to be taken around a ring leadline with the eventual goals of them W/T in ring off of a leadline.

My kids are only 8, 6, and nearly 3. None of them are ready for anything other than leading rides at this point. My 8 year old boy isn't really into horses. " Pat quote

I just wanted to say having children 6 & 8 is def not a reason for them not to be riding! If you look at my attached pic our son 5 in the pic was riding ponies and an Arab by himself at age 3. If they are brought up around horses and you teach them R and L and how to handle a horse, its not about strength its SKILL! All of our horses give to the lightest bit pressure. Our 8 yr old shows and competes in 4-H. Get your kids going, you don't know what fun your missing. Saftey 1st, but its great fun we can do family rides now. Edited to show pics and add our children handle, groom, in hand classes and riding classes on their own full and draft size horses. if you think your draft can work, get training and working him. If you need ideas or help for your children, feel free to email me. Its NEVER to early to teach them to ride!

 

[Florida chick]

I just wanted to add, its PHYSICALLY VERY very difficult to make a draft lunge... It can injure them and render them unsound. THey are meant for 30 miles a day mostly straight at a jog! Most won't or can't lunge.

Quote:

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

You got a lot of good advice, but I wanted to add. I rescued my draft approximately 2 years ago. She is 17.2 hands and approx 2,200 lbs, but a big beautiful baby. I rescued her through Gentle Giants Resue. She is a retired Amish Work Horse. I did try her out at their farm and went back again a second time.

When Chantilly came home, I gave her a couple of weeks to get to know the barn, the pastures, the other horses, etc. During that time, she got lots of love, brushing and hand feeding. Then I started riding her. She is great and has had as many as 8 children gromming every inch of her body at one time. The only danger with her is that she might fall over from sleeping. She absolutely loves to be brushed.

But, she is a big girl, so I am always with her when kids are around her.

She did not like her feet messed with. Again lots of paitence. Every day, pick them up, put them down. Now, she is a dream for my farrier.

However, she never has and never will lunge. She just does not get it. And I am ok with that. Because anytime I want to go for a ride, she is ready.

As for getting a goat and having only one one stall. I now have two horse and each has a 12 X 12 ft stall. I also have three goats which have their own house. Tell those goats that Chantilly is way bigger than them, go figure?? Now that the temps are in the 30's. Most of the time, the goats are in Chantilly's stall sleeping at her front feet. I wish I could get a picture. Not every horse will tolerate a goat, but with Chantilly, she is the top dog in the field, the goats now it and she is very careful around them. And for that matter, the ducks, chickens and geese. If you do get a goat, a small house for them that the horse can not get into, I think is still a good idea.

I guess what I am saying. Congrats on getting a Belgian. Give him time, try things out. All horses are different. Not everything works on every horse. Most importantly, enjoy. I wanted a draft all of my life and I have her. Chantilly Lace. It is funny, she does not look that big to me anymore, but the fence she is behind, is a little over 4 ft from the ground.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Threeboychicks...Chantilly Lace is beautiful....she looks much like our Maybelline....but May is 16hh.....
So now when I go out to muck ....I will now sing "Chantilly Lace" and then "Maybelline why can't you be true".....They look at me strange...but I just know they like my singing...haha....
We love her so....but as our trainer says...whos a QH person...its like riding a sofa sideways...doesnt matter to me I'm tall but my hubby .....who tells Maybelline he loves her .....more than me. hahahaha......has alot shorter legs hahaha.....
Just takes alot of patience and time ..we have seen alot of improvement with her...she's loving her retirement home....

 

[skirbo]

Hi! I think this is my first post here, and how odd that on a chicken board I'm posting about horses before chickens.

I'm going to strongly second (or third?) the posters who said that he probably doesn't know how to lunge. It's very hard to lunge a draft on a circle large enough not to be hard on his joints. It's also very, very possible the he's never been taught how to lunge, or if he was it was years and years ago.

I know someone who's ridden primarily english is going to *really* want to work on the lunge a lot, I do myself. It's almost instinctive to do round pen work now, but when I had drafts I really had to limit it.

And I'll agree that drafts are great, smart and happy to take advantage of their size if they know they can get away with it.

Best of luck,
Sarah

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Wanted to share this pic with you if you are thinking about getting a goat to keep your draft company. May need to get two goats though, they like other goats.

This is Chantilly and there are 3 goats at her feet.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

She is beautiful....I am going to have to show this picture to my huibby...I would really like some goats....
I just came in from mucking the shelter/mud paddock and our draft X is so calm just standing there patiently waiting until I am done until I throw down some more hay mean while the arab is following me around shaking her head 'hurry hurry ...oh my! Pet me Pet me.......
I was wondering if you trim the fur around her feet ...the person we bought her from had ..and now I noticed the "feathers" are coming back....

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Chantilly tends to get scratches in the summer, so yes, I have trimmed her feathers. But they are growing back now.

 

[buck-wild-chick]

Hey florida chick,

Is that the areana in liveoak Fl?