The Old Folks Home

[perchie.girl]

Love it. Ever seen a Brabant? They're similar to the Belgian, from the same part of the world, less common in the US and considered by many to be a better draft horse.

On the other hand, pound for pound nothing can out pull an old style British Shetland. I've always wanted to have a team (that's four or more in the hitch, although some consider a troika a team) of either British Shetlands for the heavy old-style American Shetland ponies.

I love the way those pulling contest spans kind of tighten up the traces, and then drop low and move forward in bounds. Seeing them really work, they have such incredible power.

Some years back we were singularly blessed at Bishop Mule Days - possibly the last time anyone will ever see two 20 mule teams at the same time. In addition to the jerk line Borax team, there was a four abroad farm team from Washington state that was down to be shown and then sold after the show as the owner was retiring. Everyone on their wagon and half the audience were in tears at seeing that fine harvesting team being broken up. In the arena they were pulling a wagon packed solid with people, and they still had the drag on to keep the team settled - normally they pulled an enormous harvester.

Brabants I believe are the "Old world" Belgians. And talk about Sturdy.

I saw a team of Shetlands win a pulling contest in their division pulling a thousand pounds. Awesome.... Matter of fact that day at the fair where I first saw pulling contests and draft horses up close and personal was the day I realized I would have one of those gentle giants.... I went by one stall door and there was about a 2100 pound Belgian standing in there he came up for a skritch and was very polite.... It was then i realized the only thing keeping him in there was a plain old screen door hook. His head was as big as my torso.

I remember my Rommate Mule talking about that fellow.... What a heart rending time. I believe he kept his favorite team.. Mule Mary's Mule Jeep passed away at the ripe old age of 40. She had retired him at a mule breeders farm up near Lake Isabella. I dont remember the ranch. But his Mammoth Jack was named.... Sugar Boy or something like that.

deb

 

[The Yakima Kid]

How about my creepy cat as an avatar?

Kitty Cat-a-ract?

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Like this?

Instead of this photo?

What breed are those horses? The bottom one is what I'd call a paint, not a dapple.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Here's what we a lot of around here..the Quarter Horse.

I personally like the Palomino in color, and the Buckskin..there are different colorings of Buckskin.

Known for their short run..the quarter of a mile..they are quick.

The real, foundation type Quarter Horses are also very easy tempered, and darn tough. When I was growing up the hands all favored buckskins over any other color as they were alleged to be the toughest and healthiest as a supposed "throwback."

The least favored horse color (not found in the QH) was a white because they were supposed to be "soft."

There was also suspicion about socks and stockings if they were on several legs - although I saw a lot of sorrels with "white walls" being worked.

If you cross a china eyed cream (now known as a Creamello, apparently) and a sorrel, the foal will be a Palomino nearly 100% of the time.

The problem is that a lot of registries don't allow the Creamellos, so you wind up with a grade horse.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

We also see quite a few Arabians. I rode an Arabian mix when I was young, didn't like her gait. Loved, the Quarter horses that I rode though!
Now these horses have the endurance, lacking the rib, the heart has more room to pump!

Arabians tend to be rough; you can walk, or you can lope, or you can have your spine jammed through the top of your skull.

A lot of QHs carry the genetics for being gaited. My Lady Bird would single foot, rack out, and pace.

A lot of Morgans also carry the gaiting genetics. Depending on whether they carry one or both of the genes, they can do a heck of a lot more than pace.

A number of the best endurance horses have been traditional, old-style Morgans. A good Morgan can outdo most Arabians in the endurance field. Nothing can outperform a mule in endurance riding.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

@Cynthia12 I used to ride games on my horse back when I was a kid... I was sixteen or seventeen at the time. My mare was a doofus... Standardbred she could run but the quick turns not so good. She was built for trotting. Well she was laid up with a stone bruise. We had been slated to ride five miles to another boarding facility for a Gymkhana. My trainers daughter offered me her Quarter horse mare for the games... I jumped on it.

OH MY GAWD.... Her name was Playmate. Sweet horse but not a looker. She had a Roman Nose with a blaze that just accentuated it. But she was what we called at the time a Bull dog Quarter. I believed she had worked cattle in a past life....

I gave her a nudge with my heels just before the timer and her leap forward set me almost behind the saddle..... I spent the next three strides pulling myself back into the saddle. we were only doing the single pole.... Run down go around the pole and come back.... Best time won.... We won big time.

I rode her in Pole bending, Pick up and ride, Barrels and Keyhole. it was a blast and after that first oopsie I was able to keep my behind in the saddle.

Funny thing when I took Katee to the Draft Horse and mule show at Del Mar fair. My trainer offered to ride her in the Games.... Katee and Julie did the Keyhole and Barrels.... What a hoot. Soon as Katee figured out Yes.... Julie does want her to run FAST she Kicked it. Not as fast as a light horse.... But she thought she was running fast....

deb

Bulldog Quarter Horse was one of the foundation types. A lot of them had Roman noses or muley ears. Some of the foundation types were less bulldog. The best could be taught to single foot and pace.

Standardbreds are a little long in the back for fast turns, which seems to also be the case for some of the gaited breeds. A lot of Standardbreds, especially those from pacing lines, also carry one or more of the two gaiting genes, and can learn to single foot and or pace.

UC Davis will run the tests for you if you are interested. Morgans, QHs, and Standardbreds carry it more commonly than most breeds; the highest incidence is in the breeds known specifically for gaiting.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

OH MY GAWD.... Her name was Playmate. Sweet horse but not a looker. She had a Roman Nose with a blaze that just accentuated it. But she was what we called at the time a Bull dog Quarter. I believed she had worked cattle in a past life....


deb

What part of the country was this in? In the Rocky Mountains people used to stare at any cow horse that wasn't a gelding since the hands and the boss considered geldings a lot less prone to romantic foolishness. Even in Washington state, people used to double take on Lady Bird.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
They are Gypsy Vanners.... Recently imported about fourteen years ago. Yep they are both Pinto or Piebald.... the two above are show quality.... But these are the horses developed by the Gypsies in Europe to pull their Wagons..,.. Very hearty Not all have all that hair.

Back when they were first imported and became popular you couldnt touch one for less than about 9 or 10K.... Just like Friesians, they got really popular really quick and people started breeding them willy nilly here in the US and kind of diffused into the Back Yard breeder.... deal.

When I showed my mare at the Big Draft horse show in Del mar.... around 2001 or 2 There was a whole barn of Friesians there to show of course.... Lovely people lovely purebred horses.... A few oddballs but hey all breed enthusiasts attract the occasional oddball.

Now my mare is Not Docked so she has a full tail like a Friesian. she was fit too Not fluffy so she was running about 1600 - 1800 lbs. I heard there was a vendor offering to wash horses for free to demonstrate her hot water system... So I said what the heck. The demo was in the Friesian Aisle... I had already met a few of the trainers and waived at them while I was waiting for Katees turn.

A woman walked by with Gold jewelry diamond rings, designer flip flops, short shorts and a camera.... Del Mar has some Affluent people...

"Ooh Shes pretty"
"Thank you" I said
"Whats her name"
"Katee or Rocking Jolly Kateen on her papers"
"Are you going to breed her?"
Bout then I realized where this was going....
"Maybe but probably not to a Friesian."
"Oh my Why Not...."
"Because shes a Percheron"
she stepped back
"Hmmph I thought so she has a common head." and walked off.

Oh my what a conversation.... I still giggle over it.

Love people with More Money than Sense....

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
One white sock, buy him, two white socks, try him, three white socks, beware, four white socks, pass em by. For what its worth white hair above the foot means a white foot. White feet historically are softer harder to maintain.

I used to know a white Quarterhorse whos owner would use him run down motorcycles That buzzed us while on a trail ride.

There is a lethal gene involved with white horses.... i dont remember the particulars... Color genetics is Soooooo complex I have never been able to grasp much more than the fundimentals.

deb

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I love them all. for their unique characteristics. Even the unfortunate ones who should never have been created (back yard breeding without considering conformation... a pet peeve of mine).... I still have my set of horses.... They must be at least fifty years old now.

deb

I worry less about not breeding for conformation and more about people who forget to breed horses that don't fall down when worked.

Most of the myths about conformation differences indicating athletic impairments or a tendency to unsoundness turned out to be just that - myths.

If you look at working cow horses and show and rodeo cutting, roping and bulldogging horses, you'll find that the best all tend to one very noticeable conformation "fault" - cow hocks.

It seems that cow hocks actually make a horse pivot more rapidly and with less effort.

Standardbreds tend to be long in the back - but a long back is associated with extreme speed at both the trot and the pace. Admittedly, they aren't going to pivot like their cow hocked pasture mates, the Quarter Horses - but the Quarter Horses aren't going to be anywhere near as fast in an intermediate gait.

The much admired short back of the Arabian is associated with choppy gaits.

It's important to breed out overly short or too vertical pasterns and straight shoulders - but a lot of conformation "faults" should be considered only after actual performance and temperament traits. I have seen way too many very expensive horses who have never been overworked or abused with shin splints because someone bred for pretty and paid no attention to ancestral tendencies to unsoundness.

Some conformation faults are problematic; quite a few can be managed by proper bitting and fitting. An ewe necked horse should be allowed full range of head motion whenever possible - they generally have a vertebral defect as well as a muscular one, and will be found to be much calmer if they can occasionally shake or jerk their heads - or even toss them - to relieve the pain and strain.