Draft horses anyone?

[dmccarty]

Something else to think about. When you take your horses to events your going to need to get the wagon there too. That's 2 trucks or a big special built trailer. One time I cut the top off a 6 horse trailer and raised the back half up so he could load the horses in front and the wagon in the rear.

I used to work a public event where a family with two beautiful Belgions were used to pull a trailer or sled. Great horses to look at and real friendly. The family had a small semi, maybe a 650/750 sized along with a trailer to haul the horses, gear, feed, water, and sled/trailer. They had a fortune in the horses and equipment.

One event had fireworks and I always worried that the horses would get spooked and endanger the ground. I sure hope the family had lots of liability insurance.

Pretty horses though.

To the OP, I would try to buy land with pasture already established. When we were looking to buy land there was no price difference between forested land and pasture. Buying land with trees that has to be turned to pasture is a lot of work, money and time. Better just go buy land that is already pasture or cleared land that can be sorta quickly turned into quality grass.

Later,
Dan

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I used to work a public event where a family with two beautiful Belgions were used to pull a trailer or sled. Great horses to look at and real friendly. The family had a small semi, maybe a 650/750 sized along with a trailer to haul the horses, gear, feed, water, and sled/trailer. They had a fortune in the horses and equipment.

One event had fireworks and I always worried that the horses would get spooked and endanger the ground. I sure hope the family had lots of liability insurance.

Pretty horses though.

To the OP, I would try to buy land with pasture already established. When we were looking to buy land there was no price difference between forested land and pasture. Buying land with trees that has to be turned to pasture is a lot of work, money and time. Better just go buy land that is already pasture or cleared land that can be sorta quickly turned into quality grass.

Later,
Dan

It's very rare to find pasture land here that isn't super expensive(like 100k per acre). Most of that land is scooped up by developers as it's almost turnkey to build on. Believe me I'd love to find some that I could afford.

Matt

 

[dave1949]

I've seen draft horses used for three things around here:
Low impact forestry, skidding logs out to a road or landing when folks don't want their woods chewed up by harvesters and/or skidders.

Horse pulling is popular around here at the county fairs. The horses with good owners/trainers seem to enjoy it well enough.

One or two area teams used to pull wagons at events or parades.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've seen draft horses used for three things around here:
Low impact forestry, skidding logs out to a road or landing when folks don't want their woods chewed up by harvesters and/or skidders.

Horse pulling is popular around here at the county fairs. The horses with good owners/trainers seem to enjoy it well enough.

One or two area teams used to pull wagons at events or parades.

Drafts seem to be very popular in ME. I was at the Fryeburg Fair a few weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of Drafts being shown there.
Most were from ME with a few NH farms present.

 

[dave1949]

Drafts seem to be very popular in ME. I was at the Fryeburg Fair a few weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of Drafts being shown there.
Most were from ME with a few NH farms present.

Take a look at the Farmington, ME (174 years) fair schedule: Farmington Fair |

Horse and/or oxen pulling every day of the fair. The horses are fun to watch. It's all the handler can do to hold them back before a pull. When they drop the ring over the hook on the weight sled, it's wham! They dig in before the ring is settled in place. You don't want your fingers in the wrong place at that point 'cause you will lose them.

That's the total extent of my draft horse knowledge.

 

[lockhaven]

you may want to check around the Amish communities. They still have harness shops and horse drawn equipment and of course horses. Prices would be better because their horses are bred for work and not show, same as the equipment it is made for work and not show.

 

[peterc38]

I have always admired draft horses from afar, particularly Belgians. There is a draft horse club right down the road from me. They have rides through trails in the woods to coincide w/ various seasonal events like maple syruping, etc that me and the wife always go on. This thread has been educational for me and has reinforced that ever aspiring to own one ain't for me.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've ordered up some reading materials and been on horse forum since the suggestion was made here(thanks). I also widened my land search and looked at 10 acres of pasture land this afternoon. I found there's a CT draft horse rescue within an hrs drive. I will be volunteering there on the weekends to get more hands on experience around drafts.

Matt