Draft horses anyone?

[GreatWhitehunter]

I'm looking for a resource for draft horse care and information. A little "big picture" info, the wife and I are on the search for land to build a hobby farm on and raise our kiddies. We've located a 5 acre lot that is exactly what we're looking for. I'd like to selectively clear the bulk of it for a log home and fence roughly 3 acres for 2 Belgian Draft Horses. They'll be pleasure horses for the most part but I'd like to use them for sleigh pulling at events during the winter.

We're not looking to have the pasture primary feed the horses but I'd like it to remain grass and not sand dirt. It seems there are a lot of opinions on how many acres per horse is correct. Since the horses are a big part of the picture for us, we want to make sure the land will work first and foremost. Land cost in my location are quite high so I'm limited by cost. I'd rather buy 20+ acres but we've not seem any lots that size that were level enough for horses yet close enough to work.
I'd love to hear what input the forum member have to offer.

Matt:confused2:

 

[lockhaven]

the concerns I would have would be the welfare of the animals. 3 acres would quickly become a baron lot with 2 1ton horses on it. as you mentioned you would be feeding but horses will still eat every blade of grass. So my suggestion would be have a hay rack that is very mobile so they do not create a mud hole that they would be standing in most of the time. Mud and waste can cause hoof problems. My second concern is exercise, horses need to be worked to maintain their health, so I would be sure that frequent wagon rides sleigh rides or just pulling a heavy drag around their lot to spread manure. Any thing to make them use their muscles.

 

[Stimw]

You don't mention how much experience you have with horses.

 

[hosspuller]

Have had horses at home for 18 years. Clearing land for pasture is a several year long process. After clearing the land and stumps, the soil is basically barren. You have to rebuild the soil and let the grass establish itself. Even sod will not stand a horse.

With only 3 acres, plan on feeding the two horses in a paddock, while the pasture is established. Then the 3 acres can be divided up with temporary fence for intensive grazing.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I doubt 3 acres are enough for 2 drafts. Unless you don't mind the mess. 2 or 3 walking horses
can go through 3 acres of grass in 2 to 3 weeks. I keep the paddocks with grass rotated so as not to beat them down. After you clear and plant it takes a minimum of 2 years to establish a half decent pasture. And still at that point you need to rotate frequently.

I keep between 7 and 10 horses and I feed about 150 4x5 roundbales a year. Mostly we have Tennessee Walking Horses and an occasional quarter horse. These horses are about half the weight of a draft. So you will be limiting what you can do with these horses on 5 acres. It takes a lot of room that could be used for grass to support horses. The house and yard. A garden. A barn. Trailer parking and a place to turn around. Tractor and tool sheds. Hay storage. Wagon and sled sheds. And then a place to work them. I
guess if you live away from a congested area you could work them on the road.

I don't know what your experience with draft horses are but they are going to eat a lot crap a lot and tear up fences. Plus they wear a size 4 or better shoe. Some of them have to shod in a shoeing stock.

So I would think this out carefully before buying. The events that you mentioned using them in will require insurance. A friend of mine pays $7000 a year for ins. so he can take the public on trail rides and do parties and such.

Enough of the negative. If you can make it work and have an endless supply of money it will be very rewarding. Great excercise and meeting good people.

 

[bullbreaker]

http://www.horseforum.com/draft-horses/

 

[WM75Guy]

They are pretty pulling a wagon, not many sleighs in Texas. We have 17 hand warmbloods at 1400 lbs each, not quite draft size. They each have a 1 acre turnout with a round bale. Our growing season is longer than yours, around the stables is bare but the rest stays covered in grass. It's a mixture of coastal and Bahai grass.

I agree that if it's not pasture now you need Plan B to be able to allow enough time for a pasture to develop. It's too late for pasture grass to grow this year. What is your time frame for clearing the land and planting grass plus allowing time for it to take hold?

You may already know that everything about large horses is more expensive and usually not available at the normal retail outlets. I cannot even get a halter for mine at TSC. Our trailer had to be ordered extra tall and extra wide. Have you ever had drafts before or is this a new hobby?

 

[vtsnowedin]

Been there , done that, For real, and not doing it again as long as the tractor runs and I can buy fuel for it or make it myself. The tractor has this wonderful think called a "Park gear" Horses do not.

 

[wolftree]

Consider Halflinger Draft horses. They are about half the size of Belgians.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Wow, thanks for all the insightful reply's, the time frame for clearing and construction would be over the next 5 years or so. I have experience with quarter horses and the roping scene. But none with drafts, The horses are a hobby but the wife an I are set on Belgians as far as drafts anyways. I was planning on dividing the 3 acres in half and rotating them as needed. So the general consensus is 3 acres will be small for Belgians it seems. What would be the ideal acreage for 2 drafts? We're mostly concerned with buying a property that will fulfill our desire to own these guys. So perhaps this isn't the right property for them. I'd be interested in an other input on keeping drafts. I'll be sure to check out the link to the horse forum.

Matt