Can you ride draft horses such as a shire? (Any pics of your horses???)

[runaked]

I was always wondering that, for my favorite horse is a shire (and a rocky mountian...) And i think it would be a thrill to ride a horse of that size! (Even more, of that breed) I would greatly apreciate it if you would inform me about this!

P.S. Does any one have pics of thier horse? Now is the time to show them off! (I love seeing pics of other peoples horses for i have high hopes of my own some day) And also any pics of shires or rocky mnts? Or shires/drafts with some one on them?

Thank you...

W/ great honor...

Tierney

[shandy84]

My OH and I love Shires (we plan to bred them someday) we went to a society show recently and saw two ridden shires one regulary hunts and was clipped out and looking very fit and well mannered the other was traditional and a little lesswell behaved but they jumped well, have also seen a suffolk under saddle (boy do you hear them coming at canter) but he wa a really nice sort as well

[runaked]

Thank you shandy, i would really have loved to be there, im sure it would have been marvolouse... may i ask... what does OH mean? I have seen it before and my poor mind is just to spioled to figure it out, and the same a YO... i think thats what it was... YO or OY??? ehh bloody brain shutting down on me agian...

[Kalypso]

I know of at least two people on here who own shires and I think have pictures. Redheaded Shire is one of them, and I'm very sorry to the other, but can't remember the screen name at the moment! :o


edit: I figured it out...ballazarina (sorry if I spelled that wrong!). There's a pic here, second post down, of her lovely horse and her!! :)

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44982&perpage=20&pagenumber=2

[Samsky]

Originally posted by runaked
Thank you shandy, i would really have loved to be there, im sure it would have been marvolouse... may i ask... what does OH mean? I have seen it before and my poor mind is just to spioled to figure it out, and the same a YO... i think thats what it was... YO or OY??? ehh bloody brain shutting down on me agian...

OH = Other Half (husband/boyfriend etc)
YO = Yard Owner

[Shizzity]

Generally Shires are very calm horses. I saw at an expo once and a man jumped on his shire and started grooming it, while it was still in its stall. He also cantered it by hand!

Draft Crosses are a really good option too!

[leviskipperette]

i ride a 3 year old belgian mare named misty sometimes. she is the sweetest thing. heres a pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/leviskipperette/horses/misty/riding6.jpg

-meg

[FreedomStar]

At the red barn festival this august I got to watch a lady ride an 8 year old clydsdale and she jumped him up to 3'3" the day before to help him get used to the barn.

[Wally]

No reason at all why any horse whouldn't be ridden ....25 inch Shetlands excepted!:D unless you have a teeny tiny dot who's up for it!

leviskipperette , Ohhh you have a GIANT Haflinger!


:D :D :D The folk in the UK would LOVE a Haffy that size! ...sory, taking the micky somewhat, in my day a Haflinger was no bigger AT MOST than 14.2hh....now they are nearly as big as that guy you are on. What a dear sweet horse he looks.

I am a bit of a boring fart when it comes to draught horses. If they were bred to pull then they need to be built to pull. Sadly the Shire has become too tall and leggy to really have the clout of a true draught horse. Much shorter, stockier breeds have more pull than a Shire these days. Clydesdales too, sadly have lost the plot. Too long in the leg and just too tall.

[leviskipperette]

wally-lol no shes not a haflinger shes a belgian. shes about 16 some odd hands, at 3 years old, so shell get bigger. shes not mine either, she belongs to a neighbor.

-meg

[Wally]

It's sad, but I know of some Haflingers who are 15.2hh these days. Never in the reign of pig's puddn' in my day, But not far off these day of that 16.2hh you ave there.

Haflingers is Haflingers, 14,2h at the most in my book. IF you want a bigger horse go for your horse, or Norika.

She does look a sweetie pie.

[HairyCob]

Wally, have you been at the pop already?! If you read leviskipperette's post she says that the horse ISN'T a Haffy, its a Belgian- by which I assume she means a Belgian Draught, which is a different breed to the Haflinger I think?!;)

Edited to say... OOPs! I have been at the pop, and it shows, having just re-read your post Wally, it now makes sense- I think, and obviously it isn't you with the alcohol and comprehension problem tonight!!:D :o ;)

[Wally]

...errr. yes that is EXACTLY my point!:D :D There are Haffy look alikes who do the job of a 15.2 plus Haffy...so WHY breed a Haffy to 15.2 plus?????? when there are horses as pictured?

I owned the old fashioned Haffy, 13.2hh of brick out house...that was the beauty of the breed. Exactly what was pictured but 13,2hh. No point in breeding it any bigger as if I wanted anything bigger I'd have bought a Belgian or Norika.

It's like breeding a 14.2hh Shetland..wht do you have? .....a small draught horse not a Shetland pony.

I think I have snarled the meaning of my post entirely.


What is pictured is a beautiful Belgian Draught, 16hh PLUS of POWERHOUSE....still lookes like a giant Hafflinger...........YET the Haflinger Soc. have been trying to emulate this beastie by breeding the Haffy bigger with longer legs.......... my point is WHY, when you have a Belgian or Norika sitting there at 15.2hh plus waiting to be ridden do you need to get the HAffy to the same size?

We had a HUGE row with one of our Haffies 20 yeas ago because he was slightly OVER height......now he'd be in with open arms...........so why is a Haflinger registerable now, when 20 years ago he was too big?????

[JOJOBA]

Chewitmonster used to have a half suffolk punch on loan:
http://homepages.force9.net/shibby/Jo/Kallum.jpg
and there is a clydesdale x at the riding school where I ride (poor pic sorry):
http://homepages.force9.net/shibby/Jo/Clip3.jpg
and I know of many percherons, cleveland bays and shires which are used as riding horses.
I love them - the one pictured above is one of my fave horses in the world! :p
And look what I found - a dressage percheron!
http://membres.lycos.fr/chevauxetponeys/images/percheron_monte_noir.jpg
Dressage shire:
http://www.geocities.com/missys_photo_album/ruby_english.jpg
:)
xxx

[Wally]

..sigh............want a Suffolk,..... there's a Suffolk X Haflinger (sorry to go on about flippin' Haffs) here..just looks like a fat Haff though.

I do love Suffolks:cool: :cool:

[JOJOBA]

Kal (first picture) is Haflinger x Suffolk Punch. He's about 15.3hh and very wide, but more suffolky than haflingery, dont you think?
Maybe he's the horse for you :)
xxx

[Wally]

Isn't that weird. the one I knew was exactly the opposite, more Haff than suffolk, he looks deffo Suffolk, Big silly grin that he has, dear sweet boy.

I'll se if I can nab a pic of him.

[Cool Rider]

i like that pic of the shire doing dressage its a nice picture, but what a long way to fall:eek:

[Cheko]

Wally I totally agree with you about heavy horses becoming leggier and lighter. My grandfather had Shires, completely different horse then. However, no one wants these horses to work on the land, pull coal carts or brewers' drays, so might as well use them for riding - for which they need to be that little bit lighter (unfortunately)!!!!! Shires would be no good for knights now!!!!!:p

[JOJOBA]

Found these online too:
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/images%20special%20events/event%20heavy%20horse%20030601%200023.JPG
http://www.hoof.com/draft/images/belgian/nat3.jpg
Dont know what the first is - second one is a belgin heavy draft.
xxx

[Elly Koopman]

Big new type at the moment for hunt type horses is the Suffolk x TB... Will try to find a pic..

As for the picture of the suffolk x earlier is definitely more of a suffolk than a Haffy!

[Elly Koopman]

http://users.aber.ac.uk/atm/garnglas_harmony.html
This link has pictures of the SP x TB...

[mayS]

I ride a big belgian gelding (see my avatar pic). It's really neat! He extremly calm and gentle.

I say go for it! :D

[SwiftwindSpirit]

The stationary company, WC Penfold, keep their shire horses at the equestrian centre where I ride. They are only ridden very rarely, but they are gorgeous horses! I used to ride a horse who was so freaked out by the shires whenever they would be heading towards us! :D He'd plant his feet on the ground and wouldn't budge an inch until the shires were out of sight!

Here's a photo of one of the famous shires pulling the WC Penfold cart.

http://www.wcpenfold.com.au/images/horse.jpg

[westley_jacobs]

My dad Luuurves shires.....not any other horses tho!

im not too keen on em tho, they are very gorgeous and gentle giants, but i like more sleek arab styles :)

like these:
this is the horse i want, isnt he lovely?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/Tiff_amber/6953.jpg


the shire my dad sometimes rides called georgey

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/Tiff_amber/pferd04.jpg

[leviskipperette]

yeah im a definite arab lover, having two of my own, but every once in a while i like a HUGE trot, and mistys the girl for that. :D

-meg

[friedegund]

I used to ride a gorgeous coal black Percheron mare named Jessie. She looked like a giant Fell pony, and was like a tank, take her on a hack and you could go through anything!!!

[Sophini]

When my dad was a little kid (LONG time ago) he used to ride shires back bareback from ploughing and field work, the farmer used to lift him onto them with all the traces tied up and them still in work collars but i guess they would be the original shires that Wally is talking about, not the more leggy types you get now.....

I used to event a ShirexTB called Whizzo who was 17.2hh, he was a real sweetie but a bit out of proportion with the most enormous head and feet you've ever seen and i weedy neck and legs to hold it all together!!!

Have some piccies of my horses on my www. link at the bottom of my post....

[SmokeKandeeBar]

I don't know anything about shires, but rocky mountain horses are great horses! we looked at a couple when we were looking for our third horse! they are soo gorgeous, i love the chocolate flaxen color. they are excellent for trail riding, and they have great temperaments. the only reason why we didn't get one is because i wanted to show hunter and they are gaited.

[Cool Rider]

i just found a pic of someone riding their shire.

[friedegund]

Here is a pic from a local horse show, a young rider and a big beautiful Clydesdale. I live in Canada, and have never seen a shire horse, they don't seem that common here, I believe they are similar to the Clydesdale. Also, most of the jumpers competing now are Clydesdale/Thoroughbred crosses, huge, athletic, and wonderfully docile.

[cvb]

Wally

So how about adding some Nord Svensk to your Icies ?? Bet you'd love them - ride and drive chappies...

(My lottery win plan includes setting up a Nord Svensk stud over here :D)

http://www.nordsvensk.com/

[Pink's lady]

I've often heard that the big horses shouldn't be doing much fast work or jumping becasue they have problems with their huge weight and therefore concusion.

To be honest, I'd have to agree with that. I once saw a 18hh+ shire jumping the open class (3'6", which admittedly only came up to his knees!), but I winced every time he landed. The amount of stress his legs and joints must have been under!

Pink's a Shire or possibley clydsdale x Welsh D (possibley). I.e a big cob. (any suggestions on her breed?). She's rather fat in this photo. Noramlly she looks much trimmer.

[Hoodsey]

Of course!! I specialize in training and breeding larger horses. I have a hitch of Percherons. And I ride them in dressage along with some Clydes, Shires and Friesians (pleasure draft). I also have a bossy belgian mare. =P And they are all ridden dressage. Jumping isn't so much of a good idea as this could over time cause stress fractions.

This is Allusion, our white English Shire stallion.
http://tn3-2.deviantart.com/300W/i/2003/13/3/2/Allusion.jpg

This is him again.
http://tn3-2.deviantart.com/300W/fs5.deviantart.com/i/2005/003/e/8/Allusian_by_hoodsey.jpg

This is Stormin' Norman and Magic. They were kept fit a bit differently then most Clydesdale, but it was to be able to ride them.
http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/300W/fs5.deviantart.com/i/2005/003/6/0/Tandom_by_hoodsey.jpg

This is my Freya monster. She's ridden dressage too.
http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/300W/fs7.deviantart.com/i/2005/188/e/e/Portrait_of_Freya_by_hoodsey.jpg


Thought I had more, but I guess I don't. =( Oh well.

[Whatanejit]

Gorgeous Pics Hoodsey.

Thanks for them:D

Love them all but your stallion is pretty special:D Wow what a lovely boy.

We nearly bought a shirexTB but ended up with an Irish DraughtxTB.

Looking forward to some more.

xx

[Frances]

In the dim and distant past, my best friend andI used to ride, as children, a farmer's Shire and/or Clydesdale horses (I don't know, we were only 10). They had been used by the breweries to pull the brewery carts round London. They were huge, 17hands+ with feet like dinner plates (but hairy!).

We would scramble up and take them out to the woods to ride. To get a canter, you would have to find a huge expanse and then rev the horse. By the end, you might have got a 2 strides and be bright purple with the effort. They were lovely, really kind and so safe. We were like two peas on a drum.

BTW, in this woods was a nudist colony, so we used to ride round the perimeter fence, standing on their backs trying to look over to see nudists!

F

[bexj]

The stationary company, WC Penfold, keep their shire horses at the equestrian centre where I ride.

I work for a stationery company, but we definitely don't keep shires, sadly:( :(

[jinglejoys]

There are pleanty of classes for ridden Shires I watched some at Peterborough while working on the Mule stand last year--just did a search and masses came up (Mostly results though not piccies)

[mogadoga]

there is a clydsdale x on my yard which gets rode!

[Sarah-B]

I can't resist adding a piccie of my boy, TC - he's a 17.1HH Suffolk Punch X!!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/Saxon-Clydie/todaymounted.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/Saxon-Clydie/DSCF2298.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/Saxon-Clydie/DSCF2350.jpg

[HorsieLuver]

My farm has a sleigh ride business, so we have 8 drafts. Most of them are completely ridable! I ride the belgians time to time, but a boarder at the barn took King, a beautiful grey Percheron to a local show and won firsts in pleasure and equitation!! He beat out most of our horse community! :rolleyes:

I have a pic of Spike and I, one of the belgians, I just have to find it....:D

[gail_rose]

There's a riding centre in Skye that specialises in Clydsedales! My friend and I are thinking of going at some point.

http://www.westhighlandheavyhorses.com

[Pixie]

This is my horse, 'Pink' she is Clydesdale x Welsh D 15.1hh She has just been clipped out as in spring she gets all itchy and destroys everything by itching if I leave her hairy!

[teapot]

I have lessons occasionally on a shire x and he can half pass and jump a 4ft fence

[Danyele]

This is my old boy, a 16hh suffolk punch X clydesdale. he could be ridden, but he's a right little B****r!
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/BassettsDanyele/jumby.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/BassettsDanyele/jumbyshead.jpg
And at one riding school they had a 17hh shire cross, and i rode him bareback over a jump:eek: I wouldn't even THINK of doing that now!

[Just.Jump]

Here is a pic from a local horse show, a young rider and a big beautiful Clydesdale. I live in Canada, and have never seen a shire horse, they don't seem that common here, I believe they are similar to the Clydesdale. Also, most of the jumpers competing now are Clydesdale/Thoroughbred crosses, huge, athletic, and wonderfully docile.

*really?* We've got,

A shire,
two percheron/QH's
two belgians

And all are riden :cool: (And I'm in Canada, too)
I would love to go the other route form showjumping if I ever get into that seriously- I'd like to buy a clyde sporthorse- cheaper, more attractive, and just as good :D heck, I'd like one anyway! I love the draft look, but I'm not sure if I'd like the motion of them. I'm more of a galloping through the fields kind of girl.

[Sarah-B]

but I'm not sure if I'd like the motion of them. I'm more of a galloping through the fields kind of girl.

Ooooh, you should see my boy move!! He has *the* most WONDERFUL paces despite/because of his size!!

[Izod1360]

i ride the 2 draft horses at the barn(sometimes)
Penelope-percheronX
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/Izod1360/winter06.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/Izod1360/howtall.jpg
and Lucy,she is 17hh right now and is still growing!!!also a percheronX(we think)
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/Izod1360/riding1.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/Izod1360/me.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/Izod1360/unknownhorse13.jpg

[Baileigh]

I ride a heavyweight Irish Cob, my laptop is broken and I can't be bothered getting links (long day!) but he's bigger than some clydes and shires, and is (when he wants to be) a good riding horse. He's still green.

I've rode lots of different drafts in the past - Clydesdales, Shires, Suffolk Punch, Percheron etc

[Just.Jump]

Ooooh, you should see my boy move!! He has *the* most WONDERFUL paces despite/because of his size!!

All the more reason to have a go with the younger percheron/qh when he gets started! I swear, they look like psuedo friesians =D

[runaked]

wow, i havent been on here for awhile. You guys are so lucky, i think it would be so cool to ride a a draft horse. Maybe its just me but i think it would be exstatic. Sorry i havent been on an update with you guys!
Hey what horse is really really small and is like a shetland but smaller? I think it starts with an F? I was rying to discribe it to some one but i couldnt remember the name of it! Grrr i hate it when that happens.

Thanks.sorry.

Tierney

[Sarah-B]

Hey what horse is really really small and is like a shetland but smaller? I think it starts with an F? I was rying to discribe it to some one but i couldnt remember the name of it! Grrr i hate it when that happens.

Fallabella!!

[runaked]

Fallabella!!

AAHHH Thank you! It was on the tip of my tounge and i couldnt remember! your great!

Thanks!

[Just.Jump]

Fallabella!!

We've got one of those. cutest horse on the whole farm :D

[Fluffey]

There's a Clydesdale at the barn where my horse is boarded who does dressage. He has a great temperament and is so great to watch!

[rabbit]

Here is a pic of my Clydie X....She is a youngster and we hope to compete in dressage.

Her forte seems to be showjumping, as she cleared a 5ft yard fence when she got bored of being cooped up!

She has inherited more from the Clydie side than the cross!

[vimto92]

Awww! Love this thread! Excellento pictures - I'm at school being told I can do what I want (yes, of course I've finished the work!:p). My mate is loving this thread and she is non-horsey! Yay!....Don't think we'll get her converted though....:cool:

Vic x

[Vicki&Milo]

This is the boy I used to ride (the one in the distance), not really sure of his breeding, think it was shire x, and he was 18.1hh, and called jake-sort as butter!!
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/vickiollie/oliinfield.bmp

I rode another heavy horse at the same place, again, dunno of his breeding, but he used to log and couldn't you just tell-he was like a tank, about 17.2hh although you can't really tell from this
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/vickiollie/sammy.bmp

Vicki xx

[k8tymem8ty]

yes you can ride shires i have one called apple and he is anything apart from calm but he does look after his riders even tho he is very forward going. where do u live maybe you could come and have a go on apple.
from kateyhttp://www.sherwoodshires.nl/apollozadel.jpg

[pico]

It's sad, but I know of some Haflingers who are 15.2hh these days. Never in the reign of pig's puddn' in my day, But not far off these day of that 16.2hh you ave there.

Haflingers is Haflingers, 14,2h at the most in my book. IF you want a bigger horse go for your horse, or Norika.

She does look a sweetie pie.

I knew a Haffy that was about 15.2, but she wasn't intentionally bred to be! The other ponies from the same breeding program are all properly in the standard Haflinger size range (though I'm betting the ones from her same lines are towards the upper end on average). She was pretty nifty though - nice mover. (As were her pony size relatives)

[runaked]

yes you can ride shires i have one called apple and he is anything apart from calm but he does look after his riders even tho he is very forward going. where do u live maybe you could come and have a go on apple.
from kateyhttp://www.sherwoodshires.nl/apollozadel.jpg

Blaine, MN...

where is apple. I am assuming the horse is apple. wow i love the feathers!

[Maddison's girl]

blimey I have been looking at all your piccies, they are all stunning. I need steps to get on my 14'3 welshie. I would need a ladder to get on that lot. Dont you get dizzy up there :D

[Esther.D]

We have two crosses, Alfie who is apparently a Shire X Dales and Pablo a Shire or Clydesdale X (not sure which). Alfie (black) is 15.2, Pablo (bay) measures 16.1hh but looks bigger.

[Sarah-B]

Ooooh, Pablo def. has Clydie in him - you can really see it!! They're both gorgeous!!

[domane]

yes you can ride shires i have one called apple and he is anything apart from calm but he does look after his riders even tho he is very forward going. where do u live maybe you could come and have a go on apple. from katey
Ooh! Ooh! If I form an orderly queue, can I come and ride Apple??? I'm in love..... (swoon)...... :p

[Rips]

Well you'd have to go to the Nederlands to ride the horse pictured in k8tymem8ty's post. He is beautiful though.

I've watched heavy Irish draughts jump and they were pretty light on their feet, although none of the really heavy ones are particularly good :p

[k8tymem8ty]

yeh any 1 can ride him he needs someone to exercise him cause he is getting a bit lazy when it comes to galloping i am in hampshire from
katey

[tasha035l]

17hh Irish draught mare for half loan gentle giant
there is a horse up my yard called Kelly she is an Irish draught mare who is the most GENTLE giant you have ever seen everyone up the yard loves her, but sadly her half loan has just given her up which means she will be going away to live in a field and not be ridden as her owner cant afford to take her on again as she already has 3 horses. we are a small yard 14-16horses near Chislehurst Kent.
Kelly is up for half or full loan but I’m sure even if you only half loaned her, her owner would let you come up any day and do her.
she would have to stay at present yard but you could do what ever you want with her regarding shows etc, Kelly is large 17hh but very very very easy to handle she will stand for hours to be groomed and loves kids.
if you are interested let me know
she is an easy ride hacks out and could be ridden by a rider of any standard. she would suit a rider that has just come back to riding or a rider on the heavier side who cannot ride ponies. on the other hand she is so gentle a child could easily ride her.
Tasha
Any questions please e-mail me ASAP she will be going by april 7th otherwise
tasha035l@yahoo.co.uk

[nikkiandsharief]

apple is stunning if thats the horse in teh picture!! what a cutie! where is apple about? Germany? just judging by the car reg's!

i love all the big guys!
TC is looking gooooooddddd

[k8tymem8ty]

that picture was taken in germany my dad lives in germany and thats where we brought him from but he is now back in england hampshire.


help needed exercising apple and bess in southampton.

[Rips]

that picture was taken in germany my dad lives in germany and thats where we brought him from but he is now back in england hampshire.


Why do sherwood shires maintain he is owned by the King William's stud in the Nederlands then?

[k8tymem8ty]

Why do sherwood shires maintain he is owned by the King William's stud in the Nederlands then?

ok then what ever you think. you can come and see him if you want

[~*sugarlump*~]

http://www.wealddown.co.uk/images%20special%20events/event%20heavy%20horse%20030601%200023.JPG

xxx

wow! its a giant jerome :eek::eek: its just like him, especially the face and eyes!!!:p except jerome is a bit whiter (or is it greyer to be techinical :rolleyes: ) around his flank

[JOJOBA]

help needed exercising apple and bess in southampton.

Ive just applied to Southampton Solent university :p
Dont tempt me!!!

xxx

[burness_21]

i have just seen apples pic on the sherwood shires website, says his name is apollo and he was owned bybij King William Stable in Alphen (NB) in the Netherlands.
Apollo is the nummer 2 stallion of Holland in 1999. Daphne de Visser rides Apollo on this picture. Apollo is now owned bij Shadow Brook Farm in Central Alberta in Canada

[palmerlover52]

Whenever we go out on hacks, my instructor rides infront, and to stop the other horses bombing off when we stop (some are VERY naughty) she just turns Rocky sideways. he's like a HUGEEEE brick wall. (18hh:))

[vimto92]

Don't you just hate it when people pretend to be/have something they aren't/haven't got....:o

I like all heavy breeds....:D And well all horses and ponies for that!:D

Vic x
PS More pictures.....please!;)

[Baileigh]

A few pictures of me on my draft boy last summer... this was the first time I'd ridden in a year due to medical reasons...

http://pics.livejournal.com/thydarkheaven/pic/00039we3

http://pics.livejournal.com/thydarkheaven/pic/00034rys

[vimto92]

Great pictures!

[Kazzie]

Don't know Vimto - I guess I'm embarassed for them (perhaps I'm naieve). I find it strange though that anyone would go to such lengths to get a post on NR.

[vimto92]

Don't know Vimto - I guess I'm embarassed for them (perhaps I'm naieve). I find it strange though that anyone would go to such lengths to get a post on NR.
Yup.:rolleyes:

[chickflick1066]

All these draught horses are gorgeous!

I rode an Ardennais at my yard the other day :D Lovely ;) His name is Massey and he's very fat. LOL.

[nikkiandsharief]

ooohhh how good were my eyes then! haha

[JOJOBA]

Burness_21

I was about to check the URL and trace the picture too.

Arent we suspicious creatures :p

xxx

[burness_21]

it was rips that made me suspicous if you go onto the sherwood shires site you shoud see him.
http://community.webshots.com/album/592792

[cvb]

A few pictures of me on my draft boy last summer... this was the first time I'd ridden in a year due to medical reasons...


Baileigh

He's GORGEOUS !! And if that was the first time in a year, you're looking pretty comfortable, relaxed, etc up there :)

you'd better not tell me where you are in Scotland or you may find he disappears... tho having just spent 5 mornings in a row mucking out our four... maybe not ;)

[Baileigh]

thanks cvb!

I wasn't as relaxed as I appear, although in those pictures I was quite happy, I think what the best thing was - he played up and threw tantrums, and my old riding skill took over to sort him out, and after that, it was like, hey, I can deal with this.

Heh, we are central - near cumbernauld/falkirk/stirling- if you ever want a visit :-) And you don't have to much my pair out - they live out 24/7 - in a field big enough so that they have ''toilets'' - and tend not to soil where they graze, it's great!


Anyways - if you are ever wanting to meet/ride him - I'd be cool with that :-)

[cvb]

Baileigh

I'm about 10 miles from Auchterarder/Gleneagles - towards Perth tho so away from you. We should be at the NPS show at Alloa on Saturday with mum's Eriskay but my mother's ill right now so we'll see how it goes...

[Baileigh]

*nod* you are a bit away, but not too far! If you want over summer, you are more than welcome to come see them - I wouldn't say any time just now, the weather is horrendous - and the fields wet, plus trying to dry horses in the rain to tack them up - lol - it drives me nuts! But over summer with good weather, I generally have a good area to ride on, and *hopefully* should still have access to ride along part of the Antonine Wall. Both of my horses are pretty much bombproof, they live next to the main Glasgow-Edinburgh railway line (and sleep in a railway tunnel with those trains going overhead!), and on the other side they are next to an airfield, so are used to seeing helicopters etc take off and land. Previously they've been next to an active quarry, with blasting going on. (Yet still the mare runs from baby bunnies...) - so they do well for riders new to them. If you have MSN/AIM - catch me on there :-)

[ColouredChaos]

I've just joined the heavy horse group too, i agreed on saturday to have a normand cob on loan, all 17.2-18hh of him!

pics to follow & updates a plenty!

Having mounting block raised as we speak!

[vimto92]

I've just joined the heavy horse group too, i agreed on saturday to have a normand cob on loan, all 17.2-18hh of him!

1)pics to follow & updates a plenty!

2)Having mounting block raised as we speak!

1)I hope we do have some updates!

2) Heheee!:p

[coblover26]

I would love to ride a shire horse. There so big :)

There was one for sale and he was about 5yrs and only 15.1hh and he is gorgeous :) :D

[Lorna1]

Hi,

I have a Clydesdale/Irish draft:) she is 8 years old and 16.3hh, My friend at the same yard also has a Shire who is 17.1hh. We ride out every weekend and jump too, although not as much as I would like :rolleyes: as Mar has not done alot of jumping.

[fatflamingo]

Just a few pics!....Hope they work!...
24254
24255
24256
24257
24258

[jowyles]

Heres a vid of my super jumping shire x
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/Jowyles/th_100_0193.jpg (http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/Jowyles/?action=view&current=100_0193.flv)

[Baileyswalker]

Blimey fatflamingo, that first one's not a horse, it's an ox! And the dinnerplates on that grey, i bet it costs a fortune for his shoes! They're all gorgeous, i live feathers so much! It's how a horse should look!

[fatflamingo]

tell me about it!!!
i love um all tho!
:D

[fatflamingo]

i try to keep um all lookingeorge wat ya recon! lol!:cool:

[FRED]

guess the breed ,sorry no prize:p
This horse I used to look after:) and won{well nearly cough...5th and 6th places}in the best turn out and inhand class.


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c399/Frederickjames/Bonnie048.jpg

[Spinner]

Ooh gorgeous Fred thought mine had a mane - joked about showing my new lad but didn't know what he could be entered into! You've given me the answer now! Only problem is transporting him, at 17.2 not your average size. He is a Shire x and an absolute poppit. http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j304/spinner01/Monty1.jpg

[sidesaddlelady1]

17hh Irish draught mare for half loan gentle giant
there is a horse up my yard called Kelly she is an Irish draught mare who is the most GENTLE giant you have ever seen everyone up the yard loves her, but sadly her half loan has just given her up which means she will be going away to live in a field and not be ridden as her owner cant afford to take her on again as she already has 3 horses. we are a small yard 14-16horses near Chislehurst Kent.
Kelly is up for half or full loan but I’m sure even if you only half loaned her, her owner would let you come up any day and do her.
she would have to stay at present yard but you could do what ever you want with her regarding shows etc, Kelly is large 17hh but very very very easy to handle she will stand for hours to be groomed and loves kids.
if you are interested let me know
she is an easy ride hacks out and could be ridden by a rider of any standard. she would suit a rider that has just come back to riding or a rider on the heavier side who cannot ride ponies. on the other hand she is so gentle a child could easily ride her.
Tasha
Any questions please e-mail me ASAP she will be going by april 7th otherwise
tasha035l@yahoo.co.uk
Irish Draughts can certainly have an reference from me. They are kind, gentle, intelligent and sensible and can turn their hoof to anything with a will. The WH's attitude to all new situations and tasks is "Hm, we've not done this before but all right we'll have a go." He loves learning new things and has recently taken part in a musical drill ride after being introduced to it only a couple of days before when one of the regulars went lame. Contrary to the impression given by the name they are not traditionally heavy draught horses and don't have much feather. They can be hacked, jumped, hunted and driven. They breed well with TBs to make jumpers and "sports horses" and they are all-round thoroughly good eggs.

[sidesaddlelady1]

I was always wondering that, for my favorite horse is a shire (and a rocky mountian...) And i think it would be a thrill to ride a horse of that size! (Even more, of that breed) I would greatly apreciate it if you would inform me about this!

P.S. Does any one have pics of thier horse? Now is the time to show them off! (I love seeing pics of other peoples horses for i have high hopes of my own some day) And also any pics of shires or rocky mnts? Or shires/drafts with some one on them?

Thank you...

W/ great honor...

Tierney

Someone may already have said this so forgive me if I'm repeating. Lots of people ride Shires and other "heavy" horses. The only fly in the ointment is the cost of tack and clothing for them. The extra large sizes that are often required make it an expensive hobby. An acquaintance used to have to order her stuff specially so she couldn't just run down to the store and buy "off the peg" and there was always a wait for the stuff to come.

[sidesaddlelady1]

Well you'd have to go to the Nederlands to ride the horse pictured in k8tymem8ty's post. He is beautiful though.

I've watched heavy Irish draughts jump and they were pretty light on their feet, although none of the really heavy ones are particularly good :p
One of the reasons that the Irish Draught nearly died out last century is the extensive interbreeding with Thoroughbreds which went on to produce hunters and show jumpers, culminating in what became called the "Irish Sport Horse" (Presumably because the older expression "Irish Hunter" became non-PC in the latter half of the 20th century). A classic example of this horse was the D'Inzeo brothers' grey "The Rock". As far as I know the ID breed is still at risk and there are comparatively few certified "pure-bred" IDs at stud. Certainly fewer than the number of "Irish Draught Horses" advertised for sale in the British press would suggest.

In my experience IDs are usually safe and talented jumpers (but there are always exceptions) and the breed was originally developed to pull the plough, draw the trap to market and take the farmer hunting on his day off.

No true ID is very heavy in the carthorse sense. Unless by "really heavy ones" you mean Irish Clydesdales which Daphne Machin Goodall described as being descended from but set apart from Scottish Clydesdales. Neither do true IDs have much feather, just the typical ID tuft on the back of the legs over the ergot.

(And you all thought I was only obsessed with side saddles!)

[sidesaddlelady1]

Yup.:rolleyes:
Vimto92 and Kazzie, you are both quite abominably rude on this thread and I am surprised that the moderators on this site have allowed your comments to stand.

Your apparent youth is no excuse, neither is it relevant whether your assumptions are correct or not.

[JOJOBA]

Sidesaddlelady - what have Vimto and Kazzie said that you find rude? I checked back the last couple of pages and couldnt find anything?


xxx

[Pink's lady]

Agreed with Jojoba - neither Vimto nor Kezzie have been rude to anyone, except k8tymem8ty, who is quite obviously lying. Appolo is a Shire stallion standing at stud in the neatherlands. Not owned by k8tymem8ty dad's, living in hampshire (although he quickly moved to Germany, which isn't even the Neatherlands ;)), and people are welcome to come and have a shot on him ;)

Personally, I think they've been quite restrained ;) I'd have been much nastier - can't stand liars :mad:

[vimto92]

Sorry I have offended you.... didn't set out to do so.

Does my youth really have anything to do with the matter... I know what I think and if you don't like that then I am sorry.

I'm also shocked you don't find k8tymem8ty rude.... lying.:eek:

[Kazzie]

'Don't know Vimto - I guess I'm embarassed for them (perhaps I'm naieve). I find it strange though that anyone would go to such lengths to get a post on NR.'

SideSaddleLady,

I don't know why you think I was being rude and your reference to my apparent youth is totally incorrect as I'm in my 50's.

My post - quoted above - in answer to Vimto's post refers to someone posting that they owned a rather lovely horse and was offering the opportunity to ride him anytime to anyone.

It was obvious at the time I posted that the poster was lying about his/her ownership of the horse. I felt the whole thing was toe-curling embarassing for the poster and said so in a not inappropriate way, at least I felt it to be.

[Megpeg]

I know a lady who does dressage with her shire. No major shows just yet, but she plans to compete him eventually.
It's utterly bizarre (in a good way) to see this enormous elephant of an animal (with huge feet!) prancing around the school so elegantly.
I've yet to see one being jumped, but I understand they're quite capable of at least afew little pops.

[coblover26]

Please girlies, try not to start an argument.

All these draft horses are GORGEOUS :) :D

[Kazzie]

Well Lulu, I'm not arguing but I'd like to know why I'm being accused of being 'abominably rude' by SideSaddle Lady. I think this is a reasonable enough request.

[FRED]

Ok, maybe its time to forgive and forget and use energy wisely.:)

Yes so many wonderfull photos here, inhand showing is fun, but for getting your horse there.

Here's a very proud moment for Bonnie,at 18 years old and so much hard work from erm:eek: the guy dressed like the Bread Man{yuk!}but I did enjoy getting her ship shape.The judge said 'ooo so much hair' well indeed Clydesdales do have a lot of hair:p. I did nearly buy one late last year before D happened along.I think the Clydesdales temperament is special.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c399/Frederickjames/Bonnie0002.jpg

[vimto92]

Im not up for starting an argument LOL! And I don't think anyone is thinking about it, well I hope not because I am absoloutely loving this thread!:D

Really beautiful horses!:D

[coblover26]

Well Lulu, I'm not arguing but I'd like to know why I'm being accused of being 'abominably rude' by SideSaddle Lady. I think this is a reasonable enough request.

Sorry I was just saying. I don't want another post closing because of an argument. So like FRED said, Lets just forgive and forget about it.

[~*sugarlump*~]

I'm sorry but i really dont see what any one did wrong (with perhaps the exception of k8ymem8y,)
sorry to go on a O/T note :D vicks- i missed your 2000s post! :o:( i havent been on here for so long.....awwww thats what exams do to you :P

but i absolutely love riding cnything cob like, i much prefer them to finer horses, :)

[holiday]

My two dressage horses are shire x and clydesdale x they are both gorgeous and try really hard!!!! There are some pics of them on our website!!! Laxton Hijacked (Jack) and Chanel v (Molly) - she has qualified for the regionals again this year. Both have taken after the heavy horse and are big!!!

[Lucyad]

I love both of the horses on your website! They give me hope for Oscar who is CD/TB X and looks really like yours (Molly?), but obviously not as advanced, as he is being a big plod just now and needs some work (see post on mature riders section). I really love this type of horse!

[sidesaddlelady1]

'Don't know Vimto - I guess I'm embarassed for them (perhaps I'm naieve). I find it strange though that anyone would go to such lengths to get a post on NR.'

SideSaddleLady,

I don't know why you think I was being rude and your reference to my apparent youth is totally incorrect as I'm in my 50's.

My post - quoted above - in answer to Vimto's post refers to someone posting that they owned a rather lovely horse and was offering the opportunity to ride him anytime to anyone.

It was obvious at the time I posted that the poster was lying about his/her ownership of the horse. I felt the whole thing was toe-curling embarassing for the poster and said so in a not inappropriate way, at least I felt it to be.

No longer up for discussion as I have registered a complaint with the Moderators.

[vimto92]

I hope not for me either as I adore this site.:o

Plus.... I didn't mean to come across as nasty but why go through the hassle of lying....to that extent anyway.

I also adore this thread and wouldn't want arguments to break out which they have done... and I apologise... no offence was meant to anyone.

[~*sugarlump*~]

I hope not for me either as I adore this site.:o

Plus.... I didn't mean to come across as nasty but why go through the hassle of lying....to that extent anyway.

I also adore this thread and wouldn't want arguments to break out which they have done... and I apologise... no offence was meant to anyone.
tbh i see no reason why you should be banned or anything, I couldnt find anything over the last few pages that were rude, I think we should all try and forget all this, and i think k8mem8y shouldnt claim to own horses that arnt hers again, as i think (although I'm not sure) that somebody once, a long time ago got banned for saying they owned a horse they didnt.


Back to the subject again, :) would you class welsh seccy Ds as draft?

[Mike]

I'm not going to pick over who was right or wrong in this thread, I think all views have been said. As a general note it is pointless trying to make up fictitious horses as it usually gets uncovered very quickly.

Back to draft horse and no more discussion of this or I'll close the thread.

[JOJOBA]

Dont think D's are a draught.
I think it's Suffolks, Shires, Clydies, Irish Draughts around our way. Belgian Heavy Draughts and Percherons more common in USA. Perhaps a few more that I cant remember.

I remember a show judge on a tannoy talking about 'Britain's 5 draughts' and I cant for the life of me remember what they are! :(

Most countries have their own draught horses. My fave is the Italian Heavy :D

xxx

[jenren!!]

Nice to see how long a thread can go on for eh ;)

Jenny

[kunama]

Our new boy Tanco is a Suffolk x Tb and he hunt's , jumps, and is good as gold with just about everything, though he does need telling sometimes!!

one of the nicest horses i have ever worked with was a shire x hannovarian x TB, he floated and was so placid, just lovely.

Tanco-

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c142/reductivani/P3190054.jpg

[FRED]

:)
I find it a fascinating subject and enjoy reading the history books on the Draft/Heavy horse and introduced blood lines, from what I can gather the Clydesdale has always been a notable exception amongst draft horses in having longer legs.

I have seen Cleveland Bays x TB that are huge too{18+ H} and very very powerful horse, all be their hooves are nothing like as big as a Draft horse, {originally bred for their speed and power for Carriage work, I think they would have been more than a handful working on the farm,the plough going from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds.. or less I would imagine from my experiences :eek: }

[JOJOBA]

One of my instructors has an 18hh cleveland bay which he uses for Working Hunter and SJ classes. He looks more like a warmblood - and certainly acts like one!
He's enormous, I had a little ride on him once and had to get a leg up and catch the saddle on the way past. :D Having seen his antics my knuckles were white on the reins but he'd already done an hour's work and was VERY laid back :rolleyes: so much so that instructor had to run over with a whip!
I wouldnt get on him when he'd just come in though!
He is beautiful though - proper dressagey type.

xxx

[jenren!!]

Anyone watch 'horsetails' on Animal Planet last night? There was a lovely shire being shown to the world...the largest horse in Europe i believe!

Jenny

[pico]

I love drafts and draft crosses. I've trained several for people as riding horses.
There was a purebred Clydesdale who I started under saddle - a big beautiful boy, with gorgeous , big, free movement, and a Purebred black Percheron that I reschooled as a dressage horse (he'd been a driving horse and been trail ridden western and used a bit for team penning, which must have been a sight!)

And before them, there were the draft crosses I worked for their owners who were breeding carriage driving horses for themselves and also marketing them as sport horses. They were my first training clients, and I was training the sales horses to be riding horses - adding to the dressage schooling of the already well started ones, and also working with the just barely started ones.
The horses I rode were gorgeous movers, especially Rosie, a Shire X (Hackney X Standardbred). I also rode Swede, who was a lovely, baroque type buckskin Percheron X (Hackney X Quarter Horse), and his 3/4 or more siblings, Chile (Perchy X (swedes' dam's full sister)) and Dane (same Perchy X ( Hackney X Standardbred) ). and I rode the Infamous to me (see below) Diego - Same Shire as Rosie X not sure which of the other mares, but I think one of the two Hackney X QH ones)

(The mix may sound odd to some, but they had an eye for a well put together, good moving horse, and the resulting horses ranged from nice moving to gorgeous moving and generally had good minds, and were fun to work with... with the exception of just one, who was not so fun to work with... working with Diego taught me some important lessons about horse training and trusting my own instincts instead of letting the client push me around though, so I suppose that's something... :rolleyes: )

They also had me giving supplementary feed to the several then-yearlings . They ran the horses as a herd on a large number of acres, so the babies were just about toally unhandled. So while I was feeding them I took it upon myself to gentle the youngsters. I fell in love with Vixen, a buckskin Shire X (Hackney X Quarter Horse) (out of the same dam as Swede) and was rather fond of her nearly-matching sister Flicka, also bucksin and by the same sire and out of a full sister to Vixen's mum. I've been wondering what became of my babies, and guessing they might well still be running with the herd, getting the occasional bit of training. The last time I saw them they were about 2. I hadn't been out there in ages, and when I stopped by to visit and called "Babies!!!" like I always had to bring them in for feeding the heads came up and Flicka gave a huge whinny and they all came galloping to see me. Awww.

I'm very excited, as after several years with no website they've just put a new site up... so now I can show you all pictures of some of my babies!

They've put the site back up because they're selling most of the farm, and dispersing the herd! Ah! I want to buy my babies and ship them here along with Pico! Anyone want to go in with me on a matched pair of full sisters. 6 years old, possibly started for driving, probably not started under saddle?

OK, it's mad, I know... but it is cheaper per horse to ship 3 horses than to ship one... (3 is the magic number for horse shipping...) ;)
Ah, pipe dreams...
(Realisitically, if I'm going to pay to ship extra horses I should be looking to ship a couple nice western horses for other people, not two draft cross mares for me. But my babies are soo lovely still! )

Here are my darlings:

Rosie, who was sold to an amateur dressage rider years ago, and is probably still making someon very happy :-)
http://www.gillespiefarm.com/images/rosie1.jpg

and my "baby girls" all grown up! and gorgeous! and from the looks of it an even better matched pair than I thought they might turn out to be... (though Flicka does look to be a bit more rectangular in shape, which fits with her build when I knew her. I can't see in the pic, but I'm betting Vixen still has the shorter back of the two)
Flicka and Vixen
http://www.gillespiefarm.com/images/flicka___vixen1.jpg

[Rips]

One of the reasons that the Irish Draught nearly died out last century is the extensive interbreeding with Thoroughbreds which went on to produce hunters and show jumpers, culminating in what became called the "Irish Sport Horse" (Presumably because the older expression "Irish Hunter" became non-PC in the latter half of the 20th century). A classic example of this horse was the D'Inzeo brothers' grey "The Rock". As far as I know the ID breed is still at risk and there are comparatively few certified "pure-bred" IDs at stud. Certainly fewer than the number of "Irish Draught Horses" advertised for sale in the British press would suggest.

In my experience IDs are usually safe and talented jumpers (but there are always exceptions) and the breed was originally developed to pull the plough, draw the trap to market and take the farmer hunting on his day off.

No true ID is very heavy in the carthorse sense. Unless by "really heavy ones" you mean Irish Clydesdales which Daphne Machin Goodall described as being descended from but set apart from Scottish Clydesdales. Neither do true IDs have much feather, just the typical ID tuft on the back of the legs over the ergot.

(And you all thought I was only obsessed with side saddles!)


Before the breed began to decline there was a large number of purebred traditional style (which I would class as "really heavy" ) Irish Draughts capable of professional level jumping. Very few of their "undiluted" progeny survive today but they still are about (ones that were rarely influenced by the TB and no gaps in their pedigree)

In recent years, after the realisation that the breed was almost lost - a number of breeders set out trying to imitate the "traditional heavy Irish Draught" but that IMO has been a failure. There are lots of registered heavy ID stallions about now, they are fantastic draught specimens but they don't have the same carraige the original heavy draughts had - they certainly don't have the same scope for jumping.

The lighter or middleweight types still do, but as I said there are very few of these that don't have some TB in their lineage or gaps at least.

In that sense, the breed has been lost. Apart from the extensive TB outbreeding, the main factor that inhibited the survival of pure lines was exportation. Many of the best draughts went to america where they have been "refined" as draughts but not for the uses they were originally intended. Most wouldn't be capable of hunting anymore.

[MadWoman]

Here is my ID mare, Penny May. She's 17hh and although pretty heavy is very light on her feet and has an enormous jump. Her flatwork is coming on very nicely too, so I hope to do some dressage on her before too long.

[Just.Jump]

She's gorgeous, madwoman!

[mogadoga]

Theres a huge Clydsdale on my yard. Hes only rode occasionally as the man who owns him doesnt do much with him so sometimes lets the kids get on. He can jump 3ft easy too!

[benslieblue]

The gentleman I bought my c'dale from - him and his wife been riding them for years, she has a 24 yr old mare. There are currently 6 c/dales at my yard, Its my first inhand show on Saturday, traditionally the tails are cut to just below the dock when 3 yr old (but not my boy!) am doing it for myself and just the experience.
Along the road from me, my friend has 2 c/dales and shire which she rides (not at same time tho)At my yard is a suffolk punch x cob who has got gorgeous chestnut feather- my friend drives her!
I think c'dales have gorgeous temperaments, not plods but forward going too.
My boy is a twin n was the small one so is standing at 16 '1 just now - am not bothered what height he is, just love these gorgeous animals. Could talk forever about Ben cos am smitten!!!!!:D
Also this year is the 1st ridden clydesdale show at Royal Highland show
Baileigh - your horses are gorgeous. Am not that far away from you - in sunny ayrshire!!

[benslieblue]

The gentleman I bought my c'dale from - him and his wife been riding them for years, she has a 24 yr old mare. There are currently 6 c/dales at my yard, Its my first inhand show on Saturday, traditionally the tails are cut to just below the dock when 3 yr old (but not my boy!) am doing it for myself and just the experience.
Along the road from me, my friend has 2 c/dales and shire which she rides (not at same time tho)At my yard is a suffolk punch x cob who has got gorgeous chestnut feather- my friend drives her!
I think c'dales have gorgeous temperaments, not plods but forward going too.
My boy is a twin n was the small one so is standing at 16 '1 just now - am not bothered what height he is, just love these gorgeous animals. Could talk forever about Ben cos am smitten!!!!!:D
Also this year is the 1st ridden clydesdale show at Royal Highland show
Baileigh - your horses are gorgeous. Am not that far away from you - in sunny ayrshire!!