Clydesdale horses for joy riding.

[Kelly G]

I have a haflinger mare. She is just started under saddle. She is a good one.

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/87/l_d35311e5ab5a917250786619c3522078.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/101/l_e7c6bd185f436f900ce2402d2fca525d.jpg

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/35/l_8f73c9dd249e446395848751701ecfec.jpg

She is 3 and 13hh.

She is a CUTIE!!!! I was very close to buying a cute little haflinger gelding - and I was completely smitten with the breed! Phew - quite a buck!

 

[Shell]

Fortunatly she does not seem to buck when I am working her. I have not got on yet though!

 

[Horsiezz]

MY friend rides a 17 hand Percheron on trails. Hes a very sweet guy!
They are expensive to keep,and many can have pastern problems,so look out for that.
Other than that..they are nice horses to have!

 

[michickenwrangler]

Beautiful horses everyone

I've ridden Haflingers and love them! But 1 horse is all I can afford right now.

Maybe down the road getting one for my daughter would be an idea. An older woman on the distance circuit here in Michigan rides an Arab/Haflinger in endurance rides. She's adorable: stout, bay with a thick, frizzy black mane and tail with a sweet wide face.

 

[MoonlitAcre]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my draft horses. I ride and drive them. Most go on 4-6 hour trail rides too. Some need special draft size saddles and halters while the other half only need large horse. I cant ride a regular horse anymore, I just love my guys. Their trot and canter are unique. And the temperament is just wonderufl!

Laura Moon
www.moonlitacre.com

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Is it a good idea to get a Clydesdale for this purpose? I love the horses but I don't plan on ever needing a draft horse.

I currently have a spotted draf and a percheron. Both of these girls are used for riding and I love drafts. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted a draft horse, 5 years ago, I adopted my Chantilly (Belgian) and she was my soul mate if there is such a thing in a horse. Sadly we lost her this past fall. We have since adopted the 2 we currently have.

Where are you located? If you are not specific about the breed, but want a draft horse, please consider Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue. All of mine have come from this organization. I highly recommend them. http://www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.com/

Blue (Spotted Draft) - 17.1 Hands

Blue came to Gentle Giants from Preston County Animal Shelter in Morgantown WV. She and her mother (Meadow) had been impounded for neglect. Neither horse had any training. Preston County was going to put the horses down, since no one would adopt them. A member of the Board of Directors called and asked Gentle Giants for assistance.


Luna (Percheron) - 17.3 Hands

Luna came to Gentle Giants from a woman named Amy Worden, who is a writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She was doing a story on a puppy mill, and went to the site. While there, she spotted Luna and a belgian mare named Belle. The horses were confined to one 12X12 stall 24/7 and were thin, but were not neglected "enough" for animal control to take them. Amy bought them from the man in order to gain their freedom. She intended to keep both mares and board them. But it turns out Belle was pregnant, and she was only accounting for paying board on two horses. Thats how Luna came to GentleGiants.

 

[dsqard]

My daughter used to show her Percheron cross in dressage and loves to go trail riding on her. Delilah stands at 17 1/2 hands and I think she always got a kick out of people's reactions to her "big" horse. Delilah as also done some jumping but not real high. You can do a lot of different things with a draft!

 

[w c]

A lot of people have draft and draft crosses of various sizes and 'degrees of draftiness'.

Like any type or breed there are pro's and con's to these horses. Many people like the calm draft horse type temperament.

First, with a full size draft like a Clydesdale, yes, you could have a very, very hard time finding a blacksmith. I would check first to see if there are any blacksmiths in your area that will do them at all, before getting one. If the blacksmith does draft horses, see if they actually do their feet for riding, instead of draft horse shows. It is a very different kind of shoeing.

Second, unless you have your own place it can be very, very hard to board them. Many boarding stables do not like them as they eat more, and are harder on the facilities - stall walls, fences, etc. They put more wear and tear on pastures and paddocks and rings. You may have to pay extra for extra feed.

Third, while equipment such as saddles and bridles can be found for them you often will pay a premium.

Fourth, if you show in other than 'breed' or 'draft' shows, you might find that your full draft is not as successful in the show ring as a Quarter Horse for western style riding, a hunt seat type breed in hunt seat classes, a sport horse type in sport classes, etc. Every type of ridden horse showing has kind of grown up around a riding horse breed.

Fifth, size. If you are new to horses, a 17 to 18 hand animal that weighs close to a ton is not a good choice. A smaller horse is a better choice. Even a very calm animal like a draft horse can have its moments. And a bigger horse, even if a very calm temperament, can still get pushy with a beginner. You are better off starting with a small horse.

Too, breaking an untrained young draft or draft cross is not much different from doing so with any horse. My friend bought a Percheron and got mad when he spooked at unfamiliar things, took off and ran back to the barn, and even bucked the first time the saddle was on. The seller of course had talked the horse up to heaven and said 'he's a draft horse, he will never buck, run or spook'.....WELLLLLLLL.....sure they can be quite nice but it still is a horse, LOL.

All of that said, there are a lot of 'on the other hand's' to the above. The main one being that smaller somewhat drafty type horses and draft crosses are enjoyed and liked by many people.

What I would recommend as a first horse to have a lot of fun on, is in agreement with the above posters. For a fun, family type horse, look into a Fjord, Haflinger, or a smaller draft cross instead of a Clydesdale.

 

[chicnbuns]

They're all magnificent!! My prayer is to one day have a Halflinger....I adore them....and if ever possible, a Gypsy Horse. But I'll be perfectly content with a Halflinger!! Their faces just make me melt!
Thanks all for sharing your pics <3

 

[foxywench]

i want a couple of fjords one day...
ive got a long way to go yet before i have my place and the knowledge to own my own horse...

but i LOVE the fjords...

however if money was no object...
id have a drum horse (paint shire) i grew up around shires and theres nothing more fabulous...clyds are beautiful too, but theres a special place in my heart for the shire, and i LOVE flashy horses!