My draft cross (we think she is a Belgian/QH cross) is an expert at not wasting energy. She definitely has an engine under saddle, especially cross country, but she would never waste her precious energy on spooking or bucking. Haha My goal is to do lower level eventing with her. Our first BN horse trial is this Friday, so we will see how she does!
I have a PMU 1/2 TB 1/4 Perch 1/4 Paint gelding who came to me at ten years old having done very little. We’re now showing 4th level dressage and planning on Prix St George this winter. He is amazing. He’s very smart. He’s also learning to paint!
In fact I’m looking for another draft cross between 2 and 4 years old if anyone knows of a good place to look? There’s not so many around right now it seems.
Mine is 1/2 Dutch, 1/4 TB, & 1/4 Clyde. Has the Clyde coloring, but looks like a old school heavier Dutch.
I ride dressage exclusively - have scored 70%+ at 4/3, would have gotten into Dressage at Devon in 2014 if I had decided to go that route. Have also shown PSG - had a couple of clinicians tell me that he would not embarrass himself or me in the small tour CDI classes.
He’ll hack out ok - not the world’s bravest horse - but the worst he does is that six inches straight up in the air with all four feet. I had him all over the Kentucky horse park one show.
I’ve never tried jumping him - I didn’t want to take the chance that he would love it and refuse to do dressage any longer.
Interestingly, I bought him as a coming 4yo as a resale project. 8 years ago. Funny how that happens, right?
Mine is full Shire. I was looking for a Quarter Horse trail horse when I saw him many years ago and fell in love with his big, soft eye and long eyelashes.
I wish he was more courageous, but he’s a bit of a weenie when it comes to things that rustle in the woods. But he’s a really good boy.
He has three talents:
- When you scratch his belly, he lifts up his hind leg like a dog.
- He comes running to my whistle and he knows the sound of my car.
- He flaps his lower lip when he’s working hard and really thinking in the ring.
He is the love of my life.
I have a 13 year old draft x TB who is a super allrounder. Evented to training level, did the jumpers to 1m and, most surprisingly for a heavy pinto creature, kicks butt in the hunter ring as a 3’ horse. She jumps better than pretty much any horse in the barn, she’s perfect!
I have two Georgian Grandes (full brothers) in the Saddlebred x Percheron variety, both big buckskins. The oldest I am eventing at Novice and I consider him a Rock Star. He’s wonderful. Yes, I’m completely biased and smitten. His younger brother is 5 and I plan to finally get him started under saddle this year.
The third is by the same Saddlebred stallion (Spot of Gold) but out of a Clyde/Hackney/TB mare and is a palomino pinto. (Yes, I love dilutes). He’s a bit more sensitive than his two half brothers as a 3/4 hotblood, but still is a very good soul. He’s been to one schooling show and I hope to get him out at beginner novice again this year and quickly move him up to novice. He’s got a great jump on him but trail rides great too. He’s been my back up horse while I concentrated on bringing his older brother along. They are 8, 7 and 5 this year.
Some don’t consider the Registered Irish Draughts as drafts but I do have a RID x TB, Irish Sport Horse colt, now a gelding, who will be a yearling in August, and he too will be an excellent eventer and seems a laid back, easy going guy.
I’m older and wanted horses who were uncomplicated but fun and these guys fit that bill nicely. Very honest and trust worthy. I don’t have any aspirations above training level eventing.
I have a Dutch Harness/Belgian cross gelding. He has a stunning presence to him and stands 17.2H. What I love most about him is his brain though. He’s absolutely fearless. He could very easily lead our first field (foxhunting) even though he’s only 5. I joke that he doesn’t have a clue about life, but has all of the confidence of a seasoned horse.
For a big horse, he rides very light and is an exceptional jumper (though he hasn’t done too much since he’s still a babe.) He is very non-plussed about questions and experiences that have sent my TB’s over the edge. The first time I showed him some ditches, he was like “what’s the big deal” and stepped right over.
In the hunt field he has a really strong go button (he really should probably lead the field or be a huntsman’s horse) which I’m working on tempering just a bit so as to stay within etiquette guidelines. But he loves to gallop!
I took him to two mini trials in Aiken this winter and he was the most rate-able, polite, brave soul around XC.
So, he’s getting a double-major in eventing and fox hunting!
Mr Element has full clyde mare. She lives out and keeps the boys in line. DH rides her a few times a month, mostly walking, mostly trail rides. She’s easy to deal with, especially considering how little formal training she’s had. Beautiful black with lots of roaning, and the one that friends and neighbors always ooh and aah over in a field full of WBs.
MoonWitch, I also have a Belgian/Appy cross with the classic Appy snowflake pattern on his “pink” rump - he’s sort of a light strawberry roan all over with the white snowflakes sprinkled on his rump. Blond mane and tail, blond feathers on three and white feathers on the fourth. Incredible temperament - sweet, smart, charming, funny, and always so careful not to bump me or step on me. He also is an amazing mover despite his size with perfect cadence and a lot of elasticity at the trot and the softest canter ever. Perfect trail horse, which is pretty much all I do these days after burning out over too many decades showing “fancy” horses. He’s one of the bigger draft-x at 1800 lbs and 16 hh. I’ve looked for years for his dam, supposedly she was one brought out of Canada in the PMU mare rescues that a large rescue group in Oregon did. I figure his lovely personality probably came from mom though other draft horse people I’ve now met assure me that the drafties all have incredibly sweet, kind bomb-proof temperaments. He was not a candidate for driving as he was and remains crupper resistant - that’s fine with me, I drove show horses for years and if I get back into driving it will be with mini donkeys.
