Draft type miniatures

[rmhf08]

Hello, I am Leeana's friend Tracey. I am the owner of the horses pictured. Yes we have been offering the "draft style" classes for some time. We follow the Draft breed specs. Such as mares are not required to be braided for halter classes. But are required to be braided for harness. Stallions may wear a bitted halter. Tradionally they use a white halter with brow band and throat latch and chain under the chin. Some are white leather and some are white bio or beta. I habe seen a handful of the brow halters of the same style. Personally I find that the best minis for this type of class are your older breeding style minis. Not just slightly over weight avg. minis. In my search for my own team I have found the Bond bred and Stouts bred and Soats bred horses have the best look for this style. Not saying that others wouldnt work but these seem to have the best body style. We dont over stretch like the Arab and Morgan styles do. And the head and neck are alert and ready for a demand look. But not reaching out as to show off a beautiful long neck. A few of the county fairs are really getting in to this style. The require a collar and hame style harness for driving and hitch classes. For now they are allowing any collar and hame, wether it be a buggie style, heavey draft style or a carriage style. I have been told that eventually only a heavy draft style will be allowd in the future. Due to the expence of the heavy draft harness they are letting the other styles show until the population gets bigger. Then possibly the other harness types will be devided. There are a few differences in the heavy draft from the others mentioned. One being the hames extend above the collars with balls on top. Where the carriage and buggy styles are flush with the to of the collar. Also the draft collars tend to be alittle more padded, ment for heavier work load. Also the breaching is usually a two or three strap style with a quarter strap. There are many types of harness that use collars rather then breast straps. I would love to offer any answers I can to anyone in need of info. I have been working with alot of local draft horse farms that compete and we are still fine tuning this style of showing. Thanks to Leeana for posting the pics of my boys!

 

[rmhf08]

By the way sorry for the typos. My thinking moves faster then my fingers...lol

 

[disneyhorse]

Thanks for sharing Leeana! I'm a big draft horse fan

 

[rmhf08]

Oh and I wanted to add. If you show in the draft type class you dont have to drive in draft driving "unless"you chose to drive or hitch. Meaning, you have to show that animal in one style. But just because you show in halter doesnt mean you have to drive that animal. Just wanted to clearify that I may have read it wrong in an earlier post. It kinda sounded like if you show draft halter that, thst animal had to be driven too. Or was that it had to be driven in draft if you chose to drive?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

For Nationals in order to show in the draft halter it's required to show in a draft harness class.

 

[rmhf08]

Thanks for the info. So I gather they wont have a JR. draft type class? Just curious.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Its just divided by sexes.

Gelding Draft Halter, 38" and Under

Mare Draft Halter, 38" and Under

Stallion Draft Halter, 38" and under

 

[circlesinthesand]

oh how neat! this would be my style love it! too bad my little guy is way too refined for this

 

[MindyLee]

For Nationals in order to show in the draft halter it's required to show in a draft harness class.

Thats kinda not fair to the horse owner. I only show halter classes and not driving, some of them wagons and harnesses are very expensive PLUS I dont drive but only for fun. So thats kinda a turn off... I think it should be as a your choice to drive or not thing...

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Thats kinda not fair to the horse owner. I only show halter classes and not driving, some of them wagons and harnesses are very expensive PLUS I dont drive but only for fun. So thats kinda a turn off... I think it should be as a your choice to drive or not thing...

I agree with you in a way. Especially since it's a new class and it's non-rated I think it should be open to everybody. But I think if they want to make it a rated class I can see their reasoning for making them show in a draft driving class. I hope this class is successful but really limits its chances when its short notice to get the gear together. I'm lucky and able to borrow pretty much everything including my horse's team mate, the only thing I bought is the braiding material.

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

oh i really hope it picks up more! I love the draft type horses. I fear if only refined/arabian type horses are winning (which I think are beautiful), that we will loose this type completely. some draft horses have gorgeous confirmation, but just dont seem to do well in regular halter classes.

 

[littlebigspots]

I am very excited to see how this turns out. Lets us know how it goes at Nationals as soon as you can and Good Luck Everyone!

 

[disneyhorse]

Has anyone seen the Clydesdale ponies?

http://www.windermerefarmspercherons.com/clydeponies.html

They've been crossing Clyde's with hackney ponies to retain desired quality. So people are interested in teeny true-to-type drafts. This is what I think of when I think draft though, not just coarse minis. But someone may find this interesting.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Has anyone seen the Clydesdale ponies?

http://www.windermer...lydeponies.html

They've been crossing Clyde's with hackney ponies to retain desired quality. So people are interested in teeny true-to-type drafts. This is what I think of when I think draft though, not just coarse minis. But someone may find this interesting.

Those ponies are INCREDIBLE!!! I want one!!!

Can you see getting those down to 38" and under? That would be so cool!

 

[Mo mhuirnín]

Wonderful feedback.

I do see why the miniature horse world has gone to a very Araby type-they are beautiful-However they are not miniature arabians they are miniature horses. I believe in diversity and # one health and disposition-it would seem from some of the research I have been doing that there are some issues that are coming with this delicate little horses.

Dont get me wrong they are exquisite and many are healthy and have great minds.

I would like to breed for a different type more like a mini gypsy-Melanie Block a Gyspy breeder is working towards this however they will not be eligable for registration in the AMHR or AMHA.

http://minigypsy.wordpress.com/miniature-gypsy-horse-association/

I am in the process now of looking for a miniture colt of this type to cross on my heavier boned mares.

This picture is of an imported shetland from Whippoorwill Farms in Virgina. This is the type I am looking for with a great mind.

Am I dreaming or is there one out there. Also I am from Canada.

 

[Performancemini]

My husband had a miniature draft team he retired a couple years ago. He is still going to drive draft hitch; but we have been trying to get a couple clarifications on the new rulebook for draft driving. We contact the registry (email) about these questions a month ago and no answer. One: does the wagon have to be a TRUE parade type draft style hitch wagon? Those things are $$$$ even for miniatures- at least $5,000 new and the cheapest we've come across used was $3,000. We don't have that budget. 2). Does the wagon have to be a true 5th wheel or can it be 3/4 or such? and 3) do the hames have to have the balls on top? Our that he used for years, don't have balls, just little "caps"? Anyone? Lewella?

 

[Lori W]

My brother-in-law has a wonderful pair of draft style minis. These girls are well put together - one even won an open halter class at a county fair (under, ahem, a draft horse judge) against some nice competition.

Here's a picture of them at a parade, driven by a teenager (my brother-in-law is right beside her, just in case). These girls are great!

 

[Shari]

OM Goosh... I just Love these Draft Mini's!!

Hello -

actually look like small draft horses, they are not just "heavier boned" show horses..they are STOCKY. The horses below are 30" tall and body clipped with feathers left on. When they are shown, you don't really stretch out the neck extreme, just ears forward pleasant expression. They walk/trot into the ring as you would in a usual halter class. They stand square or very very little out, you don't want them stretched.

Let me tell you - these "Draft Mini" style people are SERIOUS ...

These guys in Draft Harness Team Hitch..

 

[Shari]

These are just smaller "Hitch" horses. Not what I consider a working Draft.

Has anyone seen the Clydesdale ponies?

http://www.windermer...lydeponies.html

They've been crossing Clyde's with hackney ponies to retain desired quality. So people are interested in teeny true-to-type drafts. This is what I think of when I think draft though, not just coarse minis. But someone may find this interesting.

 

[Lizzie]

The Gypsy breeders in the UK, have been crossbreeding Gypsy Cobs to Shetlands and Minis, for at least the last ten years that I know. However, the vast majority of Gypsy fanciers in the US, do not agree with the crossing of smaller Gyspies, with all and sundry types of ponies, as some are and have been doing here now, for several years.

I tend to think, we already have enough crossbreds (probably more than enough) and a horse or pony of a size to suit everyone's taste.

Lizzie