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Drafts & Draft Cross. Who else likes em big & strong?

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Drafts & Draft Cross. Who else likes em big & strong?
  • OK, I confess! Being a big guy (6'6" & well over 250 lbs) I not only like but require a large horse when I want to go for a ride.
    My horse Harley is a Belgian / Morgan cross @ 16.2hh and averages right around 1300 pounds. The Belgian makes him a lover while the Morgan in him gives some spirit to his step and a little fire in his eye.
     
    Who else has Drafts or draft crosses? Lets see some pictures. This could be a great way to talk about some issues that concern only the larger animals as well as some great stories.
     
    Here are some pictures of my big goober. LOL.
  • Harley is gorgeous!!
    I have a 21 month old draft cross...Belgian/QH. I don't have terribly recent pics, this one is from a little while ago before he lost his winter coat. I should get some new ones ':)'. His name is Jack.


    Looking forward to seeing other draft/draft crosses!
  • Wow FlapJack! That's a good looking boy you have there.
    I'll bet he is just as sweet as the day is long. Thanks for the kind words about my big ol knothead. He's a big goober, but I love him dearly. It has taken a few years, but he is fast becomeing a good horse.
     
     
  • well, this is a long way from your subject......but.......I am new and need to learn how to find my way around this site.
    one of the members, something like "theproudandgray" or something posted a message about Ray Ainsworth in Mississippi. I can't seem to find her and I would really like to compare notes.  how do you find members. Since you are a super member, maybe you can help.
    thanks so much!
    ps. I am 5ft and have a little Paso. I love all horses and really enjoy the different kinds of people that ride them.  Enjoy the mule ridders too!
  • Thanks HH, yes he's definitely a sweet guy. He often seems more like a lap dog than a horse, lol. Looks like Harley is also a big softie [':)']

    pasolover, here is a link to the member I think you're talking about:http://forumtest.horse.com/showprofile.aspx?memid=4261
    Maybe see if that works?
  • We have a draft cross.  He was a nurse-mare orphan foal we raised.  He was suppose to be mine, but my husband's first horse didn't work out and he ended up taking Apache for himself.  They are a good match and that worked out now that I am more focused on my haflingers (mini-drafts LOL).  The rescue we got him through didn't know much about his parentage.  All I know is that there are gray gaited stallions at the farm he came from and he is a draft cross.  We suspect with the information we have that he is a belgian X spotted saddle.  He stands 15.1 hands last time we measured and is 4 years old.  He is still growing in height and still has a lot of filling out to do - so not sure how big he will end up by the time he is done.
     

     

     
    Couple years ago...

     
    And when we got him...
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
  • Apache is a fine looking boy. And I love the Halflingers too.
     
    Harley did not hit his full growth until he was 6 years old, well physical growth that is. LOL. He still runs and bucks with his buddies like he was a colt again.
    At 6 years old the Vet told us that his growth plates were fully formed. That's when the real work started.
  • My guy, Cody is perch/clyde/paint/TB from a PMU ranch in Canada.  I got him at 11 mos. and he was 14.3.  Should'a known he'd get huge.  He's about 17.3, 1800 lbs at almost 5 yrs. old.  He has been so easy to train, only gave me flying lessons once so far, is usually Mr. Cool but does have some spunk in him.  I'm 5' 9" and like a big horse.  Your Harley looks wonderful!  Love that beautiful mane.  Who's the little cutie on him?
     
    Here are some pictures from when we got back from our ride tonight:
     
    Hubby cut his feet off...... said if I didn't have such a big horse, he'd fit in the frame!
     

     

  • Thanks Harley!  We can tell he has some growing left to do.  I've been told in the past to expect him to grow height-wise until he is 6 or so and that he will widen out until he is 8 or so - does this sound about right?
     
    Dana - your boy is beautiful!
  • This is Pegasus and I. She is 5 yrs old and is Begian Quarter cross. She is a PMU foal. I have had her for two yrs. now. She is coming a long very nice. I have started driving her this year.  The second picture is my Grandniece riding her this winter.
     
    Deeta
  • What gorgeous babies! 
     
    I love draft crosses. I had a perch/TB but she has unfortunately gone to the Happy Huntin Grounds. 
     
    Here is some&nbsp';p'ics of her (with my hubby), tho.....
  • DarkChylde-what happened with your mare?  Is she the one your husband "stole" from you?  I thought she was young??
     
    Deeta-your girl is lovely.  She looks like she has some American Cream in her rather than Belgian.  Don't you just love these PMU's?  My guys is such a wonderful horse.
  • Yeah, same mare.  She got out and was hit by a car and killed 3 weeks ago.  I am still in deep pain over it.  It has been a very bad couple of weeks.  My husband had just 'given her back' as he was too busy with his new job training to spend the time with her he needed.  I was conditioning her for endurance riding and I was gonna get into ring jousting with her.
     
    Didn't mean to go off topic.
  • Dana,
     
    I have been around horses all of my 55 yrs. and I have never heard of an American Cream? Pegasus has been a complete joy from the very begaining. She does have her quirks because she hadn't been handled at all until she was 2 yrs. old. She is getting better through time. All I can say is that she is a gentle giant. My husband and I laugh about her quarter horse side!  We think that the only thing she got that was quarter horse is her height and her ears!!! and she isn't done growing. She is the easiest keeping horse I have ever had. I realy have to watch how much grass hay I give her and I have to watch my husband because he will feel sorry for her and give her more!! The only thing that was different with her was that it took me a while to find a bit that she agreed with!!
     
    Deeta
  • Yeah, American Cream is what I wanna register my stud colt with, his pink skin and blue eyes.  Here is the info.
     
     
    American White and American Creme Horse Registry
    Rt 1 Box 20
    Naper, NE 68755-2020
    402-832-5560
    [email=carleyd@juno.com]carleyd@juno.com[/email]
    http://www.whitehorseranchnebraska.com/registry.htm