This message is from: Joel a harman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> You're welcome, Vivian. I think you pretty much covered what I know about origins of draft breeds. I can tell you Clydes were bred for their showiness as much as pulling freight wagons in England. Percherons were developed for knights, I think.
The "feather" is showy as well as useful for protecting fetlocks. I do not shoe my horses, even when I use them to log. They don't really need the protection in the field although they could use the extra traction in the woods. Extra traction could lead to more leg injuries. Shoes aren't natural. It has been my experience that the more unnatural things one does to a horse the more problems one seems to cultivate. Height is not really a concern to me. I don't need 15hh horses. I rather like doing everything at chest height. I can see over my horses during ground work & do not look at their buts as I did with a belgian & shire that I used to log with. Where my draft friends use 2 horses I might need 3 to do the same work. So be it. They still don't eat as much. Dave, at least you preface it with the fact that is an advertisement. Gives people the option to scroll if they want to. More importantly(is that a word?)most of your posts aren't about selling something. Ingrid, It would be helpful to have a singletree with a hook that swivels. A chain with a ring or slip hook is better than a choker as you can vary the length. Hook as close as you can & think about where the end behind you will swing as you turn. Try to stay behind the singletree as you skid. Stay on the uphill side if you can. 15'lines are handy. Watch out for stumps as they stop you in a hurry. Tie your shoes! Blow your nose! Sit still! Sit up straight! Wait till I get you home, young lady! Sorry, I got carried away. In rereading this I feel like that is what I sound like. BE CAREFUL Joel Harman ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
