draft ponies

[Rick H.]

Hi, I’m new to this site. I worked horses for several years to power a working farm and later for personal use and enjoyment. I’ve been without a horse for nine years now and can’t take it anymore. I have limited space and not really much practical need for a big horse though. Our small property is home to a few dairy goats and raised bed gardens as we’re on a bedrock ridge, no plowing here. I’ve been thinking this spring I’ll look into a small work pony to pull a cart for moving manure/compost to the raised beds and onto the small amount of grass ground we have. Also I made some grass hay last summer,loose, mowed with a sythe, raked by hand and hauled in the wheelbarrow. What a pain! So I’d have the little fellow to haul the hay in and maybe do a bit more this way. I don’t want to feed more animal than I can use or really have room for. While this is a small, part time operation, a homestead really, not a farm, I try to keep the livestock, garden,pasture ratio in a proper balance as if it was a bigger concern. I do not much pony experience, have heard good and bad. I realize there isn’t a lot of true working stock out in the Maine country side, but a few tips or pointers would be helpful. Also any input by those using a work pony is most important. Thanks.

[Ed Thayer]

Hi Rick,

I am not an expert on the draft pony, but am curiose as to what your definition of pony is? Our Haflinger stands 14.2 and weighs almost 1,000 lbs., and is considered a pony.

Are you looking for something like that or smaller?

Glad to hear you have the desire and need to get back to what you really enjoyed before with working animals.

Welcome to the site,

Ed

[sanhestar]

Hello,

Dartmoor, Exmoor and Shetland ponies have been used as draft ponies and hard workers (mining ponies). Shetland ponies especially – if you choose the “old stocky type” not the show type – can pull a lot more relativ to their body weight than larger horses.

[HeeHawHaven]

Fjords are also considered draft ponies, but mine is 15 H and 1200+lbs.. Most are smaller. They have great draft personalities, similar to Haflingers.

We also have donkeys, but have not driven them yet, but many are successful in situations like yours and are easy keepers. Plus, you’ll have a lifelong friend! They live forever…..our Jack is probably 40.

Dave

[sanhestar]

and, of course, you could also get a pair of good sized, well bonded and well trained wethers (castrated goats)

http://www.harnessgoats.co.uk

[Rick H.]

Hi, Thanks for the responses. I don’t consider the haflinger or fjord to big, but that’s the upper limit for sure. A shetland size is probably big enough really. Something to help with the small amount of work I have at this time and also so I can teach my two youngest boys, 14 and 13 how to drive and handle a work animal. My older sons learned how when we still had the big horses. Two Belgians, one Pecheron and a Clydsdale. I think it’s good to know, like growing gardens and how to safely handle firearms. Any other good ideas are welcome.

[J-L]

My son has a pair of ponies that weigh around 600 lb apiece. It surprises me often how much they can do. Pound for pound they are tough little critters. I think you could accomplish all you need with one and have a lot of enjoyment in the doing.

[dominiquer60]

The best draft ponies that I ever worked with were some grades in central NY. They bred them to look like Clyde ponies and often they had breeding stock that didn’t make the grade but would produce the right color. One I remember had no white and looked like a 13 hand bay Percheron she was some wild cross (welsh, shetland, arab, clyde) and was a great little mare, solid, stout, good feet, good attitude. If I wanted to limit myself to a single small animal, I would take one of her any day. There are some great non-purebred animals out there to consider. Personally if I could make my own draft pony I wonder what a stout Welsh mountain pony crossed with a Suffolk would be like.

Erika

[Rod]

I want to second the suggestion to consider a Donkey. These are really efficient animals, good feet, easy keepers, healthy, versatile, friendly, strong, smart, and has been said, live a long time. I also like the fact they are surefooted and small. Mine get through little spaces without destroying things, something that might be good around raised beds etc. I think Donkeys are a underutilized animal resource in the American homestead. They are used in the third world extensively on small scale agriculture and you could likely find some practical information about the use of Donkeys in this type of environment.

[Author]

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