What is

[MiniNHF]

What is a draft miniature? is that a certain body type miniature or is that just a type of class. I have seen classes for it and topics when I search but no real pictures of people showing off their "draft" miniatures.

 

[ruffian]

There is no "Draft" miniature, or "Arabian" miniature, they are just breed types used to describe body structure and conformation of various miniature horses. 20+ years ago, most of the minis were heavier boned and stocky. Through selective breeding, the mini is becoming much more fine boned, with more "Arabic" type conformation. There is a draft mini driving class, which means that draft type harness is used (with collars,etc), but any type of mini can be used. Many teamsters do use the heavier boned type.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Here's a pic of my mini draft team from last year's show. My guys are a more stock horse type build then the light araby type or the chunky draft type, however look very nice all drafted up!

 

[MiniNHF]

Thanks for the responses back

I appreciate them. Definitely give a little more insight to it. I missed the draft classes when they were streamed online and I wanted to see them since Ive never seen that class before (really in any breed)

 

[MiniNHF]

Here's a pic of my mini draft team from last year's show. My guys are a more stock horse type build then the light araby type or the chunky draft type, however look very nice all drafted up!

2013-03-169517.54.07.jpg

Very nice setup.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Thank you. I inharited the wagon and harness from a client who passed away. The wagon was stored in a carport and the harness was stored in drawstring bags in the tack room of his horse trailer. It had been there 16 years! Hubby refurbished the wagon, we repainted it the same green and white it was out of respect for my client. It took two weeks to clean the harness! I think of him everytime I drive the pair.

 

[MindyLee]

Here's one of my breeding stallions.

I call him a draft style mini altho he's just a mini. BUT he dose have to older bloodlines and is a perfect example of what the older type looked like yrs ago! I do proudly breed him and promote his bloodlines even tho they are not no fancy farms name/lines anymore...

Komokos

Johnstons

Gold Melody Boy

Hylands

Hashs Golden Comet

 

[MiniNHF]

Thank you. I inharited the wagon and harness from a client who passed away. The wagon was stored in a carport and the harness was stored in drawstring bags in the tack room of his horse trailer. It had been there 16 years! Hubby refurbished the wagon, we repainted it the same green and white it was out of respect for my client. It took two weeks to clean the harness! I think of him everytime I drive the pair.

Well I think you did a very nice job and im sure they appreciated it. Its nice to be able to do something like that in respect/memory to someone who has passed.

Here's one of my breeding stallions.

I call him a draft style mini altho he's just a mini. BUT he dose have to older bloodlines and is a perfect example of what the older type looked like yrs ago! I do proudly breed him and promote his bloodlines even tho they are not no fancy farms name/lines anymore...

Komokos

Johnstons

Gold Melody Boy

Hylands

Hashs Golden Comet

I think he is a very pretty boy and I do like the stockier mini as well as the more refined. It might be because I have had QH's and QH crosses my whole life. Thank you for sharing that photo!

 

[Hal & Deb Bryant]

We were fortunate to win at that Nationals this year with this new team.

We have been driving and showing draft hitches for 20 years.

There is alot of difference between a "Farm" draft and a "Show" draft.

Farm drafts have a low head set and "plod" along.

Miniature show drafts should mimmick the large drafts.

Everyone has seen the Clydesdales - think of them.

There should be lift in the front feet and push from the rear.

Miniature drafts are NOT - short, heavy, big boned.

They ARE longer bodied, full chested and stylish.

A good show draft team or multiple hitch should work in unison and

that only comes with hours and hours in the seat correcting problems and

improving on the natural abilities you find in your team(s).

 

[chandab]

Hal & Deb, that's a gorgeous team and turn-out.

 

[AnnaC]

Ditto!! Just fantastic!!

MindyLee - I love your boy - just my sort, lots of strength and substance.

 

[Hal & Deb Bryant]

Thanks for the kind words!

We do love what we do. Always learning and trying to improve.

Enjoy bringing along new teams and watching them learn how to work together.

 

[MindyLee]

Thanks guys!

His built/conformation is the very reason why I bought him. I was not in the market for a mini horse when I found him. I just bought 2 draft foals (perchrons) 2 week prior as I always wanted a draft team. I found my lil stud and fell head over feet in love. Sold the 2 draft foals the next day so I could buy him instead and Its been minis ever since!

 

[MiniNHF]

We were fortunate to win at that Nationals this year with this new team.

We have been driving and showing draft hitches for 20 years.

There is alot of difference between a "Farm" draft and a "Show" draft.

Farm drafts have a low head set and "plod" along.

Miniature show drafts should mimmick the large drafts.

Everyone has seen the Clydesdales - think of them.

There should be lift in the front feet and push from the rear.

Miniature drafts are NOT - short, heavy, big boned.

They ARE longer bodied, full chested and stylish.

A good show draft team or multiple hitch should work in unison and

that only comes with hours and hours in the seat correcting problems and

improving on the natural abilities you find in your team(s).

Thanks for that bit of information, and very nice team

 

[Marty]

I can see you are proud of your little guy Mindy. He's a cutie pie for sure.

Always quality performance from Hal and Deb. Always perfection. Love 'em

 

[paintponylvr]

If you go to Casey McBride photography, you can see the halter classes for the Draft "type" as well as the single, pair and multiple hitches. Of course that is just what was at either Shetland Congress or AMHR Nationals - not the many horses and ponies at home that would fit the type.

Some very nice little horses w/ some variance in type.

Our Shetlands are fashioned mostly more towards the "field type" but they are anything but "plodders"!! I have yet to meet any mini horse or shetland, that fit up and appropriately trained, is a true "plodder", but then again some of the show bred and trained draft horses are far, far removed from the steady and slow farm horse.

Here is a pair of my "not - plodders". Even fit and trained more extensively in dressage and collection/extension, they will not achieve the more upright type of movement favored in the show ring - but that isn't what I wanted when I purchased and have used these two mares for breeding... They do have plenty of drive from the hindquarters, just not the "lift" in the front end and neck/shoulders.

Kind of funny - most of my double registered mini/shetlands are much more refined than my Shetlands and won't wear or look good in the full collar harness, nor work as well in a wagon or field work situation. A pretty cart or show vehicle in lite weight pleasure or even fine harness - yes!

BTW, our ponies do go to Draft Horse events and on a bet and when the first and older pair were in much better shape two years ago, they DID pull a disk that was meant to be pulled by a pair of much larger draft horses. The folks at that farm were jaw dropping surprised AND every year I get invited back. this year, we just weren't prepared to go BUT next year I hope to field both a 3 abreast hitch and a 4 abreast hitch of ponies that will not only pull that same riding disk, but pull it longer (say the same amount of time that the full size drafters work - about 4 hours or so).

 

[paintponylvr]

GRRR... my other post disappeared!

Try again then I'm off to bed.

Hal and Deb - you forgot to mention that your winning pairs are also used in farming situations - in style!!

Mindy - what a great looking little horse! I bet he's 1/3 smaller than my shetlands.

********

I finally got my mower. Went with a new one that uses gas rather than trying to find a sickle type that would work via ground driven gears. The one I chose is pretty large, but not overly heavy - I still have to have it customized to be able to put a removeable seat on it. It has a gas motor and is basically a bushhog that can be pulled with a large lawn mower, a small garden tractor, an ATV or ponies/horses. Of course, ya'll know how I plan on using it,

Will be picking up a stalk cutter, too. Next year it will go with us to at least two events!

 

[MiniNHF]

If you go to Casey McBride photography, you can see the halter classes for the Draft "type" as well as the single, pair and multiple hitches. Of course that is just what was at either Shetland Congress or AMHR Nationals - not the many horses and ponies at home that would fit the type.

Some very nice little horses w/ some variance in type.

Our Shetlands are fashioned mostly more towards the "field type" but they are anything but "plodders"!! I have yet to meet any mini horse or shetland, that fit up and appropriately trained, is a true "plodder", but then again some of the show bred and trained draft horses are far, far removed from the steady and slow farm horse.

Here is a pair of my "not - plodders". Even fit and trained more extensively in dressage and collection/extension, they will not achieve the more upright type of movement favored in the show ring - but that isn't what I wanted when I purchased and have used these two mares for breeding... They do have plenty of drive from the hindquarters, just not the "lift" in the front end and neck/shoulders.

Kind of funny - most of my double registered mini/shetlands are much more refined than my Shetlands and won't wear or look good in the full collar harness, nor work as well in a wagon or field work situation. A pretty cart or show vehicle in lite weight pleasure or even fine harness - yes!

BTW, our ponies do go to Draft Horse events and on a bet and when the first and older pair were in much better shape two years ago, they DID pull a disk that was meant to be pulled by a pair of much larger draft horses. The folks at that farm were jaw dropping surprised AND every year I get invited back. this year, we just weren't prepared to go BUT next year I hope to field both a 3 abreast hitch and a 4 abreast hitch of ponies that will not only pull that same riding disk, but pull it longer (say the same amount of time that the full size drafters work - about 4 hours or so).

Thanks for the information about the class pictures and it is neat to see your photos with the minis, just shows how much they really can do

 

[Hal & Deb Bryant]

Never meant to offend anyone by using the term - "plodder".

If fact we have several in our own barn that that term would apply to.

In the miniature draft division today - we are trying to minnick the large drafts i.e. percherons, clydesdales - etc.

These breeds show with more lift and action in the front and therefore would not be a good fram draft.

They are to distinct types.

Deb

P.S. - as Hal's dad always said - "feed what you like!"

 

[paintponylvr]

Never meant to offend anyone by using the term - "plodder".

If fact we have several in our own barn that that term would apply to.

In the miniature draft division today - we are trying to minnick the large drafts i.e. percherons, clydesdales - etc.

These breeds show with more lift and action in the front and therefore would not be a good fram draft.

They are to distinct types.

Deb

P.S. - as Hal's dad always said - "feed what you like!"

Hey Deb!

If you were referring to my post - I didn't take it offensively. Was just trying to point out that there are different types - even w/I the "draft type". I didn't do the best job of that, but anyway, I tried.

I SURE ENJOYED the time I got to spend with you and Hal at Nationals 2012 (YOU GUYS answered so many things for me - taking time late at night AFTER the events you did. I think it was something like 2 am when we all went and ate dinner...). The conversation was lively and thought provoking - especially relating to the "type" of "draft" for the showring.

and I really missed being able to go to Nationals in 2013. Because of a change in my own schedule/truck/trailer pulling at Congress 2013 - I also missed the Draft classes then too

But the ponies I brought home from the trainers' that had them in 2012 & 2013 will eventually be used in various driving/hitch configurations. Our Futurity Reserve Champion Foundation 2 yr old mare may stay small enough to hardship as a mini (maybe?) - that is her dam above in the Christmas Parade (silver pinto). She will definitely work in some type of draft hitch - whether it be field/farm or show.