Size matters in horse world

Langley, BC
By Anne Patterson
Mar 25 2007

The newest addition to the local Langley, BC riding club scene is dedicated to the proposition that size does matter.

The BC Draft Under Saddle Club, started last year by Andrea Walker and Dawn Germscheid, was created by two heavy horse lovers who wanted to create opportunities to show draft and draft-crosses in their own classes.

“It was a way of bringing people together who own the horses, to give them the opportunity to compete in their own classes and to promote the breed,” said Andrea.

While the membership has been slowly and steadily building, the attendance at events where they appear has been remarkable.

“People do have a soft spot for draft horses. Horsepeople seem to love them, and they’re not something you see every day,” said Andrea.

Andrea discovered the fun of riding a draft when she spotted a photo of a 2,200-lb Shire in a horse magazine and pointed him out to her husband.

“He just loved him, too, and asked if I wanted him as a Christmas present. He’s got a great personality and is really a great big pet,” she said.

The rest, as they say, is history. Andrea says some drafts and crosses have proven themselves to be as athletic and capable in the ring as an imported Warmblood. They are also making a reputation in eventing circles.

“One of the drafts at our barn is an excellent jumping horse. She prefers to jump, and thinks of it as fun.”

Her horse fits in well with the herd of lighter breeds at her barn.

“My horse’s best friend is a very small Standardbred mare. They sleep together in the field.”

Despite the novelty and beauty of heavy horses under saddle, Andrea has found that the plus-sized competitors are not always welcome at shows.

“Sometimes the light horses are afraid of them, and their owners complain they lap their horses in rail classes.

Because of their longer stride, they seem to be going twice as fast. And it’s true that they need a lot of room at a canter. That’s one reason we wanted to create a class just for them.”

Another is to find a new job for breeds like the Shire, who have steadily dwindled in number since farming became mechanized.

“We want to preserve these breeds by giving them a new job. They’re just as capable as lighter horses.”

The web site for the club will soon feature a classified section for draft-sized tack, saddles and accessories. Many heavy horse owners now resort to ordering special sizes online.

“Finding a horse trailer for my horse has been a real problem, though,” said Andrea.

Ponying up the money to put on shows, however, has been daunting for the fledging group. In the meantime, other established riding clubs have helped them out by creating classes within their own shows for draft and draft-crosses.

“We really hope we can have our own horse show this fall.”

For more information on the BC Draft Under Saddle Club, go to www.freewebs.com/bcdus.

Anne Patterson is a Langley writer and horse owner. Contact her at accidentalrider@yahoo.com.

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