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Gentle giants warm hearts
  
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By Michele Sample
The draft horse, from Clydesdales to Belgians to Percherons, weighs in at an average of 2,000 pounds, and despite their size, a consensus of their demeanor is unanimous.
They are gentle giants.
Roger Townson, owner of Colorado Carriage Company, from Evergreen, whose Percheron team consisting of Ranger, a 13-year-old dapple-grey gelding, and a jet black gelding named Duke, grace the Parker Christmas parade and private party hayrides, among other special events.
“As powerful as they are, they are very social as well,” Townson said. “They are inquisitive when I walk out in the pasture, and they are eager to load in the trailer and go to work.”
Townson said his horses are very loyal friends and after losing one of their “beloved big boys” a couple of months ago, the hurt he felt was very real.
The Percheron breed is mostly grey or black with a fine coat. They are considered clean-limbed or well-proportioned, powerful and docile, with their ancestors originating in France. The Percheron is readily adapted to varying climates and conditions. They have the strength to pull heavy loads, at least two times their weight, and the graceful style to pull a fine carriage. Percherons can be ridden and some have even been trained to jump.
Townson has hauled various groups with his team from town councils to Ponderosa High School students at the Highlands Ranch Rodeo, the Fourth of July festivities at the Towne Center in Highlands Ranch and the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in downtown Denver.
“We are now hooked up with Cowboys for Kids, a non-profit organization, and are pulling their restored 1869 Stage coach in special events and fundraisers,” Townson said.
This year the “salt and pepper” as Roger refers to his team, competed in the Farm Class at the National Western Stock Show Draft Horse competition, and he found it extremely gratifying. Although they did not place in the top ten teams, he heard back from the judge that his team was “too showy” for the Farm Class.
“I guess if you have to lose, you may as well lose ‘looking good’,” Townson added.
The National Western Parade the Colorado Carriage Company participates in has been Townson’s highlight. He said that no matter what wagon or carriage they pull, or for whatever group, just seeing the thousands of people lined up and down 17th Street in Denver, and being in a parade of that size is really “neat.”
“And believe me, the horses know they are special,” Townson said.
Standing at about 6 feet (18 hands, four inches per hand) at the withers, which is the ridge between the shoulder blades, Duke and Ranger not only give the public pleasure, but Townson realizes how fortunate he is to be one of only a handful of businesses like his. With the weak economy over the last couple of years, Townson said it has been very unkind to the horse industry.
“This business has its ups and downs,” Townson said. “Many horses have been abandoned because their owners have been unable to feed them or properly care for them.” Personally downsizing his business as well, Townson said that he is now able to enjoy what he does, and realizes that as time marches on there are fewer and fewer of “us who still do what we do.”
As a mortgage professional by day, Townson said, “How fun is it to be able to dress up and play cowboy,” along with driving his special team of horses, and “making people smile.” His horses are very special to him, and he wanted people to know that they do not get overworked, “as some people would try to convince everyone that they are.”
“God bred them to work, and they love to work,” Townson said. “With proper care they return our love to them in so many ways.”
In Parker, Happy Trials Horse Drawn Rides, co-owned by Tom Johnson and Cheryl and Jim Hoff, the Belgian draft horse is their beloved “big boys” of choice. The Belgians are characteristically a light chestnut, sorrel color, with a flaxen mane and tail. Popular hitch Belgian teams include the well-known Adolf Coors brewing company, now MillerCoors LLC. The color of the Belgian horse is reminiscent of a cold glass of beer with a head of foam. Originating from the country of Belgium, Belgian horses are able to pull tremendous weights.
“The horses don’t even know how big they are,” Johnson said.
Happy Trails Horse Drawn Rides provides wagon rides, hayrides and pony rides for holidays, family get-togethers, birthday parties and shuttle services for private business and parties. They have serviced areas from Steamboat Springs to Golden to Littleton, and everywhere in between.
Co-owner Johnson, grew up in River Ralls, Wis., where his grandfather was a dairy farmer, with six draft horse teams.
“They eventually went to tractors,” Johnson said.
Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, in 2004 Johnson said he wanted a slower pace lifestyle, and started his own horse business, giving rides to people in nursing homes in Colorado. That developed into school activities and Christmas parties.
“Now we have 17 horses,” Johnson said.
His Belgian favorites include Prince and Pearl, who originally started the business with him. Now every weekend in October, November, and December he is booked for business. He said his customers are repeat business, and everyone tends to want the same weekend.
“Typically all summer long I was busy in Parker,” Johnson said.
From the reactions of children by their smiles, to the older nursing home generation, Johnson said his work is a blessing.
“It brings them so much joy,” Johnson said. “They start to open up and tell me about their days growing up on a farm.”
Johnson said he has never had a disappointing hayride or birthday party.
In Divide, 24 miles west of Colorado Springs, a Clydesdale breeder, Pam Stewart, from Starbuck Clydesdale Ranch, said she sells her “babies,” usually four a year, within 48 hours after being born. Each foal is sold for about $2,000.
“They are simply a luxury,” Stewart said.
After jumping into the breeding business four years ago, and as an art teacher as well, Stewart said she now has “two non-paying jobs”.
The Clydesdale is a breed of draft horse derived from the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and named after that region. Thought to be over 300 years old, the breed was extensively used for pulling heavy loads in rural, industrial and urban settings, their common use extending into the 1960’s when they were still a familiar sight pulling the carts of milk and vegetable vendors.
“People think just because the horses are so big, they eat a lot more,” Stewart said.
The Clydesdale is a cold-blooded horse, originating from the colder regions of Europe, as opposed to hot-blooded horses, which come from the hot, dry regions of Africa and the Middle East. Climate is not what makes a horse a cold-blood, however. Instead, it is the size and body type that is typical for that breed.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament, spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods", such as draft horses, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods", developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe.
So Stewart said if her Clydesdales are 40 percent bigger than an Arabian, for instance, she said the Clydesdale doesn’t eat 40 percent more.
“So the Arabian may eat more,” she said.
Pam said she probably goes through two bales of hay a day, about $15 per day. In the summer, the horses graze on her grass, about 35 acres.
The Clydesdale coloring is mostly bay, chestnut, or black with white stockings and distinct feathering. The Budweiser Clydesdales are the beverage industry's most recognizable mascots. True to their flashy appearance and docile disposition, the Budweiser commercials depict the breed as playful while they play a football game.
Even though Stewart’s stallion, Dakota Billy the Kid, is gentle along side her, (she is only five foot four inches and 100 pounds), she said if he wants to breed, he can “go through walls”. His ‘Dakota’ name is broken down to the name of the farm or origin.
“South Dakota is where we found him,” she said.
So all her “babies” have the Starbuck ranch name first, followed by another name, and are registered for lineage and breeding purposes.
“One was born on my wedding anniversary, so we named it Starbuck Anniversary.”
One of the things Stewart said she constantly has to do with her horses is “keep them off of me.” They have no idea of their size, and she calls them her “lap animals because of their loving nature.”
Upcoming draft horse show:
The 2010 National Western Draft Horse Show and Pull, is Jan. 22-24. The draft horse competition is held in the Events Center.
National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St.
Denver, 80216.
Ticketed performances are Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., Jan. 24 at 1 p.m and 7 p.m. and Jan. 25 at noon.
Draft Horse Shows are $12 for reserved seats during the evening performance on Jan. 23 and the matinee performances on Jan. 24 and 25. Tickets for the evening Draft Horse Show on Jan. 24 are $14. A Draft Horse Combo is available to those who wish to see all four National Western Draft Horse Shows
Interesting draft horse facts:
Currently, the world's tallest Belgian draft horse is Radar, a gelding foaled in 1998 in Iowa. He stands at 19.3½ hands high, which means he is 6 feet 7½ inches tall at the withers, and weighs over 2,400 pounds.
At the National Western Stock Show a team of two horses in the Heavyweight class pulled 17,000 pounds, a distance of 7 feet 2 inches. The team of Belgians weighed 4,800 pounds.
One Clydesdale horseshoe is about the size of a dinner plate.
They are gentle giants.
Roger Townson, owner of Colorado Carriage Company, from Evergreen, whose Percheron team consisting of Ranger, a 13-year-old dapple-grey gelding, and a jet black gelding named Duke, grace the Parker Christmas parade and private party hayrides, among other special events.
“As powerful as they are, they are very social as well,” Townson said. “They are inquisitive when I walk out in the pasture, and they are eager to load in the trailer and go to work.”
Townson said his horses are very loyal friends and after losing one of their “beloved big boys” a couple of months ago, the hurt he felt was very real.
The Percheron breed is mostly grey or black with a fine coat. They are considered clean-limbed or well-proportioned, powerful and docile, with their ancestors originating in France. The Percheron is readily adapted to varying climates and conditions. They have the strength to pull heavy loads, at least two times their weight, and the graceful style to pull a fine carriage. Percherons can be ridden and some have even been trained to jump.
Townson has hauled various groups with his team from town councils to Ponderosa High School students at the Highlands Ranch Rodeo, the Fourth of July festivities at the Towne Center in Highlands Ranch and the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in downtown Denver.
“We are now hooked up with Cowboys for Kids, a non-profit organization, and are pulling their restored 1869 Stage coach in special events and fundraisers,” Townson said.
This year the “salt and pepper” as Roger refers to his team, competed in the Farm Class at the National Western Stock Show Draft Horse competition, and he found it extremely gratifying. Although they did not place in the top ten teams, he heard back from the judge that his team was “too showy” for the Farm Class.
“I guess if you have to lose, you may as well lose ‘looking good’,” Townson added.
The National Western Parade the Colorado Carriage Company participates in has been Townson’s highlight. He said that no matter what wagon or carriage they pull, or for whatever group, just seeing the thousands of people lined up and down 17th Street in Denver, and being in a parade of that size is really “neat.”
“And believe me, the horses know they are special,” Townson said.
Standing at about 6 feet (18 hands, four inches per hand) at the withers, which is the ridge between the shoulder blades, Duke and Ranger not only give the public pleasure, but Townson realizes how fortunate he is to be one of only a handful of businesses like his. With the weak economy over the last couple of years, Townson said it has been very unkind to the horse industry.
“This business has its ups and downs,” Townson said. “Many horses have been abandoned because their owners have been unable to feed them or properly care for them.” Personally downsizing his business as well, Townson said that he is now able to enjoy what he does, and realizes that as time marches on there are fewer and fewer of “us who still do what we do.”
As a mortgage professional by day, Townson said, “How fun is it to be able to dress up and play cowboy,” along with driving his special team of horses, and “making people smile.” His horses are very special to him, and he wanted people to know that they do not get overworked, “as some people would try to convince everyone that they are.”
“God bred them to work, and they love to work,” Townson said. “With proper care they return our love to them in so many ways.”
In Parker, Happy Trials Horse Drawn Rides, co-owned by Tom Johnson and Cheryl and Jim Hoff, the Belgian draft horse is their beloved “big boys” of choice. The Belgians are characteristically a light chestnut, sorrel color, with a flaxen mane and tail. Popular hitch Belgian teams include the well-known Adolf Coors brewing company, now MillerCoors LLC. The color of the Belgian horse is reminiscent of a cold glass of beer with a head of foam. Originating from the country of Belgium, Belgian horses are able to pull tremendous weights.
“The horses don’t even know how big they are,” Johnson said.
Happy Trails Horse Drawn Rides provides wagon rides, hayrides and pony rides for holidays, family get-togethers, birthday parties and shuttle services for private business and parties. They have serviced areas from Steamboat Springs to Golden to Littleton, and everywhere in between.
Co-owner Johnson, grew up in River Ralls, Wis., where his grandfather was a dairy farmer, with six draft horse teams.
“They eventually went to tractors,” Johnson said.
Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, in 2004 Johnson said he wanted a slower pace lifestyle, and started his own horse business, giving rides to people in nursing homes in Colorado. That developed into school activities and Christmas parties.
“Now we have 17 horses,” Johnson said.
His Belgian favorites include Prince and Pearl, who originally started the business with him. Now every weekend in October, November, and December he is booked for business. He said his customers are repeat business, and everyone tends to want the same weekend.
“Typically all summer long I was busy in Parker,” Johnson said.
From the reactions of children by their smiles, to the older nursing home generation, Johnson said his work is a blessing.
“It brings them so much joy,” Johnson said. “They start to open up and tell me about their days growing up on a farm.”
Johnson said he has never had a disappointing hayride or birthday party.
In Divide, 24 miles west of Colorado Springs, a Clydesdale breeder, Pam Stewart, from Starbuck Clydesdale Ranch, said she sells her “babies,” usually four a year, within 48 hours after being born. Each foal is sold for about $2,000.
“They are simply a luxury,” Stewart said.
After jumping into the breeding business four years ago, and as an art teacher as well, Stewart said she now has “two non-paying jobs”.
The Clydesdale is a breed of draft horse derived from the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and named after that region. Thought to be over 300 years old, the breed was extensively used for pulling heavy loads in rural, industrial and urban settings, their common use extending into the 1960’s when they were still a familiar sight pulling the carts of milk and vegetable vendors.
“People think just because the horses are so big, they eat a lot more,” Stewart said.
The Clydesdale is a cold-blooded horse, originating from the colder regions of Europe, as opposed to hot-blooded horses, which come from the hot, dry regions of Africa and the Middle East. Climate is not what makes a horse a cold-blood, however. Instead, it is the size and body type that is typical for that breed.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament, spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods", such as draft horses, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods", developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe.
So Stewart said if her Clydesdales are 40 percent bigger than an Arabian, for instance, she said the Clydesdale doesn’t eat 40 percent more.
“So the Arabian may eat more,” she said.
Pam said she probably goes through two bales of hay a day, about $15 per day. In the summer, the horses graze on her grass, about 35 acres.
The Clydesdale coloring is mostly bay, chestnut, or black with white stockings and distinct feathering. The Budweiser Clydesdales are the beverage industry's most recognizable mascots. True to their flashy appearance and docile disposition, the Budweiser commercials depict the breed as playful while they play a football game.
Even though Stewart’s stallion, Dakota Billy the Kid, is gentle along side her, (she is only five foot four inches and 100 pounds), she said if he wants to breed, he can “go through walls”. His ‘Dakota’ name is broken down to the name of the farm or origin.
“South Dakota is where we found him,” she said.
So all her “babies” have the Starbuck ranch name first, followed by another name, and are registered for lineage and breeding purposes.
“One was born on my wedding anniversary, so we named it Starbuck Anniversary.”
One of the things Stewart said she constantly has to do with her horses is “keep them off of me.” They have no idea of their size, and she calls them her “lap animals because of their loving nature.”
Upcoming draft horse show:
The 2010 National Western Draft Horse Show and Pull, is Jan. 22-24. The draft horse competition is held in the Events Center.
National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St.
Denver, 80216.
Ticketed performances are Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., Jan. 24 at 1 p.m and 7 p.m. and Jan. 25 at noon.
Draft Horse Shows are $12 for reserved seats during the evening performance on Jan. 23 and the matinee performances on Jan. 24 and 25. Tickets for the evening Draft Horse Show on Jan. 24 are $14. A Draft Horse Combo is available to those who wish to see all four National Western Draft Horse Shows
Interesting draft horse facts:
Currently, the world's tallest Belgian draft horse is Radar, a gelding foaled in 1998 in Iowa. He stands at 19.3½ hands high, which means he is 6 feet 7½ inches tall at the withers, and weighs over 2,400 pounds.
At the National Western Stock Show a team of two horses in the Heavyweight class pulled 17,000 pounds, a distance of 7 feet 2 inches. The team of Belgians weighed 4,800 pounds.
One Clydesdale horseshoe is about the size of a dinner plate.
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