Cielo Azure Percherons

Spanish-Norman Horses

2012-01-23T13:38:00.011-05:00

What is a LUSITANO? The Lusitano is a Portuguese horse breed that was originally bred for war, dressage and bullfighting, Lusitanos are still used today in the latter two. They have competed in several Olympics and World Equestrian Games as part of the Portuguese and Spanish dressage teams. They have also made a showing in driving competitions, with a Belgian team of Lusitanos winning multiple international titles. They are considered a very rare breed with fewer than 10,000 registered Lusitanos in the World today.

A Spanish-Norman horse is a rare breed of horse that is a combination of a Percheron mare and an Iberian (Lusitano or Andalusian) stallion. They are considered a rare breed that excels in dressage and carriage driving. Spanish-Normans are recognized by USDF. Prices for Spanish-Norman weanling foals average between 7 and 12K, are in great demand and the few Spanish-Normans currently competing in the competitive dressage arena are doing very well in the rankings.

Why a Spanish-Norman?

There is evidence that Percherons contributed to the genetic lineage of the ancient Norman warhorse, which no longer exists. Research has shown that Percherons and Iberian horses share common blood markers and as such, the founders of the Spanish-Norman foundation wished recreate the Norman warhorse in all its glory. Within this breed, they wish to retain the presence, physical prowess and mental abilities of the classic medieval Norman warhorse. And so, in 1991 the Spanish-Norman registry was created. Currently there are few Spanish-Normans and the demand is high.

We have a black-bay registered Lusitano stallion (Wolverine 6777P), who will produce an excellent Spanish-Norman. Wolverine has excellent conformation and movement. His fantastic lineage is of bull-fighting (his sire was a champion) and Alter Real (carriage driving) lines. His price for shipped cooled semen for the 2012 breeding season to Percherons is $600 (plus shiping costs). This is a $200 discount off of his standard stud fee. Contact me for a breeding contract!

We will also consider joint partnerships, if you wish to breed multiple registered Percheron mares. We will provide the fresh, cooled semen (no charge) and split shipping costs. We get first pick at weaning of one of the foals (per two or three mares) and the other one or two foals will be yours without any strings attached.

For more info and photos, go to:

http://www.lusitanostud.com/stallions.html

For more info on Spanish-Normans, the registry website is:

http://www.spanish-norman.com/home.htm

Any takers? Lets talk!

Jill@cieloazure.com or 770-735-1549

Here is a video of Lusitano: Wolverine (stud services available) under saddle:

If you don’t beat or spank or yell at your horse, why would you do it to your kid?

2011-12-07T12:23:00.003-05:00

For many of us animal trainers, the idea of hitting a horse or a dog went out with the dark ages. We know the benefits of positive but firm discipline. Discipline should be about teaching how to do better in the future. Hitting, belting, whipping and screaming will generally shut down the ability to learn. Physical punishment does not promote respect, but encourages anger and aggression. In the short term, the undesired behavior may stop but in the long term, the animal is likely to exhibit post-traumatic stress and behavioral issues.

I watched the documentary “Buck” last night, which is about a horse trainer that specializes in positive training. Tears came to my eyes when he and his family spoke of the beatings he received as a child and how he was removed from his father's home at age twelve. Now, this is an extreme example of corporal punishment but I think many of us can relate to what the effects of physical punishment can do to a child and how those effects can last a lifetime. There are plenty of scienfitic studies that show that adults who received corporal punishment suffer from depression, suicide and mental illness at significantly higher rates than those who didn’t receive corporal punishment.

Children do not need to be hit, slapped or spanked or even yelled at to learn, to respect and to model responsible behavior. My own children were never spanked, they weren’t yelled at and in turn, they never hit others, never yelled and but instead respected other people. I know that I did right when I chose not to model my own parent’s tough parenting techniques. Because, yes I was hit often and yes, it took me years to overcome my emotional wounds. And yes, I did have post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Whenever I read one about how someone was hit as a child and that person is now better adult for getting hit (belted, spanked, whipped, call it what you will), and that kids don’t respect others because they aren’t hit by adults. I cringe and I feel sad for them. To go through life with that attitude towards children and to continue violence towards other humans must make a person very dark inside. To then promote such violence by encouraging others to abuse their children, in order to make them “good” people is truly ignorant.

Now, I know that the people who need to hear this message, will snicker and make rude comments but I write this because if just one person really thinks about and changes how they are raising their child or will raise their child, the world will be a better place.

If you don’t beat or spank or yell at your horse, why would you do it to your kid?

A few references:

Corporal punishment of children and adult depression and suicidal ideation NY: Cambridge University Press.

Also Chapter 5 in Murray A. Straus, Beating the Devil out of them: Corporal Punishment in American Families And its Effects on Children. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publications. 2000.

Long-Term Effects of Child Corporal Punishment on Depressive Symptoms in Young Adults Potential Moderators and Mediators Journal of Family Issues http://jfi.sagepub.com/content/25/6/761.abstract

Bulletin of the World Health OrganizationSevere physical punishment: risk of mental health problems for poor urban children in Brazilhttp://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/5/07-043125/en/index.html

Call me a radical, but isn't this abuse?

2011-09-22T15:04:00.017-04:00

These images are all taken from the "Percheron News," Fall 2011. They are not doctored in anyway, just cropped. All images are from ads: big name breeders and show people proud of their hitches and horses...

But I think the images speak for themselves. Really...do I need to write anything?

For those unfamiliar with draft horse hitch harness, the overcheck and sidecheck bits used (shown below) are are pulled tight via a fixed line that runs up over over the nose to the poll or to the side of the poll and then ties back into the collar. The horse's head-set is literally fixed as high as possible. It is not possible for the horses to put their heads down while hitched. They are "up-headed" for a reason!

(This horse's mouth is either wired shut or his tongue is wired -but that is definitely wire, not to mention the overcheck bit (another wire is stretched tight across his upper palette). This horse has an overcheck and a chain sidecheck also.

This horse has an overcheck stretched tight AND a side check

Then the oversized shoes... No, I am not against a correctly sized scotch bottom but I am totally against any horse being shod like this and don't kid yourself, this shoe is what wins in the big shows!

Now, I am trying NOT to pick on any one hitch but I don't have time to scan every photo.

So, I beg you all -please go get a copy of the "Percheron News." Take a gander for yourself, and really study those adverts. Then, make your own decisions. If, like me, you find you don't have the stomach to sit idly by, then think how you can effect positive change.

And I humbly ask that you, the reader, to meditate on the following:

Exhibitors: Is this really how you want to treat your animals? Is it worth the win? Is it even worth showing in these conditions?

Spectators: make your opinions heard with the show management.

Volunteers: think hard about who you crew with and let them know when you have seen enough and why you are walking away.

Finally, all of us. Please write the PHAOA and let them know how you feel!

My hope is that if if we all work together to make our voices heard, maybe this industry might heal itself.

Black Prong, Spring 2011

2011-04-01T08:16:00.016-04:00

"Camping" at Black Prong was an amazing experience. If you have never been there and you drive, one day you should treat yourself and go. Black Prong is set up for the driver; it has a number of hazards -including water hazards, cones courses, dressage courses, miles of driving trails and has cabin rentals, (with attached stalls and paddocks) as well as camping options. It is truly Disneyland for driving horses and their human partners. The grounds are meticulously maintained and cared for, the landscaping is exquisite and North Florida in the early spring is heaven on earth.

Robert and I took Joanna and Eleanor to drive as pairs (full sisters but Eleonor is three and just started driving). We had a blast with them. The pair learned more about driving together in one week! By the time we left, they were going through the hazards, in and out of the water courses, through the cones and practicing in the dressage ring.

We went with a group of friends from Georgia, as well as Tennessee. Rod and Ana from GA came with us, and shared the cabin we rented. We had so much fun driving, talking and partying. Ana, who is a gourmet cook and I did a lot of cooking and even threw a dinner party on Saturday night! Jim and Judy Talton, as well as Chris -who all live in Florida, joined us for the party and we had a lively time. We set up tables in the horse aisle (did I mention the barn is nicer than my house?) and we all just had fun!

And of course, we did lots and lots of driving. Those mares must have done twenty miles a day! Robert and I both gave impromptu lessons. So, Jim, Judy, and Rod all got to take lessons to either begin to learn to drive or to practice their driving skills. Rod got to drive a pair for the first time -which he took to like a duck takes to water. He is a natural. Jim learned that driving with Robert is always an adventure!

Robert spent a lot of time in the hazards courses with the mares. They learned so much about taking direction, moving together, driving in water and being brave. They went over bridges, through a tunnel, on a maze course, on major roads, through forest trails and through so many hazards. They listened, were level headed and joy to work with! I just love those mares!

One of the things I am really enjoying about this pair is that they work in harmony and modulate their trot naturally. They can go from a lovely extension to a "big" trot and down to a jog trot effortlessly. At Black Prong, I spent hours in the dressage course -just practicing. Earlier in the year, I had been working with Joanna to passage while being driven and my goal is to teach her to piaffe in cart. As she offers many different trots, it makes it very fun to teach her. She is a very willing partner, which makes driving her very fun. She is also extremely forward and loves to go. While in the ring, I discovered the pairs still has a lot to learn about bending and making accurate circles. We will be spending a lot of time on this in the coming months.

Finally, it is worth noting that we also got to spend a lot of time with our friends in the Georgia Driving and Riding Society, as wells as friends from TN. Most people had RVs and camped. Our combined groups share meals, drinks, laughs and campfires everyday. Camping and being with these great people is truly a communal experience and one not to be missed. I feel very lucky to be part of such a great group! People are caring, considerate, intelligent and just "get along" with each other. It is truly a unique group of people!

Below is what the group camp site looks like. If you have never horse camped with 30 of your best driving friends and all their dogs (as well as horses), it is a experience not to be missed!

I can't wait for the next drive!

My One Month Challenge to Myself:

2011-02-18T13:11:00.005-05:00

In exactly four weeks, we will be driving to Black Prong, Florida. A much anticipated "camping" (ok, we are renting a cabin) and driving trip with many other driving friends. We will be taking two horses: GTs Joanna and Cielo Azure's Eleanor. Joanna is a coming six year old, and has been driving and riding for two years. Her full sister, Eleanor is a coming three year old and has been ground driven but never hitched.

My goal is to have them driving together and hitched to a vehicle by Black Prong. That means we will be working them everyday possible. EVERY DAY!!!

Yesterday was day one of my goal. I made a brief video of Robert training the two mares together for the first time. As this pair has been almost four years in the making, we are both extremely pleased to see them moving together and seeing those small flashes of brilliance in their movements that teach us one that one day, these two will be an awesome driving pair!

As the week's progress, I will adding blog notes about our progress and our setbacks.

Stay tuned...

2/28/2011 Well...
We hitched them last week and used the marathon cart. It went very smoothly -Robert and I worked them in the ring, and took them for a drive around the farm.
On Saturday, we hitched again and took them out on our small public road. Again no issues! Whew -the scary bit (for me, anyway) is over!

Verbal Commands

2011-02-11T10:02:00.011-05:00

I find that when drivers use specific words and know those words, it makes driving and training much easier to perform. These are the words that I use routinely when driving and are words that are often used by drivers. Having a "universal" language helps horses to understand what is being asked of them.

My List of Verbal Commands for the Driving Horse

"Walk" - Start walking or Come down into a walk

"Walk on" - Don't even THINK about it! Walk only!

"Gee" - Turn right

"Haw" - Turn left

"Whoa ... Gee" - Fan to the right

"Whoa ... Haw" - Fan to the left

“Gee (or) Haw Over" - To continue fanning

"Steady on" or "easy"- Ignore that distraction and keep doing what you're doing

(used to reassure)

"Trot" -Start trotting

"Trot on" - I see you thinking about slowing down... keep trotting!

"Back" - Go backward

"Step up" - Take one step forward

"Step up" - Step up in the traces (for the horse in a pair, that is being a slacker)

"Step back" - Take one step back

"Whoa" - Stop right there and don't move

"Stand" (often combined with whoa) - Stand still - but we'll be here a while, so relax

“Canter” – Start cantering (I always use a high voice with this word and pair this word with a specific flick of the whip to the shoulder -I want them to be very sure I mean to canter when I ask for it). I give them no excuses for breaking from a trot to a canter.

"Cluck, cluck" - Move a little faster without breaking gait. I will often combine this with the word of the gait they are in. For instance "cluck, cluck trot"

"Quit!" - "Stop messing around!"

Other thoughts about verbal commands:

Most of my horses know their names and their partner's names.

That means...if I am driving a pair -I use the command when I want both horses to do something. When I just want one horse to do a command, I pair it with their name (name first). I might say "Soleil step-up," and generally her partner will ignore the command.

Be consistent with your words and your commands. If you do this, they will learn very rapidly.

I use the same words for all my horses, if I get a trained horse -they have to learn my words (which they do very rapidly) because I am too stupid to learn different commands for the same driving commands for multiple horses. It confuses me too much.

DNA evidence and the history of the Percheron

2011-01-11T11:21:00.004-05:00

An 1881 photograph of a pair of Percherons

A 1743 engraving of an Iberian horse.

It is a "snow day" and I am busy thinking deep thoughts and doing some basic research - just thought I would share some of my musings and findings.

First, there have been a number of scientific papers of late on the evolution, history, origins, mDNA of the horse as well as breeds of horses. Being a Percheron History buff and following old documents has led me to the rather controversial conclusion that there was a fair amount of revisionist history regarding the origins of the Percheron horse. In particular, during the hey-day of the work horse, historic evidence of the Percheron light horse lineages, such as stud book documents at the Haras du Pin were downplayed and even questioned (1).

Now almost a hundred years after Sander's seminal (and revisionist) writings on the history of the Percheron horse in France in the early 1800s (1) and a 125 years after MC Weld and DuHays published their book "the Percheron Horse in America and in France" in 1886 (2), DNA evidence shows that yes...Percherons do have DNA matching them to "barbs, " (barb was a term loosely used to describe the ancient Iberian breeds of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 1800s), as well as Arabians. This DNA evidence is quite robust and shows that "the ancient and singular Iberian haplotype B is nowadays found in Percheron (France), Arabian and Wielkopolski (Poland) horses (3)." It has also been reported that blood typing studies done in 1990 by Dr. E. Gus Cothran demonstrated similar genetic markers in Percherons and "Andulusians." This is indisputable proof of the role of Iberian horse in the creation of the Percheron breed.

I found another good paper on French horses and their genetic linkage to each other. One of the interesting facts that I found was that the french draft horse breeds all share common genetic markers and are closely related to each other. By using microsatellite markers, the researchers evaluated genetic distances and characterized local breeds, as well as evaluated the genetic contribution of populations to within-breed and between-breed diversities. In relationships involving draft horses, the author's conclusions from this data was that the draft horse lineages in France are genetically closely related. The table showing distances of horse breeds clearly indicates that Percherons are a draft breed but that they also are "closer" genetically to many other horse breed types. The author's write: "The draught horses constitute a quite homogenous group, including the nine French draught horse breeds and three breeds presently classified as pony (HAF) or warm-blooded (MER and FRI in a lesser extent) breeds. These three breeds were historically used as draught horse breeds and could therefore have been subject to crossbreeding with other draught horse populations in their past history." Although they also found three other draft horse breeds to be very genetically close to each other and none of these breeds were Percherons.

The grand thing about techniques such as DNA linkage analysis, blood typing and mitochondrial DNA typing is that it isn't based on someone's interpretation of historic events, the data is based on hard science. Over the next decade, I can't wait for more details to be revealed on the modern Percheron horse as well as the ancient Iberian breeds.

1.) Sanders, A., A History of the Percheron Horse 1917

2.) Weld, MC and DuHays. The Percheron Horse. 1886

3.) Origin and History of Mitochondrial DNA Lineages in Domestic HorsesMichael Cieslak,¹ Melanie Pruvost,^1,²^* Norbert Benecke,² Michael Hofreiter,^3,⁴ Arturo Morales,⁵ Monika Reissmann,⁶ and Arne Ludwig PLos One 5(12) e15311

4) Genetic diversity of a large set of horse breeds raised in France assessed by microsatellite polymorphism. Grégoire Leroy, Lucille Callède, Etienne Verrier, Jean-Claude Mériaux, Anne Ricard, Coralie Danchin-Burge and Xavier Rognon Genetics Selection Evolution 2009, 41:31

A Percheron History -photographic montage

2010-11-12T16:07:00.006-05:00

I have selected "a few" photos from my assortment of books, magazines, ads and printed matter and put together a little slide show.

Sources for the photos were Haras du Pin, print ads, Col Walters book "The Percheron Horse", 1st edition -art book, Percheron magazines and journals, material from the PHAOA.

From...The Rider and Driver, Dec 11, 1897

OUT DOOR WRAPS FOR WOMEN WHO RIDE OR DRIVE (I guess that formal equine wear for women sometimes came in something other than an apron!)

Someone Needs to Write it...The Shoes are way out of Proportion.

2010-11-02T12:55:00.024-04:00

In 1938, the Percheron Horse Association of America published a little booklet on the Percheron standard. It was the opinion of 100 of the top breeders, judges, agricultural teachers and Percheron experts in the USA and Canada. The image below is the section written about the ideal type of good foot and shoes for the Percheron horse. The mare, whose bottoms are shown below won the Championship at Ohio State Fair in 1935. These standards were developed in the early 1800s and continued up until the 1960s. What changed?

How did scotch bottoms come to dominate the show circuit? Here is the story that I have heard about how the use of scotch bottoms came about. In the 1960s, when the modern type Percheron was being re-invented, a small number of Clydesdales were imported from the UK for exhibition at the Royal Canadian Winter Fair (one of the top fairs in the Americas). The feet of these horses were shod with scotch bottoms, as these horses were being used for slow field work and heavy pulling work. Well, the American Percheron owners saw how these shoes caused the Clydesdales to pick up and how the shoe allowed for the feet to grow bigger than normal and it was love at first sight. Early use of these shoes was moderate, they were not the huge, oversized and weighted monsters of modern draft horse shows. It happened gradually, but slowly these giant shoes, along with modern epoxy formulations became the foundation for growing a huge, oversized and unnatural foot. Unfortunately, the horse without an extremely over-sized scotch will not place in the halter or the hitch ring now. They are considered a "must have" for any serious competitor at a rated show.

Taking a stand against these shoeing practices is not an easy thing to do. I love draft horse shows. I love the pomp, the action, and the presence of these majestic animals. But I love these animals more than I love a good show and I think the draft horse industry is doing our horses a grave disservice. I believe that the modern draft horse shoeing practices for halter and hitch horses (particularly Percherons) at the big shows are often bordering on and can be inhumane. I also hear the stories of drugging with caffeine and speed, overuse of steroids and NSAIDs, and the use of other drugs to enhance performance. The use of electroshocks under the harness to promote action, impulsion and animation are common. So common, that often electroshock controls are left openly on the wagon seat for usage during shows. I do not believe that these practices reflect modern animal husbandry standards. The standard shoeing practices for halter and hitch horses can and usually do lead to soreness as well as side-bone, sequestrums, splints, OCD, and ringbone. No one who works in this industry will deny that these shoeing practices hurt horses and that drug use for enhanced performance is a common occurrence (if you can get them to speak openly behind the barn).

In fact, an argument might be made that the practices of shoeing with over-sized scotch bottoms -sometimes inches too big, weighted shoes, growing flares, shaving off the inside hoof, cutting down the inside hoof, using excess epoxy, and growing out toe and hoof beyond normal farrier practices breaks the Federal laws regarding soring.

Here is a link to the APHIS/USDA fact sheet on soring. What do you think? Would the statement in the USDA fact sheet (quoted below) be inclusive or exclusive of scotch bottoms?

"The accentuated gait may also be accomplished
using inhumane hoof trimming or pressure-shoeing"

Why or why not? Do the modern scotch bottoms, and the farrier practices associated with showing Percherons violate Federal law? Is the use of chemicals to enhance gait a common occurrence? Honestly, I don't know. But am I totally off my rocker to think that it is time for the industry to regulate itself before the Federal government decides to took a closer look?

Is it possible for the draft horse industry to regulate itself? Return to the standards set by our forefathers? Or, do you believe that these shoes, steroid use and drug use falls within normal agricultural practices? Do you believe that drug and steroid use is minimal and an uncommon occurance? I would love to hear your point of view.

The clipped images (4) used above are for educational use only.

World Percheron Congress

2010-09-03T07:25:00.018-04:00

THE 2010 CONGRESS IS ALMOST HERE!!!

The World Percheron Congress is shaping up to be an extraordinary event! I read this week on the facebook event page that at least 33 six horse hitches are coming and 1000 stalls spoken for. That means there will be almost 1000 Percherons in one place. WOW!!!

Above: MGs Prince Charles and Robert at the 2006 World Percheron Congress,
winning first place -aged stallion class

Well, with a less less than two months to go, we are getting ready for the Congress!

The World Percheron Congress is being held in Des Moines, Iowa this year at the end of Oct. Getting from here to there is a lot of work and we are in the thick of it! From our farm in Jasper to Des Moines is a fifteen hour drive. Then comes that fact that the Congress wants exhibitors to stay the whole week, which means a week away from the farm, from Robert's and my business and from our very busy lives. But with much fear, we have jumped in with both feet! The fees have been paid, the hotel has been booked, we are busy training and readying the horses, tack, harness and vehicles. I am driving and riding every single day now. Two horses, no excuses! That means...no excuses!

To write that I am excited about the Congress would be a huge understatement. This is going to be the “alpha and omega” of draft horse shows for me. I can’t wait to watch the hitches, feel the tension and excitement and see the next halter superstars in the Percheron world. Being able to meet old friends, make new friends and put faces to some of my Internet buddies is just icing on the cake! I am looking forward to the banquet, the displays and of course, the hitches!

I have been practicing like crazy this summer and have made great strides with Cielo Azure’s Fleur du Soleil, my five-year old mare. It has been a long road for us. Soleil coliced early February and went to surgery. The post-up, recovery during spring took a lot of work and was very stressful. She is not a horse that keeps easily in a stall and she became very spooky and hot during her recovery phase. But starting late April, I have been re-building her skills, working on new skills and building fitness this summer. Finally, I feel that she is back on top of her game and we are better than ever. I have never felt so close to a horse as I feel to her. Every day, I thank UGA veterinary hospital for their extraordinary skills in saving her life. There are few places that can perform colic surgery on a eighteen hand draft horse. I am lucky that Soleil was in such great physical shape when it happened and that we caught it very early.

Robert has been riding Cielo Azure’s Corbeau. Corbeau is a four year old gelding and full brother to Soleil. He has had his hands full, as Corbeau is young, full of energy, very forward and recently gelded. However, he is going great and I think he will be ready for his second Congress. Corbeau placed in his halter class as a weanling at the 2006 World Percheron Congress.

We have entered both horses in English and Western Pleasure riding classes. Then Robert will be driving Corbeau and Soleil as a pair in the carriage class and I will be driving Soleil in the pleasure driving class.

If we can find room on the trailer, we will also be bringing G.T.s Joanna. Joanna is a lovely five-year mare who Robert will be entering in the registered mare, men’s cart class. Competition is fierce in that class. Hoever, Joanna is an exceptional mover; although she will be conservatively shod and she will not have an overcheck bit on. We will be lucky if he places (there are probably close to 50 entries in that class, unless they have a cut-off). But to drive at the Congress is a dream come true in of itself.

We were fortunate to go to the Congress, 2006 in Lexington, VA and we placed well in many classes. Part of that was luck and part of it was preparation. But in 2006, the World Percheron Congress came right smack in the middle of selling our house in Maryland and moving to Georgia. I did not enter any performance classes and Robert only entered a couple of riding classes. We did do well in halter though. During the Congress, we ended up having to come back up to Maryland to take care of other business, which definitely made showing difficult. So, this time –the week will be spent in Iowa and I look forward to being able to concentrate on the World Congress ! Also, this year, we will not be entering any halter classes...it is too far to drag the babies (who were born late this year) and the big shoes aren't practical with our riding or driving.

So...as I wrote. The next few weeks are going to be very busy for us as we work towards our dream of participating in the 2010 World Percheron Congress. Coming up in the next month: we will also be holding a draft horse conformation and halter clinic at the farm, both showing and working to put on the best show possible at the Parry National Draft horse show; where we will also be performing in a ten minute quadrille. Yikes! My hat is firmly in my hand as we go off to the races!

For more information, go to:

http://www.2010worldpercheroncongress.com/

If you are going to be at the Congress, please come by and visit! My goal is to have as much fun as possible and to meet as many new people as possible. Talking about these great horses is almost as good as working them!

Breed Study by the PHAOA: Percheron Action Described

2010-08-30T14:32:00.006-04:00

Percheron Type Study
By: Ellis McFarland, collaborating with 44 leading judges and breeders in the USA and Canada. 1938. This work is a subsequent publication to clarify an earlier publication on the Ideal Percheron Horse "How to Select Percherons," 1936.

At the same time, Ross Butler was commissioned to illustrate the perfect Percheron and to sculpt a model of it. Prints and these models can sometimes still be found. Examples of these wonderful pieces of art are copied above from the Ross Butler gallery site for educational purposes.

The text below comes from the study written in 1939

True Action Desired:

"In an effort to focus attention on the importance of correct type for Percherons, it is not the intention to disregard the subject of action. Good action is recognized generally as one of the outstanding qualities of the Percheron breed.

...The breed is noted for its light-stepping horses. Farmers no longer want the extra big, clumsy-footed, thick headed draft horse. They prefer the up-headed, smart-eared type with a comparativey long neck and a trim throatlatch that can step lively if necessary.

...True action for all practical purposes is essential in a good work horse. True action combined with high action is ideal for a show horse..

Those at the Chicago International Livestock Exposition who saw Damascus and Encanter at the time they were made grand champions in 1935 and 1937, respectively, saw draft horse action that no other draft breed has equalled in many years, perhaps never. These horses picked their feet up with a mechanical like precision that gave real distinction. They were ton horses, but they could walk, trot and turn around with great ease. Breeders and judges should keep these two in mind as the ideal of superb action...

Quickness of step, coupled with a good disposition, is characteristic of the breed. Percherons are noted for their good dispositions and a quick step indicates as unusual degree of intelligence. Because of these qualities and the added advantage of the Percheron high-headedness, men on the lead-strap on show day claim less fatigue than those with other draft breeds. Percherons have the enviable reputation as the the smartest-headed of all the draft breeds."

Another section of the study concentrates of height. This is what the study concludes about height:

The popularity of the Percheron continues because it come in all sizes for the various needs of prospective users. The big, heavy horse is not as popular in America as in the past due principally to the slight demand in cities for extra heavy geldings for big truck hauling. However, the big ones are still preferred in England. Breeders in that country want extra heavy-boned, large framed animals.

In the French shows two classes are provided, namely, one the big and one for the medium sized Percheron."

To end:

There is always something new to learn in exploring the Percheron breed in times past. The 1920s to the 1940s favored heavy animals, with a lot of bone. But it turns out, that even in the period when a very bulky horse was desired, action was still paramount. What comes around, goes around.


	Lady Roxy 210562 and Lady's Carpo (231485). First prize mare and foal, 1938 National Percheron Show.

Registered Percherons working at Monocacy Farms, Frederick, MD. Photo from 1937.

A Slight Course Adjustment

2010-08-25T07:49:00.016-04:00

After much thought, Robert and I have made the big leap and purchased a black, 100% pure Veiga Lusitano colt. With luck, in a few years, he will be used for breeding. His name is JP Zarathustra and we think he is very special. As with many Veiga colts, he is line bred and so will be very prepotent. Zara is very typey, with a dry convex head, a great top line, clean legs and a baroque head set.

We chose the ancient Iberian horse breed for a number of reasons. The number one reason is their tractability and their native intelligence. They simply excel at learning. We also appreciate their strength, athleticism, baroque form and the Veiga line's natural ability to collect. Finally, we appreciate the history of the world's most ancient breed. The Lusitano is truly an ancient treasure.

We wanted a horse that could be able to be used to create a crossbred (in our case the Spanish Norman) that will excel in driven sports. That includes dressage, pleasure driving and CDEs. The linebred Lusitano is an excellent horse to crossbreed because he passes his strong traits to the next generation. We chose an elegant, refined Veiga horse; that should pass down that wonderful headset, temperament and croup. With our black Percherons, we wanted a black stallion. This way, we can rapidly breed a pair of matched horses for the show ring. So, we went and and searched for the best darn horse that we could find. Unfortunately, that meant getting a colt. The price of a stallion of the quality we desire was just out of our price range.

But beyond the breeding, we wanted a horse that can be used for dressage and driven dressage. A horse that Robert can train and that can take him to the next level in his quest for his own personal growth in horsemanship.

I think we found all that we were looking for and more in our little colt. We purchased him from JP Giacomini, who had not intended to sell him. JP had been planning this breeding for many years, and sees the potential of this cross to be his replacement one day for Hipogrifo, our colt's sire. He has retained rights to a certain number of breedings and we are very happy to have a partner in our new journey with JP.

Hipogrifo is an amazing horse. He exudes the Veiga bloodlines through his every pore; from his convex head, elegance and down to his work ethic. Hipo is now a venerable old stallion, still eager to please and just amazing to watch.

Click here to go to Hipogrifo's website

Click here for a link to HipoGrifo's video

Finally, I wish to quote the Interagro site and their wonderful write-up of the Veiga blood:
http://www.lusitano-interagro.com/blood.htm

Veiga

"The Veiga bloodline produced the most genuine war horse of Ancient Lusitania. 'Veigas' are extremely functional and smaller than the other lineages - excellent for bullfighting.

They have the typical convex head known as the "Veiga head", flat thin legs with prominent hocks, fantastic impulsion and proud flexible necks.

Manuel Veiga describes his horses as follows: "Nervous, full of gallantry, so obedient they seem to outguess the rider's intentions; high thin head, long free-flowing manes, elevated movements and a striking agility challenging all threats and dangers with indomitable courage"

The Veiga is a true race within the Lusitano breed and the stallions when used on mares of any other lineage have the power to transmit to the offspring the most typical characteristics of the Lusitanian race.

The selection criterion was based entirely on the functional qualities, as explained by Alfredo Baptista Coelho:

"not the height, nor the academic morphology, not the color, nor the form of the head. Everything was offered by the race itself: wonderful fine slightly convex heads today known as "Veiga head", ancient rare colors, fine flat legs with strong hocks, flexible backs, uncommon impulsion, beautiful malleable necks... in short, the race offered him [Mr Veiga] a horse that makes our horse loving people vibrate.""

JP Zarathurstra

Summer on the Farm

2010-07-19T14:30:00.009-04:00

It has been a busy month. A foal was born, there has been lots of gardening, cooking, fence mending, farm clean-up, a show or two and a fair amount of horsing around.

The foal was born about five weeks ago. She is quite stunning and we have named her Cielo Azure's Fantasia (Fannie for short). Fannie is an elegant girl, very tall and with a very long neck and legs. She is quite the looker. I made a little movie of her when she was a few days old.

As Fannie has grown up, we have discovered that she is about the friendliest little filly around. She just loves to interact with us and follows us around like a dog.

******************************************************

I have been particularly proud of our vegetable garden this year. It has kept us with a constant flow of tomatoes, basil, peppers, squash, herbs, cucumbers and swiss chard. Earlier in the season, we had lettuce, parsley, spinach and radishes. Yesterday, I harvested the first potatoes. Last night's dinner was from start to finish from our land. We scrambled eggs (from our chickens), hash browns made from freshly dug potatoes and a side of small tomato and cucumber. Yummy!

Cooking has always been something I enjoy. A way to give back to my family. As we are vegetarians, I have developed many recipes based on the cooking I grew up with (my parents were British immigrants), which I have modified for our meat free diet.

A favorite recipe of mine is Split Pea Soup, which I have written out to share with you all:

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup (Easy and healthy)

1 pound dried split peas
3 to 5 carrots (about a half cup sliced)
1 medium or 2 small onions
½ tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
½ tsp oregano
1 tsp white pepper (black works also)
¼ cup butter
1 box vegetable broth (16 oz) or two cans or veggy boullion cubes (2 or 3 cubes)
1/3 to ½ cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
½ cup sliced celery
1 cup textured vegetable protein (I like Hammish bits made by Harmony foods*. If you use unflavored TVP –you might want to add a touch of liquid or powdered smoke flavor to taste)
Water to cover all ingredients.

Rinse the peas well, and throw out the water. Prepare and place all of the ingredients into a large pot. Add water to cover (plus and extra two to three inches). Bring to a boil and let simmer for about an hour or a bit more, stirring occasionally. More water may need to be added –keeping the liquid level just above the other ingredients. Once peas are soft, use a hand held electric blender to puree the soup. If you don’t have a hand blender, you can either serve it as is or pour it all into a blender to puree. Add more water if you like a thinner soup. Taste and season again –if needed. This recipe is easily modified to add more of less of any of the ingredients. Fresh vegetables, such as asparagus may be included or substituted.

This time of year, I have parsley, oregano and thyme in the garden. So, I tend to use a mix of store bought (dried) and garden grown herbs –depending on the season. The thing about using fresh herbs and spices, as well as garden produced dried is that different varietals, different growing environments and different drying conditions produce different levels of intensity in herbs. So, my cooking tip is taste your food frequently while cooking and season “to taste.”

* I buy TVP in bulk over the Internet, as NW Georgia isn’t known for its great selections in the local supermarkets. Harmony foods has TVP in many sized chunks, flakes and flavors and they sell it in bulk much more cheaply via the net.

For the sweet tooth:

Here is an old fashioned English recipe for lemon curd from my mother, Iris Glasspool. Lemon curd is like a lemon jam only tart and creamy. It can be used in place of syrups, as a filling for cakes or on bread.

Lemon Curd

¼ pound butter (melted)
rind one lemon
juice from 3 lemons
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cup sugar
3 egg yolks + 3 whole eggs (beaten).
Note about eggs: My sister just uses 5 whole eggs and that works too.

In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar, salt, eggs, and butter. Cook (stirring gently), using medium-low heat until thick enough to hold marks from the whisk, and a few bubbles appears on surface.

This recipe keeps for about a week. Cool before using.

Finally, I leave you all with this image of Robert and I taken by our son, Spencer at a local draft horse show. Having fun in the show ring, what could be better?

Enjoy this wonderful summer, it will be gone before we know it!

LDs Prince Charles: Fifteen years young!

2010-05-24T15:24:00.006-04:00

Charles is a Percheron Stallion. He was born on May 29, 1995, which makes him fifteen years old this week. Charles is all black, with a few white hairs on his forehead. Barefoot, he stands at 17.2 hands of pure muscle and action. Charles joined Cielo Azure Percherons almost five years ago and he has been a pleasure to have around the farm!

Charles loves the mares; they really are his main passion in life (that and eating). But Charles is also the local comic relief, as he loves to roll and rear and run around and "be stupid." But Charles is always happy to have a head scratch, a back rub or a good rinse off when the weather warms up.

He is always gentle around the mares, as well as around humans. When children come to visit, I can always count on Charles to accept their pats and kind words with grace and gentleness. He has a kind heart and that says it all.

Thank you Charles for gracing our lives with your magnificent presence!
May you continue to thrive and live well!

Grooming Percherons for Show

2010-04-29T17:56:00.013-04:00

Over the years, a low but steady drumbeat calling for information on how to prepare a draft horse for showing in halter and hitch is heard on the draft horse forums. It can be intimidating and frustrating trying to find the information needed to prepare your horse for your first draft horse show.

Having written various replies each year on how to prepare a Percheron horse for the show ring, I was thinking that it might be helpful to write it out. Then it could be posted here, so that I can refer people to it to it when the information is needed.

Preparation really starts with the decision to try to keep your horse black. Keeping a black horse, black means keeping them out of the sun in the summer months. I like to put my show horses in stalls during the day and let them out to pasture at night. This has a number of advantages, other than the obvious black coat. It keeps the daytime flies off of them, it keeps the horseflies away, and keeps the scratches down (here in the South, we have to battle humid, hot weather -which is not the ideal climate for drafts). Furthermore, it allows the horses a cool place to eat their own rations and they are just more comfortable when out of the mid-day sun.

The next thing you really need to think about is shoes. If you want to really succeed in halter, scotch bottom shoes need to be put on your horse. For the show season, that means that in June, a set of "growing plates," (or die 2 shoes) are nailed on. These shoes will allow the horse to grow a larger "foot." Later in the season, these will be switched out for scotch bottom shoes (or die 1s). For some, a set of scotch bottoms put on just before the show will do. This often requires an epoxy to be added around the base of the foot to make it look like the hoof has grown into the shoe. But when that is done, a good judge will spot the difference immediately. For us, because we like to turn out our horses and we do canter work, we do not put scotch bottoms on early in the season, as they will pull them off. We do not shoe for early shows in the spring either. I am sure that this has hurt us in the show ring but the benefits are a horse that can be used without losing shoes. If you are showing in A or B rated shows, and if you want to win or place, you have to get those scotch bottoms on early in the summer. The hardest part may be getting a farrier who knows how to shoe for draft horse shows unless you live in a state where such shows are the norm. Otherwise, you need to either fly down a farrier, learn to do it yourself or pay for your farrier to learn. It is an expensive proposition, no matter what route you choose.

The good news is that if you take care not to overshoe, use a moderate scotch and don't let your horse out in mud, scotch bottoms can be a perfectly safe and fine shoe for the very short show season. A lot of people think that Will Lent makes the best shoes on the market, here is his website (a die 1, is the shoe most commonly used for big shows)
http://www.willlent.com/shop/category.asp?catid=254

Now, that your horse is black, your shoes are on and your hoof is nice and big, lets look at the actual show preparations!

A couple of days before the show, I give the horse a bath (sometimes two). I like to use a human dandruff shampoo (generic, if you must know) but any good human or horse shampoo will do.

After the bath, I clip. Clipping a Percheron for show is not much different than clipping a light horse for show. The whiskers, ears, stray hairs all must be clipped. A bridle path should be cut. The legs are clipped, but a bit of feather -right behind the pastern joint is left on (although some people remove that too and other people will leave on a little more feather than others). The Percheron is a lightly feathered breed, and the judge will want to see the length and angle of the pasterns. Get those pasterns trimmed to allow the judge to be able to see what he needs to see. If you horse has some thickness around his pasterns from scaring, you may wish to leave a bit more feather on than is normal. Likewise, a lovely long pastern, with great angles is worth highlighting. You always have to work with your horse -you should know what modern Percheron breed type and conformation should be and then strive to perfect your own horse through careful grooming as well as conditioning. You have to work with what you have! That is what showmanship is all about! One way to learn what is proper is to really look at images on the web or go to a draft horse show and study those horses. Shown below is a young colt, note how his fetlocks are neatly trimmed and just a touch of feather is left on.

The tail should be put up in a tail bun. See the mane roll section below for more information. The bun should be neat and tidy. Practice putting in the tail bun (and mane roll for geldings and stallions) before the show. An hour before the class is not the time to learn!

If a tail has a long dock, special preparations have to be made to accommodate the amount of hair. A long dock or an un-docked tail should have a tail bun at the top, placed where it is normally placed. Then there are a number of options on what to do with all that hair! These range from shaving the tail bone to french braiding the rest of the tail.If you choose to braid, practice what works best for your horse before the show! Some options for braiding and finishing the braid include bringing the long end of the braid up through the braid or tied with ribbon to the braid.

Remember, the judge will want to see those hocks, if he/she can't see the hocks, he/she can't judge the hocks and that WILL put you in a disadvantage! It is your job to make the judge able to judge all aspects of your horse and the hocks on a draft horse are a critical criteria for judging.

The yearling below has a full tail, note how it has been braided so that the judge can see her hocks. Note that a full tail is not what judges "want" to see. It is still the rare judge that is not going to mark off for such a tail. This horse is being shown at a fun show in the spring, so no big shoes were put on her.

Hooves and chestnuts should be blacked with hoof black. This can be done the night before and touched up just before show time. If your horse has various nicks and dings, consider getting a can of black horse touch up for such spots.

I like to use Pepi sheen spray just before entering the ring. But don't put such products on too thickly or the dust and dirt will cling to them.

The forelock should have a tight braid with a three stranded ribbon braided through it.

For halter, stallions and gelding have mane rolls with seven stand-ups. Mare do not have mane rolls for halter. For all halter classes, the mane should be trimmed or pulled for a natural look, with a length of about five to six inches. For hitch classes, mares are rolled and have five stand-ups.

There are some good resources for learning how to do a mane roll and tail buns. The first is to volunteer with a hitch at your local draft horse show! Do a good job, ask nicely and they will probably be glad to teach you! There are clinics around the country on how to show draft horses. The Draft horse Journal and the Rural Heritage web sites have calendars that often list such clinics, as will your local draft horse club. The web also has some resources:
http://www.draftresource.com/Draft_Braids.html
There is even a DVD you can buy:
https://www.mischka.com/shop/product.php?productid=16269&cat=259&page=6

Of course, for a small, local show or a fun show, not all of these things have to be done. But what I have written here is how 95% of all the horses will be dressed at any A or B rated show in this country.

When getting ready to show, don't forget about yourself and your whip. Blue jeans are never acceptable in the halter ring. Most shows and judges prefer either black jeans or dress pants. For women, don't over dress. Sequins, cowboy hats and such like are better left at the AQHA shows! A simple button up or polo is always acceptable. Many people have their farm name put on their shirts or choose matching shirts for their whip. That is always a nice touch.

Finally, showing Percherons successfully means that not a single hair should be out of place! My favorite youth judge, Mr. Ron Mack, has a trick to see just which youth really knows how to show. As he walks along the line-up or when speaking to the exhibitor, he will reach over and "pet" the horse. In doing so, he will knock some of the mane on to the left side. He waits to see which young exhibitor will fix the mane and which will allow it to remain and that can be the difference between first and second place!

A well groomed horse, no matter what the conditions, can only help you win a class!

Draft horses, Achenbach and driving with all three gaits

2010-04-09T10:06:00.010-04:00

I did some reading last night and found a bit of trivia/history that came my way that I just think is way cool. As many of you know, draft horses are my passion but I also love the finer side of driving. Driven dressage, pleasure driving and reinsmanship. Combining these loves has been an ongoing goal of mine for a while.

The back story. Last spring (a year and a half ago) I learned how to drive Achenbach (which is one handed driving -kind of, you actually use your right hand too but it gives you the option of driving one handed) at a clinic with Johnny Ruhl. It took a while for me to learn, as it is complex and it has its drawbacks but for coaching and long drives, I just love it. For a little overview on different reining styles while driving, you can go to:

http://www.tandemhillfarm.com/Tandemhill_site/Achenbach.html

About a year ago, i also started seriously cantering our horses in harness. The two combined have become part of my training and it is a blast. Completely non traditional in the hitch world kind of way but WAY fun. The horses love it, I feel more secure knowing that I have at least three good gaits and I feel like I have more control.

So, last evening Corbeau, a lovely four year old gelding and I got ourselves out and driving. He is still young and a little green but it just turning out to be such a solid horse. I took him out on the road because the farm is soaked from all the rain. We went up to the gravel section a ways away. There I let him out and he just cantered along, totally in the moment and was so good! We both enjoyed the brisk air. I drove Achenbach or Coachmens style, and it is a lot of fun to drive one handed with a cantering horse! I remember watching some Jane Austen movie, where the young rake was driving his fast horse one handed, totally casual -like he had the wheel of a power car. Well, that was kind of how I felt. I was completely in control of this great big power horse, going full speed ahead -with just the slightest touch of a single hand. What a cool feeling! There is nothing more fun than driving a cantering draft horse.

When I got back to the house, I hunted around for information on driving history (a little passion of mine) and found this:
http://www.european-school-of-carriage-driving.com/index-Dateien/Page803.htm
This little article gives the history of Achenbach reining and its development by Benno von Achenbachin the 1800s. The author goes on to write that Benno von Achenbachin "... was horrified at the brutal maltreatment of horses and made it his life goal to improve the living and working conditions of horses, especially draft horses." Remember, this is in the late 1800s! The Achenbach style is still the dominant style used in driven dressage and was the official style of driving for the military of many European countries.

So, the Achenbach style -that people think is all about as being the style of driven dressage, pleasure driving and military driving actually had it roots in DRAFT HORSES. Sometimes, everything seems to come around into one big circle.

For more about Achenbach (or driving from the left) and to learn how:
http://www.coachmansdelight.com/CGuidePage.asp?pg=GUI25&k=27

A Noble Steed: The Christmas Horse

2009-12-17T19:54:00.009-05:00

Mrs. (Babs) Wells was my mentor, my neighbor, and my friend. I first met Babs when I was a young teen. My parents had bought a small lemon farm near her Welsh pony stable and she soon came over to meet us. Babs and I became instant friends from the moment we first starting talking horses, no matter that our age difference was over fifty years. Our love of horses, animals, and our similar perspectives on living the adventurous life were enough to keep us talking for hours at any time. She taught me more about horsemanship and class than anyone else ever did.

She loved her ponies and showed them in halter as well as roadster and could she ever move those little guys out! They were a joy to watch. Most were dappled grey, up-headed and had a lot of action. Mrs. Wells only drove, as she had a bad fall many years before that had damaged her hip.

However, her husband, Mr. David Wells, rode every year with the Rancheros Visitadores, a select group of men who spend a week riding in the backcountry of the Santa Ynez valley via wagon train. Some notable members of the Rancheros Vistadoeres of yesteryear include: Tom Mix, Leo Carrillo, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Slim Pickens, Edgar Bergenm, James Garner, Art Linkletter, Walt Disney, Bob Hope and President Ronald Reagan. Mr. David Wells was a member of this secretive and select organization and as such, he needed a fine horse to ride. Therein came my mount, “Guess Again, ” a Saddlebred, who for many a year was my main riding horse. As Mr. Wells only rode once a year on his Rancheros Visitadores adventure, this left me the horse of my dreams for the other fifty-one weeks of the year. When I was a young adult who no longer owned a horse, and was working my way through college, this was a dream come true.

My husband, Robert and I would sometimes be invited to dine at the Well's house. We would dress in our finest clothes and go hang out with “Mr. and Mrs. Wells.” They were the most sophisticated and fun “old” people we knew. We talked of horses and land and California history. She spoke of her youth growing up on the East Coast and the old horse drawn sled collection that she lost due to hard times, plus so many stories of her driving and riding adventures. Her family was old East coast elite and she had so many beautiful items in her house that reflected that heritage. I loved to walk around and admire her many horse show trophies and memorabilia, as she would tell stories of her past wins in the show ring.

She and I often would work the horses or I would ride and meet her later in her house. She would invite me in for sherry and there we would talk for hours. We spoke of her dogs, our horses, the animal behavioral research studies that I was involved in or of all sorts of things having to do with animals. It always came back to animals: that was our true connection: the animals. Not just the horses but also a love for all creatures.

As time went on, my husband's and my studies moved us farther and farther away from California. He got his medical degree, I started my PhD work, children came and our careers moved us even further away. But still we would come home every Christmas to visit my family and our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Wells. On Christmas Eve in 1985, she came over to my folk's house with her usual homemade walnut pralines and a special gift for me.

It was wrapped in brown paper, nothing fancy. I opened up the wrapping and there was a wonderful antique, wooden black horse with jointed legs, tail and neck. He stands a full twenty inches high, with a proud head and docked tail. He was and is a noble steed. It was a wonderful gift from a truly giving person, a person with a heart of gold. I didn't think to ask her where it came from. All she said was that it was something she had owned for a very long time and that she wanted to give me something really special.

All I knew was that he was lovely and I treasure him. The horse toy became my favorite item, sitting on my bookshelf: dark and bold. That this horse represented a breed never occurred to me and being a west coast gal, I had never really thought much about Percherons. Besides the only Percheron I knew was the gray circus horse in Marguerite Henry's Album of Horses. So, it never occurred to me that the toy represented a specific breed of horse.

When Robert and I finally were able to buy a farm in Maryland, we knew we wanted to breed a horse that spoke to our hearts. We spent a lot of time researching breeds, looking for the right fit. I wanted something that was able to work the land and that I could drive as well as ride. A noble steed. My husband, who has a love of horses as deep as my own wanted an animal that spoke to his agrarian love. After much looking, analyzing and soul searching, we stumbled upon the Percheron breed.

We began our small breeding program with a mare and foal. Since then, it has grown to include another ten animals, including an amazing MG Prince Stallion son. Our driving skills have greatly improved and we now show in halter, harness and riding classes. Our horses are truly versatile and working with the Percheron breed has altered our whole way of thinking about farming, horses and life.

But I digress. It wasn't until a week after we had bought our first Percheron mare and foal at the Dover Auction, that Robert looked again at the old toy that was given to me fifteen years prior. He said in a wondering voice, “Did you know that is a Percheron?” I stopped in my tracks. I didn't know. I hadn't thought of it. But he was right. It is a Percheron. It had been starring me in the face for fifteen years and I had never really thought about just what breed that toy was. I just knew it was a noble steed.

Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. Some are seventy-year-old plus women; still active in the sport they love. I am proud to say that Mrs. Babs Wells was one of my greatest counselors and a true friend. I know she is long gone, but in this California girl's heart, she remains constant. Thank you, Mrs. Wells for all the gifts you gave me, including that noble steed.

Is it Time for a Percheron Breed Standard?

2009-07-29T17:39:00.024-04:00

Fall is almost here, a busy show season has emerged, and foals on our small farm are growing up quick. As the tenth year of this new century is soon beginning, our thoughts and conversations with other friends in the Percheron horse world have been turning toward the age-old questions of what stud to breed to, what the judges are looking for, and what to strive for in the 2010 foal crop. As we talk to other breeders, draft farriers, teamsters, dressage fanciers and riders, our conversations often seem to circle back around to the same issues of judging, judge education, and breed standards.

One thing that we treasure about the draft horse world is that it is steeped in a rich tradition of big horses, antique equipment, an honorable history, and multi-generational spirit. These traditions, while perhaps a bit romantic, are clearly worth preserving. Those of us who admire and own draft horses are often mindful of a different era, an era where life was both simpler and harder. A more straightforward world where what mattered was the ability of a farmer, logger, or teamster to use his stock, tools, knowledge and abilities to get a job done. A place where there were fewer rules and regulations.

That said, the world has changed, and the Percheron world is changing with it. Within the draft horse industry, big money often drives the big hitches, professional managers handle barns of horses, many big hitches are really more about advertising than about getting work done, auction prices are at record highs with good animals fetching tens of thousands of dollars, the registered Percheron PMU market is still importing horses into the USA, the riding and cross-breed market is expanding and also exerting new influences upon the breed. With these new demands has come pressure within breeding programs to meet new market opportunities and forces. Breeders have new tools (such as semen shipment, embryo transfer and artificial insemination) to rapidly meet buyer demands.

Artificial insemination is creating a situation whereby a few stallions are being used to breed hundreds, if not thousands of mares each year. All this money, marketing and new influences are causing rapid evolution of some of the more popular draft horse breeds, and are also rapidly restricting the gene pool available to future generations. The importance of the hitch market, combined with economic pressures and shipped semen may accelerate the loss of genetic diversity. In aggregate, our individual choices are rapidly changing the genetic heritage that we will leave to those breeders who follow.

In the past, many draft horse breed associations have gotten away with not having a breed standard because it wasn’t really necessary. We believe that this picture is now changing, both for Percherons as well as for many other draft horse breeds. New technologies, such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer, computer management, better transport and even cloning are allowing a few animals to dominate a breed’s gene pool. This wasn’t even a possibility less than three decades ago. The potential for extremely fast evolution of a breed is not just a theoretical possibility; it is already today’s reality.

A stud owner’s ability to promote their stallion(s) is now based upon rated or National in-hand shows, the All American program, performance venues and marketing. Financial rewards flow to those who campaign and win at the “big” shows, and to the victors go the genetic spoils- the capacity of a stud to pass his genes on to larger and larger fractions of the quality brood mares, and the ability of a winning stud farm to capture lucrative contracts for shipped semen. But what are the criteria that judges use for breed specific halter classes or for the All American program? What do we want our horses to become over the next two decades or the next century? The old saying “If a little is good, more is better” seems to determine what people often look for in a Percheron, as judges, buyers and breeders appear to demand new, better and different. Many judges are rejecting established breed phenotypes as being old fashioned, not “hitchy,” or not tall enough. But others believe that Percherons have historically been a diverse breed from its very origins at Haras du Pin. Many believe that the Percherons are split into two (or more) types: halter and hitch (with “drafty” horses capable of a day’s work pulling a distant third). But a breed standard would work to codify breed characteristics, an important element to any breeding program and to the breed itself.

It also follows that people have to ask themselves, “Just what are those judges really looking for?” That is an important question because as some traits seem to be changing rapidly, others are not. Should judging criteria be based on new, improved horses or horses that represent what was the standard in the past, or some mix in-between? Without a standard, it is up to any one person’s opinion as to what to judge on, and it is hard to find ways to educate potential judges, breeders and owners as to what the ideal Percheron should look like. A breed standard would allow for judge education, something that is now mostly lacking within the Percheron Horse Association of America. Judge education is important because rated Percheron shows often determine those animals that will be the genetic stock for future generations.

One can’t preserve what hasn’t been defined. This thought is central to understanding why the Percheron Horse Association of America needs a breed standard. Some draft horse breeds have been progressive enough to have a standard already. Shires and Suffolk Punches are two such breeds and most people involved with these breeds are proud to have a breed standard.
Naysayers will argue that Percherons are too diversified to have a standard. But there are other breed registries that have dealt with this issue in a satisfactory manner. It is not impossible to write a standard for a breed that has gotten to the point where different types or lines have been developed. But it might be necessary to write the standard to define those differences. One only has to look to the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America (WPCSA) to see an example of how this issue can be effectively handled with finesse and an awareness of the diversity of the breed. The WPCSA has four sections of Welsh ponies within their standard (two types of Welsh Mountain Pony, Sections A and B, and two types of Welsh Cob, Sections C and D). There is a lot of diversity between the four sections and yet, all four sections are considered one breed, with similar characteristics. These differences between the types have been successfully written into one standard. Welsh Ponies are shown with each type having their own halter classes as well as separate performance events. The WPCSA is a great example of how diversity can be worked into a breed standard. It should be considered carefully as a model for a breed standard that encompasses more than one type of horse within a breed.

When the children of our children’s children look out their window into the pasture, we hope that the vision of a herd of glorious Percheron mares meets their gaze. We wish to think that those mares will look like the very same mares that greet my eyes each morning. A breed standard will help make that goal a reality.

By: Jill Glasspool Malone, PhD and Robert W. Malone, MD, MS (written in 2008, edited 2010 -copyright 2008)

*All photos were taken in the 1800s or very early 1900s. Note that most of the Percherons on this page were from France, where there were strict breeding standards: with studs chosen from stables of Haras du Pin.

Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area

2009-07-29T06:33:00.016-04:00

July 25, 2009. Another beautiful day in the North Georgia foothills! We set off for our adventure mid-morning and choose the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area because it is easy for us to get to, low hassle and truly a wonderful place to go horseback riding.

We brought two, fairly green horses with us. The horses names are: GT’s Joanna and Cielo Azure’s Soleil, who both just turned four years old. Soleil has been ridden on trails before and has been in dressage training before she took seven months off for baby duty but she is actually turning out to be the more difficult horse of the two. Joanna has only been under saddle for a couple of months but she is quickly becoming a rock steady mount. We bought Joanna with a pasturn injury as a coming three year old and she required over a year of rehabilitation. Both are registered Percherons and just a blast to ride! They did fine in the heat and took all those miles in stride. I am so proud of them! Robert (my husband) was the photographer for the trip, so you get to see lots of photos of Soleil and I on this blog but only get to see Joanna's ears (as Robert was riding Joanna, while he took photos).

The week before, we had been trail riding with a group and Soleil had been in full PMS mode. She was not going to let any nasty light horse sneak up behind her! After three separate Capriole’s, (done as well as any Lipizzaner), performed because a light horse got too close to her precious nether regions, my thighs had a grip on that saddle like you wouldn’t believe! This week, I was not looking forward to more of Soleil’s aires above ground and I was glad to not be part of a group. But this week, she was back to her usual self and behaving normally. Sigh. I knew there was a reason why this hormonally controlled mare is so much more fun when pregnant!

This Saturday we decided on a 6.9 mile trail. It turns out, it was 6.9 miles each way…(gulp). We figured this out, after what seemed like an eternity and we discovered a directional mile sign that read 6.7 miles back to parking (yikes)! At that point, we had been bleakly hoping that the parking lot was around the corner, so it came as a bit of a disappoint at first –as it was 90 degrees out. But then we bucked up and we all did just fine! We rode steady from 11:30 to 4:30, but it was mostly in the shade and very lovely. Luckily there were enough tiny creeks that the horses could at least get a drink. Yes, Joanna plowed through the mud and creeks, with nervous Soleil right on her tail. By the end of it, we were tired, the horses were tired and we were SO glad to get back to the trailer. After almost five hours of riding and riding and riding –next time, I won’t trust those state print-outs.

However, the ride really was spectacular. There is a nice smaller lake on the orange trail and we passed the river as well as a wonderful creek. There were few other horses, people or bikers on the trail. Note that on part of the trail, we spilled out onto a gravel public road. There were quite a few jeep and four wheel drive vehicles that zipped by us, clearly out for a spin or off to some river adventure. If your horse doesn’t like trucks, be careful about the trails that you pick.

The Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area is a great place to ride. It is easy to get into, it has fantastic parking and the trails are clearly marked, mostly kept in good condition. Some of the downsides to the area are that parts of the area are very hilly, there are rocks, eroded trails and variable footings on some of the trails. But then there are other areas there the trails are well groomed and there are some that are mostly gravel roads too. Barefooted horses might have some issues on some of the trails. Many of the trails have recently had new sections added, been redone or have been closed, with new trails opening. The maps are not always correct. Also note that the blue trail and orange trail have many side loops, off-shoots, etc. But these are all marked in the SAME color. It is easy to get confused about which is and isn’t the main loops. Hikers and bikers, are allowed in the area and this is often managed by splitting up trails into horse versus bikers segregated trails. When we have been there, we have met very few hikers or bikers. Although, when it hits around 5:00 pm on a Saturday, lots of young people start coming into the wildlife area and the tone of the parking lot changes considerably.

Georgia state and the city of Atlanta (who mow manages the wildlife area) charges a five dollar fee for day use. Payment is by honor system. Each person riding must place five dollars (checks accepted) into a payment envelope, which goes into a box. Then you keep the tear-off receipt as proof of payment. This receipt is your permit. Rumor has it that riding without such a permit carries a $300. fine and that there are rangers checking riders on occasion. My fiends tell me is much, much better to pay the five bucks than to get caught and pay three hundred.

The Dawson Forest, Atlanta Tract once was The Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory (GNAL). This site, which included a nuclear power plant, was run and owned by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation for the US Air Force from the late 1950’s until 1971. Research at GNAL included designing a nuclear powered airplane, but many other radioactive material related research was conducted there. The small (10 mega-watt) radiation effects reactor was used in the research efforts from 1958 through 1970 and is still on site, now buried in concrete. The GNAL was closed in 1971 and the power plant decommissioned. Lockheed then sold 10,130.4 acres to the City of Atlanta in 1972. The City was anticipating the need for a second airport for the metropolitan Atlanta area and purchased this tract. Later, the city decided that this site was unsuitable for an airport. As one could imagine, a power plant, run by a contractor the the defense department, that was built and run from the 1950s to the early 1970s, might not have the same standards for operating as now. Stories abound of two-headed deer, albino animals, cancer related deaths of workers and nearby residents as well as leaked radiation. There may or may not be much truth to the rumors but they make great campfire stories!
The history of this area is fascinating. If you go to: www.etowahscenicriver.org. and then click on the history link, this site will open into a word doc and is a full history of the area.

Getting there was easy. Just remember that Dawson Forest Road is in Dawson County and that most directions will have you turn off of highway 9. So, when using a mapping program, just keep triangulating the website directions (linked below) and what you are getting on the map program. There is no address number or even street number on the website and website directions are only from hwy 400, which is great if you are coming from Gainesville. Otherwise, you are out of luck and will have to figure out the directions using a mapping program. http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/ForestManagement/Dawson.cfm There are also trails maps and more information about the wildlife area here.

Note that once at the wildlife area, the parking lot is fantastic! There is room for many large trailers, with concrete pads and lots of shade. The roads and parking accommodate large trailers without issue. However, it is a dry lot. There is no water available and if you want water for your horses, you need to bring your own.

Blowing Rock, NC Drive and Ride

2009-07-17T20:55:00.000-04:00

July, 2009.
We went to Blowing Rock with the Middle TN Carriage Club and our local group, FUNDRS. We took three Percherons, two dogs and five people (plus a whole bunch of camping and horse related stuff). There were 25 people, 17 horses and 15 dogs in all.

The first night we were there, Donnie laid out a cones course in the gravel parking lot and the brave-hearted or still sober crowd went out for some runs. Competition was friendly and the horses seemed glad to get out and socialize. Note the chariot style adopted by Robert -that is one BIG horse to look over when running a cones course. I took a lot of photos and put most of them up on photobucket. You can see them all here (note these are "raw" photos -the good, the bad and the ugly):
http://s818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/Cieloazure/Blowing%20Rock/
and (the family photos)
http://s818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/Cieloazure/?start=all

The next day: Sherry, Karen, Robert and I went for a long drive in Cone Memorial National Park. We took Soleil, a four year old Percheron mare who did really well. It was good to catch up with both Sherry and Karen, two of my favorite people! I didn't take any photos of that trip but we all came back happy and really pleased with the way the horses behaved. Sherry's new little Morgan is a doll and just perfect for her.

Soon, our son Zach and his girlfriend Megan showed up from Maryland. Robert, Zach, Megan, Spencer and I went for a long ride and drive with the two horses in carts and Robert riding Joanna. We had a blast. It was a long, leisurely drive/ride through the park. Very civilized. Spencer did a great job driving Genie, despite his mother's "backseat driving" from the other cart.

We also played with the two dogs, Cloe and Aura. As sisters, they like to play all the time, as only Aussies can do. Aura and Cloe went around and around together, playing with their toy. When Cloe left, Aura got downright grumpy. She looked for her everywhere and then sulked as I have never seen her do before.

Zach, Megan and Robert went for a long trail ride that night. I heard words like "magical" used as well as "sore all over" to describe the trip. It is hard to decribe just how wonderful the rhodademdrums were when riding and driving. There were so many of them, in so many shades of pinks. Megan looked very tiny and very cute way up there on Genie.

That next morning, Spencer, Robert and I went for a ride and drive. Spencer filmed the trip and I put edited it and got it up on the web:

Final thoughts: Cone Memorial Park is exceptional for driving and riding. I hope that more people from the FUNDRS group can come next year! But remember to put on DEET or keep yourself covered, I have a zillion chigger bites on my feet!