heavy horses

We went to the fair Saturday. The only reason we go is to watch the heavy horses pull. These are the big ones. The horses that weigh almost a ton...each. I have watched, and participated in various horse activities for a lot of years. I've watched horses clear six foot tall jumps, spin, cut cattle, race, pull little fat men in carts, and pace on sounding boards. I can honestly say that nothing is as good as watching a pair of massive horses work as a team to pull ten *thousand* pounds on a sled in a dirt arena.

We have gone to the fair to watch them for several years now, and we have our favorites. We like to cheer them on, but we have to do it quietly. The horses listen to their teamsters for directions. When they are pulling, if the crowd says ohhh, they hear *whoa*, so any cheering is discouraged until they are unhooked from the sled. The men who place the singletree are pretty brave. Think about a team of horses that weighs close to four thousand pounds, dancing in anticipation, eagerly waiting for the signal to pull. Now imagine placing the singletree ring on the sled, and hoping you get your hands free before they start pulling! Sometimes the horses anticipate, and pull before the singletree is set. This is both dangerous and highly entertaining. More than one teamster has done a less than graceful face plant in the arena! In anticipation of the pull, these giant horses piaff well enough to make any dressage queen drool. It is fascinating to watch. The best of them wait for their driver to give the signal, trotting in place, then throwing their massive chests into the harness. The less restrained will pull as soon as they hear the singletree drop. It can be very exciting if the guys holding it accidentally drop it!

I admire the people who train and care for these beautiful animals. They are such gentle giants. You can tell that their people also admire and love them. When the going gets tough, and they need more than one pull to make the distance, you can watch while they talk to the horses, calming and encouraging them. It is easy to see that they are very important to the people who care for them. I have seldom seen such devotion in other horse endeavors. These folks groom and tack their own horses. They fasten the harness and shine the flashy silver themselves. They truly love their horses.

Here are some pictures...

This is the dangerous part - placing the singletree. You could easily lose a hand if the horses pulled at the wrong time. The boy in the red shirt has finally gotten big enough to help. Last year he was still loading the sled.

This team is mixed - one mare, and one gelding.

This is what they do between rounds. Napping is permitted.

What a way to earn your oats, eh? Notice all the people sitting against the wall? They are totally relaxed, and not worried that they might be mowed down by these enormous horses. I don't know if I'd want to sit there....

Are we finished yet? Can we go? Whoever said horses can't read?

It takes a lot of heart and want to to pull ten *thousand* pounds.