opinions on this horse/seller & keeping big heavy horses (ardennes)!

My young son brings mine in from the field all the time. And my helper who rides my Arab is the size of a child and she manages fine. My Arab is the naughty one!

I got mine as an untouched 2 year old colt and he has been an angel through every step.
 
I think they are fantastic horses!

Last weekend , we were at a centre for breeding and research of the Ardennes. They're still used for pulling the logs out the forest but they aren't just plodders, they're quite feisty. They're expected to be nimble and agile to be able to negotiate the terrain in the forest and jump over the felled trees.

There are some congenital bone problems in some. I'm no expert so please see attached link.

http://montlesoie.be/recherchesscientifiquesnew.html

It's in french but I'm sure you can get the drift (or Google translator) if you're not fluent! ;)

Good luck!
 
Well I think she is lovely too. And if the ad is genuine and she passes a vetting for what you want to do with her then you would be getting a bargain!
I have a great big ID and he is a good doer - he lives out and I fed him nothing but hay in the winter and still managed to come out of it fatter than before! He has soup plate feet, but my farrier doesn;t charge any more than 'normal' sized shoes. It is difficult to get accessories to fit, i.e. fly masks, over reach boots, the list goes on, but they are around, just need to as on here and someone will tell you where to get things from!
I know it's difficult to tell from photos, but it looks like a nice place she lives in and the girl riding doesn't look like a 'dodgy dealer'!
Go and see her - what have you to lose? And you may gain a wonderful family friend!
 
I think she's lovely. I'd have no problems taking her on if I had the opportunity.

Yes, speak to your farrier, some don't like heavies, same as some don't like TB's (mines one of these!)
If you've got good grazing and you're used to feeding a bale of hay a night then that's not going to be a problem!

As part of my degree we went and spent a week in the Ardennes learning about their agriculture etc. We spent a day on a farm that still used ardennes for their farm work (ploughing, logging and harvesting on a sttep hillside). the horses were excellent, and a team of 3 was being worked by the farmers son (about 13ish i guess) who was riding the lead horse bareback, sitting 'sidesaddle' so he could see forwards and backwards. We talked to the family about why they used horses not machinery and they said that they coped better with the weather, the hills, the heavy soil etc, and we cheaper to run!! The little lad also said that he liked them because they were easy to handle and were gentle. He did say that their mare was bossy, but she did as she was told if he got cross with her. :D

I say go look, try, investigate, and go for it if she fits what you want!

ETA - all the 6 or 7 horses were unshod and working 6 days a week!
 
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If you can find one, then try to get a Clydesale. We are on our second one and for us they are our favorite of the heavies.

They are a bit longer legged, not quite so broad and the most active of the heavies in their paces. Cairo in his day did everything, he could jump 2'9 - 3' was great round a XC course - very safe, always clear, though not the fastest. Consistent in his jumping - actually did good times for a big horse and was good a low level dressage. Could be hacked and handled out by little kids and a wonderful temperament, and still very sadly missed.

Farra, is now 6 and again the kids can ride her and she is the best hack on the yard. She loves jumping, and is now doing 2'3 to 2'6 and eventually with more schooling will do a nice low level dressage test as she has a flashy movement for a heavy horse. We hope to start low XC on her next year, and she loves going out to the local RC and jumping in competitions.

Cairo was and Farra is just under 16.3 which is a nice height. They are not too broad - wide fitting saddle and off the shelf, XF bridles, 7' rugs. The only item I have had to have made was Cairo's western bit as I could not find anything at 6 1/4.

Shoeing can be a bit more, but as ours are only in light work - ridden 4/5 days a week and mainly hacking and schooling and little road work, they have been fine without shoes. Feed - no more than a TB. Mine get a couple of scoops of Just Grass, a handful of speedibeet, scoop of nuts, vits and mins supplement twice a day and ad lib hay in winter. Farra eats 1/2 - 3/5 of a bale a day, my 15 hand cob eats half a bale.

The only problem they do have is as they get older is joints. That said, Cairo didn't have any problems until he was 19 and stayed in work until shortly before he died at 22. Farra being show bred and close behind, is on a joint supplement as a precaution and we avoid fast work on hard ground and are careful not to over school or over jump, but I do that with any horse.

Beware, heavy horses are addictive and attract people wherever you go. All the kids fight to ride Farra and Cairo used to go out three up on hacks in his huge western saddle when they didn't have enough ponies.

Finally until you have experienced a flat out gallop on a heavy you haven't ridden. Not fast, but the feeling of power and the thunder of hooves is amazing.
 
If you like heavies and she is honestly described, then you will no doubt love her and will probably get more than you could of hoped for....in fun/ the character/riding etc....as well size :D

I'd love to see people riding something differnt, it makes a nice change and also shows that size doesnt matter....in this case.

Go have a look!
 
I can't add much to any of the great advice above except to say I think she looks lovely. I'm a fan of the heavies and I would defo take a look. Good luck!
 
I think she's lovely and if I had the room, I would have one like her. I am biased as I love the heavies. She should have really good feet so may not need shoes, a temperament to die for and be a good fun horse. Go and have a look, I don't think you'll regret having her if you should decide to buy. There are a lot of them still being used on farms, as general ride, drive and ploughing horses in Belgium.
 
Can I ask what the issue is with French/Holland imports? I am looking to buy from Michael Vine and the majority of his heavy horses are imports you see.
 
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