Pure Irish Draught as a leisure horse?

cblover

cblover

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Hi all, I'm starting my research into buying a pure bred irish draught as my next horse. It won't be until next year but I'm enjoying looking at the different stallions and I've been to the Northern Irish Draught Show yesterday. I was very impressed by the standard of the entries and by the behaviour.

I'm purely a leisure owner/rider, aged 47 and I'm wondering if other people have RID's as leisure horses? I'd like to hack, work on flat work and enter low level dressage. I'd also like to show, again at low level. Above all I want an easy, sensible weight carrying friend.

Am I on the right lines do you think? X
 
Yes.

Next question?

Joking apart, as a breed, they have sensible, fairly easy going temperaments, nice, comfortable paces and can jump.

You will get doggy, nappy, slow ones, and you will get ones with a sense of humour, who are quicker thinking than you, as you do in every breed, but the breed tendency is for exactly the horse you describe
 
Wonder thanks, just as I thought. I'm really taken with them as a breed and it's high time I got something nice for myself. Being a mam and wife, something or someone always seems to come first. Lol
 
Yup. Fabulous horses. I have one and he is ace but he's not without some character and is quite often one step ahead of me. However in most cases this is a good thing.
 
I had an RID (at the time since changed, Registered Irish Draught) gelding as my first horse, and I cannot recommend them enough. He was stable, sensible, so very good natured patient with me and very willing to teach me and willing to let me learn. As a breed they are fantastic. He was my horse in a million. I did riding club jumping, dressage, hacked about on him and took him hunting. We did enter a few showing classes and working hunter and he was always placed. He was a fab all rounder. There are so many draught showing classes around these days and you would have so much fun!

I've since moved on to an Irish sport horse and although I adore him, he's not a sensible and though he is quiet he will never be the steady neddy my draught horse was.

My Livery yard owner is a Draught Horse breeder with two Irish Draught stallions standing at stud in the yard. They are still stallions but they are both very gentle and sweet horses. He can't understand why more people in the leisure industry don't use them, because they are so good natured and easy to do anything with.

So yep I cannot recommend an Irish draught enough. They are bred to be steady natured, quiet and very patient. I would say definitely go for it!

That said do try any horse you are going to buy as not every horse in the breed will stick to breed characteristics.

Best of luck with the search and take your time :)
 
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I have a TB x ID, a TB and a TB x WB.

The TB x ID is a joy to have around - easy to catch and easy to handle - and a delight to ride - forward going but not spooky or silly. I only wish I could say the same for the other two!

Highly recommend. They are also usually very attractive horses.
 
I think any breed has good, bad and indifferent. If you're savvy about the breeding, which it sounds like you are, then why not.
 
I have a pure ID and he is wonderful. I had him as a rising 5 yr old and everyone we met said what a happy and willing youngster he was. Unfortunately he has stomach ulcers at the moment and has been off for 6 months but i wont give up on him as he really is a horse in a million
 
We've just bought a 5 yo Full ID gelding, and he's proving to be an absolute star, and putting all my others to shame. He's chilled out, not spooky , doesn't over jump a real pleasure to have. So far, we've hacked him, fun ride, SJ clinic cantered around our fields, and he hasn't put a hoof wrong.

Highly recommend the breed. such a brilliant temp. Good luck with your search
 
This is so encouraging....thanks everyone. I'm enjoying the search and learning more about gem to be honest. I really want to get this right.
 
cblover said:
This is so encouraging....thanks everyone. I'm enjoying the search and learning more about gem to be honest. I really want to get this right.
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We felt exactly the same, we wanted a family all rounder. Just wanted something sensible to put the fun back into riding. I can now ride out with my daughter without worrying. We went on a farm ride, and she was cantering behind me, shouting for me to go faster. After a few weeks her confidence is almost restored, thanks to this wonderful chap.
 
I have two RID I love them .
However they can be difficult when young if they have had a too quick start and can be very diffcult if someone has got on the wrong side of them ,one of mine was but now at seven he's a joy .
You need to be aware that they often mature to be very wide big horses to ride if you a slight women that can be challenging .
Fatty was sold when he outgrew the lady who started him she had fully taken just how much he would fill out between three and seven .
My other has gone from lanky to very square in the two years I have owned him he's a very substantial horse now .
And you can always find a home for a nice well trained ID if you ever need to.
 
Oh goldenstar, if only I was slight!!!! I don't think I was even born slight!! Lol. I'm used to big wide horses and love them.
 
They are a wonderful breed and it's great to see them being properly appreciated here. Unfortunately, in their native country they have been pretty much sidelined in favour of warmbloods in terms of breeding - but that's a whole other thread!

In terms of a leisure horse you could not look for a better type OP, they have a brain that is second to none and will get you out of trouble: or better still not place you in it to start with. And there is so much to chose from. If you don't want a real heavy type then there are some lighter purebreds around too. In the US - another place they are appreciated - some full IDs are doing well in upper level dressage. Such a versatile breed....

If you want to learn about them then there are a number of facebook groups that might be useful. Search under Irish Draught and Irish Sports Horses. Also great studs, breeders and producers have their own pages with horses for sale. Uk based Indigo Irish Draughts is a good one. Good luck with your search.
 
Me! I have one and I absolutely adore her! Only light hacking for us as she is arthritic but she is golden, really sensible and always looks after her rider.
 
They are prone to being fat. Don't be fobbed off with the big boned argument. Yes they are solid animals but far too many are actually just overweight. I've been out to a few shows recently & saddened to see so many tubby draughts. :(

Low cal feeds & plenty of work is the order of the day with an ID.
 
KautoStar1 said:
They are prone to being fat. Don't be fobbed off with the big boned argument. Yes they are solid animals but far too many are actually just overweight. I've been out to a few shows recently & saddened to see so many tubby draughts. :(

Low cal feeds & plenty of work is the order of the day with an ID.
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I think this is very true, and unfortunately a lot of the draught judges place overweight horses in the top rosettes too. its not fat, but show condition.

They were bred to do well on bad Irish hillsides so they are always good doers.
 
kamili said:
I think this is very true, and unfortunately a lot of the draught judges place overweight horses in the top rosettes too. its not fat, but show condition.
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Don't get me started on this subject !!! Mine is a solid 650kg. He's 16.2 with 10in of bone. There isn't a peck of fat on him but he is tiny in comparison. It depresses me to see such lovely horses waddling around. How can judges not see fat ??
 
Thanks all. I fully intend to do my homework and not buy until I'm totally ready. Keep your experiences coming....it's great to hear all about them.
 
Erm, depends what you like: I can't stand 'em! Pig-headed, opinionated, ungenerous, clomping gurt things that are really only suited to basic point-and-go type of activities (which of course they were originally bred for, so no harm there, just not what I want to do with a horse). There. And I'm Irish too!
 
Cortez said:
Erm, depends what you like: I can't stand 'em! Pig-headed, opinionated, ungenerous, clomping gurt things that are really only suited to basic point-and-go type of activities (which of course they were originally bred for, so no harm there, just not what I want to do with a horse). There. And I'm Irish too!
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That's because we've got all the good ones in England =D
 
i have always rather liked the idea of a pure bred ID after an experience I had as a teenager. So there is me, aged 15 or 16, riding the 4 YO ID filly back from the field, bareback but with a bridle and hat, and we had to stop at the railway crossing. We stood there and the express to London thundered past, and I could feel Tidy's heart pumping SO fast under my legs... and she stood there. And we got home safely.

Have never forgotten how that 4 YO ID had our lives in her hands and was so brave. (Needless to say, I would never dare to do anything like that these days!)
 
spacefaer said:
That's because we've got all the good ones in England =D
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Perhaps because We start them slowly , because I do agree with Cortez that if crossed they can be real devils .
Opinionated yes that's Fatty but Fatty knows his job so why can't he have opinions , pig headed yes perhaps sometimes get lost out hunting and try to go the wrong way and will Fatty has just take MrGS in the other direction until he's back on track.
Ungenerous no never neither of mine has an ungenerous bone in their body .
Clomping well they aren't warm bloods they the ultimate multi purpose horse bred to plough a field , pull a cart to market , take the farmer hunting and the the family to church on Sundays on very little food and very little fuss .
I think You have to appreciate ID's to get the best out of them , you have to love them for their special qualities .
 
Mine is the most charming person you could meet. He loves people & is kind to other horses. He's not scared of anything & he is very much his own man. He has his own ideas about work especially flat work & you don't have debates with him you have to tell him. But that said he would walk through fire for you & is the kindest horse.
OP I don't know what you can afford but I would say a well bred well started ID is worth a fair few pennies. If you are comfy with a youngster then you could start there & get someone reputable to start it off. There are some really good breeders around the country & am happy to point you in the right direction
 
Mine is officially ISH (Green passport) but 3/4 ID- think his ears are TB! He is the best horse I have ever had. Generous, talented, safe, just a dream. Went out looking for a schoolmaster for my dotage and came home with a 4 year old who is safer than most schoolmasters and gets you out of trouble as good brain. Can be opinionated but not a nasty bone in his body.

He events but agree with the fatty tendency - muzzled 24/7 and fed very little despite being in work.
 
I've had 3 ID crosses (two were TB x ID's and one a 3/4 ID). I loved my first two - both very different but both very genuine and safe. Neither was completely straightforward but I was relatively novice when I got them and they taught me a lot. One in particular gave me so much confidence and was so forgiving of my riding as I learned - I would recommend them to anyone. My current one though is more difficult to read and when she has a paddy she really chucks everything at you - there is a real stubborn streak that I continuously have to work with!!
 
I'm Liking them more and more. Please could people suggest where I could start looking? I.e. Studs, breeders or such like. I will need pointed in the right direction. Cheers.
 
My boy came from Tom Daly at Abbeyward Irish Draughts.
He is the best horse ever!! I wouldn't have any other breed they are fabulous, fabulous horses. X
 
Indigo Irish draughts look fab - wish I'd discovered them when I was looking. They're on Facebook - lovely looking horses but more importantly they seem to breed very sensible types.
 
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