# Draft horses?



## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

Can anyone provide any advice on draft horses?

more particular questions...

How many are typically needed per unit of area?

How much extra land should be attributed to growing food per each draft horse?


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

It is going to be so dependent on where you live, what kind of pasture/ cropland that it just isn't possible to give a reasonable estimate.

In MT, with dryland range pasture, we figured 20 acres minimum per horse for the summer grazing season. Here in KY, with rotational grazing, we pasture about 15 horses on 6 or 7 acres of pasture.

I have a combination of warmblood crosses and ponies, so can pasture more on fewer acres than you would with draft horses. But not knowing your local conditions, can't even make a guess.

I think if you have a local county agriculture department, an agent there could tell you what they figure locally for a cow/calf pair, they may even have figures for horses. We used to figure a horse needed about 25% more than that and I'd think a draft horse would need even more.

Unless you already have the equipment to grow hay and put it up, you would probably be better off buying your hay locally. For just a team, the cost of haying equipment would make it impractical to put up your own hay and unless they are working hard all day, every day, horses don't really require much grain.


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## gunsmithgirl (Sep 28, 2003)

I can't really help you with pasture space, but I can tell you this. Our Belgian eats roughly 3X the hay and grain my TB does in a day. I am guessing he would probably require roughly 3x the pasture to graze as well.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

"How many are typically needed per unit of area?'
Do you want to know the size of a pasture they can nibble down to nothing or how many acres can you expect to farm with one draft horse?

The answer to both questions is : There are far too many variables to answer. As far as pasture, a couple acres of lush pasture in a temperate climate, well seeded and fertilized would be enough, however 80 acres of rocky ground in a dry climate might not be enough.

A team of draft horses can plow 2 acres a day. That is in normal farmable soil without heavy clay or big rocks. About the same for discing or disk harrowing.

I've worked draft horses on several different farm tools and skidding logs in the woods and sleigh rides over the past 30 years. If you could be more specific, perhaps you will get your questions answered.


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## Maddiequus (Nov 4, 2003)

gunsmithgirl said:


> I can't really help you with pasture space, but I can tell you this. Our Belgian eats roughly 3X the hay and grain my TB does in a day. I am guessing he would probably require roughly 3x the pasture to graze as well.


My Percheron doesn't get any grain and seems to eat less hay than my TBs. He's a MUCH easier keeper. Is your Belgian in hard work?


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## gunsmithgirl (Sep 28, 2003)

> My Percheron doesn't get any grain and seems to eat less hay than my TBs. He's a MUCH easier keeper. Is your Belgian in hard work?


Very light work maybe 1-2x a week right now, not enough to say he is really working at all.He's had his teeth floated recently and there are no health issues either. 

Maybe it is his sheer size, I have heard others with drafts say theirs did not eat so much, but he is big for a even for a draft.


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