HORSE WELFARE.
Horse welfare, being good to your horses, that is the most normal thing in the world for me. That you ensure that your horses are in good condition, both physically and between the ears.
The Shires are therefore kept in an outdoor stable 24/7 herd connection.
The herd currently consists of 7 Shires, 3 adult mares, 1 yearling mare and 3 geldings. The paddock has 2 canopies and a piece of sand to sleep on.
They have access to rough feed 24/7. During the summer months they also go out to the pasture every day and after work there is a tasty bowl of food ready for them.
I am often told that my horses respond so well to the aids and are fun to ride.
That's because I choose to only let advanced riders ride my horses
that is for the preservation of my horses.
My horses enjoy their work, I think that is because every time they go to work they have a rider on their back who knows how to steer, who knows how to ride neatly, lightly, quietly during a gallop. the saddle and can even ride a canter in an illuminated seat, that for me is an advanced rider.
But we (especially Saskia) are also always working on the horses ourselves. They are regularly 'ridden' if we notice that they are learning things that are not desired, or if we notice that they are stuck somewhere, we take them outside a number of times for 'horse riding' or exercise. in the queue. The horses are regularly checked by a physiotherapist, dentist, farrier, veterinarian, etc.
Horse welfare also includes the resilience of a horse. Our western lifestyle causes us humans to become increasingly heavier, but our horses do not change along with this. I have a strict policy regarding the weight I want my horses to carry.
So I don't stick to the calculation that can be found on Google.....
I'm not saying this couldn't be right.
But a horse that is already heavy in itself, is a PULL HORSE, has a new rider on its back every ride to which it has to adapt, walks through rough nature/dune areas, runs several rides a week, already has a tough job. .
I respect that and therefore give him a rider with an average weight on his back during those rides.
She/he can definitely carry more! but not on my rides.
I have different Shires in terms of build and height, so not all of them can carry the same amount.
I have 18 inch saddles and want the rider to fit neatly with his buttocks on/in.
The maximum weight I allow my horses to carry is 93kg including full riding equipment.
But I also look at the height of the rider. Is
height and weight are not in proportion
If the rider does not fit neatly on the saddle, I cannot accept the reservation.!!
If in doubt...please indicate this when making your reservation.
My Shires have at least 2 days off per week.
They walk a maximum of between 1.5 and 4 hours per day on the days they work.
We take the weather conditions into account during the rides.
we drive with rain showers and sunshine up to 30 degrees.
In the forests the temperature is always about 4/5 degrees cooler. From 25 degrees we no longer drive through the dunes but stay in the forest.
We will adjust the intensity of the ride during warmer weather, so there will be more walking, but we will ride all 3 gaits in an adjusted manner.
The rides we ride always run at a normal pace, which suits the DRAFT HORSE breed.
If you are looking for a ride that involves trotting for miles or galloping frequently, then we are not the right place for you.
With 2 rides per day (1x 2 hours and 1x 1.5 hours), this is on the weekends, there is always a long break in between during which they have time to eat, drink and rest.
Monday and Tuesday are our regular days off.
It's quite a story, but it's how I feel about it.
Can you identify with this?
If you want to enjoy a Gentle Giant and get to know the breed as a riding horse, if you love nature and enjoy it on a wide horse's back, then a ride on a Shire is meant for you and I would love to see you on one of my rides!
