Horse, ponies and doglets! photo overload

[Tara.a]

Hi There!!

Thought I'd share pics of my animals....

Tim (my terrier) with Mum's kitten Ollie

Herbert Charles.... my Newfoundland cross

My Shetland ponies..

Mr Podge (my Breton draft horse)

Podge with Harry

And my two friends, who have been lost in the last two months...

Bert

and Spoony

The whole point of the loosing weight to such a level and so quickly, is that I am aiming to qualify my Shetland stallion Acer to take part in the Indoor Horse Driving Trials in Keysoe in April next year. He is such a giving and honest little chap and my end of the bargin is to be 4 stone lighter to help him.

 

[LVLLM]

oh wow love the pics and sorry about your recent loss xxxx what a lovely family you have

 

[c2b]

Would you care to send Mr Podge my way please. He is heavenly. How big is he? He looks huge. Wouldn't like to drop my crop while riding him

 

[Tara.a]

Thanks all.

Laura - He's only 15.2hh but weighs in between 850 and 900kg (dependent on how fit or flabby he is!).

 

[c2b]

Good grief. My mare is 14.1 and around 450kg. Thats a huge difference in weight for only a little height. How on earth do you get your legs round him?

 

[Tara.a]

They are Breton draft horses - meant for heavy agriculture. They have been recorded as pulling 3 tonne from a standing start!

Do you mean Bert (the pic of me riding)? Bert was 16hh (I sadly lost him in September this year). He was very very wide, but the saddle I had was great and after riding Bretons for the last decade I seem to be able to stretch ok...

Podge (the in hand pic) now has an semi-treed saddle which he moves like a dream in, but I find it hard to stretch quite wide enough. I hope that when I loose the weight from my thighs (I hold most of my weight in that area) then it will make it much easier for the pair of us.

 

[c2b]

I don't know what it is about Podge that "does it for me" but he does.
I have a Dales also very strong for their size can pull up to a ton. Were bred mainly for carrying lead from the mines and the logging industry. The army used them and expected them to be able to carry 20 stone up a mountain, have a girth of over 50 inches and be between 14 and 14.2.
Your Breton breed puts them to shame. What is a typical height of a Breton? However I can put my legs round mine. I ride in a treeless so feel your pain regarding lack of twist

 

[Tara.a]

There are two different 'types' within the Breton breeding - the 'Trait' which is what Podge is (and Bert was) and the Postier.

The Trait are the heavy agricultural section. The normally stand between 15.3hh to 16.3hh and weigh in between 850kg up to 950kg

The Postier are the lighter, more athletic type (used for pulling heavy vehicles at a faster pace than the Trait. They stand on average 15hh to 16.2hh and weight between 750kg to 850kg.

Podge is on the cusp of being a Postier (with his movement) but is just that bigger boned for a Postier.

We'll be in England next May (up at Keysoe in Beds) if you ever wanted to meet him??

 

[c2b]

** Laura wonders if she could squeeze Podge in the back of her car**

 

[Tara.a]

Ahhhh.... unless your suspension was highly uprated, I suspect not!

Rode Podge today for the first time in about 4 months (feel a lot less guilty losing 5kg in my first week on LT) and he was a poppet!

 

[highlandpony]

Wow, stunning photos.
Ive got hip dislocating highland ponies, but not in the Breton stretching league !

 

[Vm019]

Oh they r gorgeous! Some difference in size with the Shetland :0)