See Spot... canter?!? A Look at the Sugarbush Draft Horse

For as long as I can remember I have loved horses. Big horses, little horses, ugly horses, pretty horses, plain horses, loud horses, young horses and especially old horses. This love embraces every breed, every color, every stereotype known to man and doesn't discriminate, ever. A horse, is a horse, is a horse.. of course! Some horse owners on the other hand.. well, let's just save that one for another post shall we?  "/

My "verra" good friend Jamie DeHart of Florida referenced my freezemarking services out to Stephanie Adame on Facebook and in the process of discussing freezemarkings, my eyes were opened to a whole breed of horses that I'd never even heard of! How exciting is THAT?! To say I was intrigued would be an understatement.

So taking a moment, let's have a look at the Sugarbush Draft Horse and why they are so special.

What Is A SugarBush Draft?

About 60 years ago, the owner of Sugarbush Hitch Co. decided that a touch of flair was needed, something to catch the public's eye and make his company stand out among all the other companies offering their services. He decided to cross local Percheron horses to loudly colored Appaloosa. This created a horse strong enough to pull the heavy hitches that also displayed the incredible coloring of the Appaloosa horse and the Sugarbush Draft Horse breed was born.

Sugarbush Harley Quinn

Wait, They Come In Colors?

There are no color requirements for the breed, but it is best known for loud, Appaloosa type markings.  Sugarbush Drafts come in most common coat colors ; however, Tobiano and Frame Overo are strictly not allowed within the breed. Sugarbush Harley Quinn, a stallioncredited for inspiring a renewed interest in the Sugarbush Draft. Sadly, this beautiful stallion passed away in 2006 but his bloodlines can be found in most current Sugarbush Draft horses.

The breed is not based in color markings alone however, and quality breed standards are as highly desired as brilliant markings. Modern day Sugarbush Drafts come in most common coat colors.

Foundation mare with her Stonewall  Sporthorse foal.

How Many Are There And Where Is The Breed Headed?

With the stir caused once the breed was fully realized, a count was done in 2008 on the retirement of Everett Smith and the change in registrars. It was with this count to be only 12 living horses left in this little known breed. Unless something was done, the breed would disappear in one more generation. Concentrated efforts began at that point to share information on these beautiful, noble horse.

It was decided that opening the books to other breeds would help build a foundation base to rebuild the breed itself. It was important however, that the qualities that made this breed more suitable for riding than other draft breeds, be maintained.  Therefore, foundation horses of at least 51% draft dreeding with ancestors of Appaloosa coloring are accepted. This crossbreeding will be allowed until enough horses are included to provide genetic diversity.

Taken from the Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry Website, the breed characteristics are as follows:

Height:

15.2 h.h. to 16.2 h.h. but height should not disqualify an otherwise good example of "type"

Sugarbush Harley's Classic O isbeautifully marked colt

Color:

Any base color is acceptable, with LP pattern or characteristics being common but not required if the horse meets all the other requirements, including bloodline. Tobiano and Frame (Overo Lethal White) are prohibited.

Body:

The body should be wide and deep. The back should be of moderate length in proportion to the overall size of the horse, and should be strong with muscular loins. The shoulders should be sloping, deep and muscular. The quarters should be level, powerful, long and oval, the tail springing well from the quarters.

Head and Neck:

The head characteristic of the breed should be bold and not too small. It should be well carried on a long proportionate neck.

Eyes:

Eyes should be large, well set and kindly in expression.

Ears:

Tend to be large and fine.

The Limbs:

Arms and thighs and gaskins should be muscular.

The knees and hocks should be large and well closed.

There should be 9" upwards of good flat bone below the knee measured at the nearest point on a tight tape.

The pasterns should be strong, sloping and not too long.

The Feet:

Feet that are shallow or narrow are undesirable.

The Action:

Action must be true, straight and free. High action is not characteristic of the breed, but expressive motion is desired. The horse will move freely from the shoulder and will flex his knees and hocks sufficiently. The action required is free all round, is ground covering and has some degree of suspension.

Dedicated breeders are working now to preserve this truely rare breed. For further information on joining the cause of the Sugarbush Draft Horse, or to make a donation, please contact The Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry .  SDHR can also be found on  Facebook by visiting the  SDHR Facebook  Fan Page .

 

With concentrated breeding efforts and the introduction of suitable foundation lines, and more than a little luck, the Sugarbush draft breed will be around for a long, long time. 

Thank you Jamie for introducing me to Stephanie Adame and thank you Stephanie for opening my eyes to these gorgeous horses!