Introducing the Stars of our Show...
Our Horses!
Our horses are very important to us and are a part of our family. They are regularly seen by both the vet and natural hoof care podiatrist(our barefoot farrier). We feed Seminole Wellness formulas for their well-being. We allow them free-choice of minerals that are set out for them in the paddock just like they would have access to out in the wild. They are allowed to be out on pasture 24/7 and have a run-in shelter if the weather turns ugly. They receive the very best training through Parelli Natural Horsemanship and Bower's Farm Natural Horse Driving. This training makes brave and honest horses. We want our horse to be feeling and trusting of their drivers. That way they are ready for anything whether it be a drum line or a dump truck going by. On their days off, they enjoys baths, massages, play days and trail riding.
 | BenjaminBenjamin, his fans know him as Big Ben, is a very sweet horse. The photo to the left is of him. He is very people-orientated, always looking for a scratch or carrot. He is a Percheron draft horse, which is a French breed basically the french equivalent of the Clydesdale here. He is about 17 hands tall, which is about five and half feet tall at the top of his shoulder. He is a snowy white color. In horses, his color is actually called grey. He is very muscular and strong. He listens very well and knows voice-commands. He has only been apart of our family since 2009 but it feels like he's been in this family forever. Just a very sweet boy. He is very glamorous to see and knows just how to move so that everyone looks at him. He knows that all the ladies just love his wonderful thick mane. His mane is so thick that it is on both sides of his neck. He also loves a good roll in the dirt! It's one of his favorite things to do besides pull the carriage.
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SonicThe picture of Sonic is to the right. Sonic was the first member of our family. He was Nicole's friend and companion long before she met Mike. He moved down here with Nicole to Florida from New Hampshire. He is a rescue horse and the absolute best horse you could ever ask for. He is an Appaloosa x Arabian mix. His color is called Palomino. It's a very light cream color with some spots over his rump and a white mane and tail. He is a very smart horse and has shown in 4-H with Nicole throughout her youth. Nicole and Sonic learned together how to trail ride, ride western, english, dressage and especially carriage driving. That was the most exciting part and started up the whole idea for this service. Sonic comes running when he sees the carriage. It's a chance for him to really strut his stuff. The picture to the right is of him at Christmas time. Sonic is also available for carriage rides and looks quite elegant. |  |
Harness
Both horses are outfitted with a collar and hames harness. There are many different styles of harness from a fine harness for showing Morgans and Saddlebreds to a breast-collar style of harness for pleasure work. We use the collar and hames as it is the most comfortable for our horses pulling the carriage. It allows them to pull a very large load, much greater than the weight of our carriage comfortably. The collar, which is truly just a large leather pad, gives a wide surface area for the horses to push into, which disperses the pressure of pulling. The harness itself is made out of stainless steel and a product that is called Biothane. Biothane is a synthetic alternative to leather, which is stronger and resistant to mold and rot.
Vet & Farrier
Our farrier is Harold Delaney. He takes care of the horses' feet every 6-8 weeks. We appreciate him so much that we made him his own webpage. Check it out at Harold Delaney Farrier Webpage. We highly recommend him.
