# Training My First Draft Horses?



## draft (Jan 6, 2011)

I'm 30 years old and getting ready to purchase my first draft(clydesdale colt) and I was needing to see if anyone has good tips on the best and safest way to do this. I know your thinking "WHAT" but this has been a great passion of mine for awhile now and my wife has had horses for years so it's my turn now! LOL Let me know what you guys think.


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Safest way to do what? Train him?
Draft horses are really easy to train(except for the rare rotten ones).
How old is he?
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## draft (Jan 6, 2011)

Sorry about that, Yeah to train them. I'm buying a colt so that we can grow together


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

If your wife has experiance, then it should work out just fine. 
Training drafts is pretty easy compared to smaller horses.
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## draft (Jan 6, 2011)

I guess I'm more concerned about how to train them to pull a wagon... I've been told that using a tractor tire to do ground work is a good start but how long do you do ground work and when do you switch to pull a trainer wagon?


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

The hardest part about teaching them to pull, is getting them used to the shafts. Once they will ground drive and take a harness, you can usually hook up a small log/tire/skid and they will take to it just fine. But when you put them in the shafts they feel trapped and have a tendancy to fight the restiction. This problems is not as bad if you are hitching up a team, but that would require 2 drafts 
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## draft (Jan 6, 2011)

That is the plan, I'm wanting to buy 2 so that they grow up together and be more of a team. Well thanks for your advise.


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

If your gonna train them together, you will have to ground drive them as a team before you have them pull anything. That way they can get used to moving with each other. Get them turning, backing up, ect. If their is anyone local who can help you when training time comes, it would be good to ask them for advice.
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## chvyluvgrl (Jan 16, 2011)

Good luck I love draft horses. They are great.


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