Lucky Amish draft (heavy) horses are sold at auction, and are bought by carriage horse companies, or trainers, with the possibility of being sold to carriage horse companies.
The reason is that they are trained to harness (not the same as trained under saddle), respond to voice commands (you've heard "Yee, Haw" before. Yee (or Gee) is right. Haw is left. A harness horse can be controlled by voice command. Safe and handy.
The work of a farm horse is FAR more strenuous than a city carriage ride horse. If one can purchase a trained horse, it is better and more economical than training a saddle horse to harness. If they are serviceably sound, carriage work is a day in the park, and owners > have to watch their diets because they are not getting a lot of exercise.
The carriage horses are photographed all day, every day, by tourists and locals. If a horse were in visibly poor condition, it would be immediately known and addressed.
As stated, the Amish are thrifty, but horses are seen as a tool. If auctioning a horse off will bring in more money than working them to their very last day then selling them is possible. Nobody is going to sell during the brutal harvest season, though. Late fall is the time, and somebody is going to have to feed that animal all winter.
I am glad there is a market for those great draft horses after their prime work years . . .
"somebody is going to have to feed that animal all winter."
Dad called pet/recreational horses "hay burners" so yes they are expensive and time consuming just to take care of for an occasional ride or to watch them in the pasture.
But nonetheless farm families want horses! At least one! I was at the auction one day with Dad to buy / sell bottle calves or something [it was a treat to get to go with him to the auction!], and he saw this black gelding part quarter-horse pony going up for sale, and asked me if I wanted it! I didn't even have to beg for it! $40 about 1966. OH he was a stubborn pony! Only my brother could saddle and bridle him, and only he and I could ride him! And he was a treasure to me, although he tried constantly to throw me as I was riding bareback and holding on to his mane. Memories!
BUT I have seen my brother cutting cattle on horseback. The daughter of a neighbor of ours rode barrel racing at the fair; I have seen her father round up cattle that got out of the fence and got on the road.
Lucky Amish draft (heavy) horses are sold at auction, and are bought by carriage horse companies, or trainers, with the possibility of being sold to carriage horse companies.
The reason is that they are trained to harness (not the same as trained under saddle), respond to voice commands (you've heard "Yee, Haw" before. Yee (or Gee) is right. Haw is left. A harness horse can be controlled by voice command. Safe and handy.
The work of a farm horse is FAR more strenuous than a city carriage ride horse. If one can purchase a trained horse, it is better and more economical than training a saddle horse to harness. If they are serviceably sound, carriage work is a day in the park, and owners > have to watch their diets because they are not getting a lot of exercise.
The carriage horses are photographed all day, every day, by tourists and locals. If a horse were in visibly poor condition, it would be immediately known and addressed.
As stated, the Amish are thrifty, but horses are seen as a tool. If auctioning a horse off will bring in more money than working them to their very last day then selling them is possible. Nobody is going to sell during the brutal harvest season, though. Late fall is the time, and somebody is going to have to feed that animal all winter.
I am glad there is a market for those great draft horses after their prime work years . . .
"somebody is going to have to feed that animal all winter."
Dad called pet/recreational horses "hay burners" so yes they are expensive and time consuming just to take care of for an occasional ride or to watch them in the pasture.
But nonetheless farm families want horses! At least one! I was at the auction one day with Dad to buy / sell bottle calves or something [it was a treat to get to go with him to the auction!], and he saw this black gelding part quarter-horse pony going up for sale, and asked me if I wanted it! I didn't even have to beg for it! $40 about 1966. OH he was a stubborn pony! Only my brother could saddle and bridle him, and only he and I could ride him! And he was a treasure to me, although he tried constantly to throw me as I was riding bareback and holding on to his mane. Memories!
BUT I have seen my brother cutting cattle on horseback. The daughter of a neighbor of ours rode barrel racing at the fair; I have seen her father round up cattle that got out of the fence and got on the road.
They try to earn their hay!