Is it comfortable to ride a big horse like a draft horse and do they have any speed?

Question

Is it comfortable to ride a big horse like a draft horse and do they have any speed?

Answer 1

My wife would disagree with the comfortable thing.  She used to show Belgians and the owner let her ride one.  She said that it was incredibly rough and her legs were spread so wide that it became EXTREMELY uncomfortable.  In fact she says to this day that it was the most uncomfortable ride she has ever had.

Answer 2

they are soo comfortable!!!!! amazingly smoooothhh!!! the BEST canter! they are quite slow,though, just average speed considering their sizze...

EDIT--

some breeds may be uncomfortable..as others have said, but usually shires and especially clydesdales are exceptionally comfy.

Answer 3

haha, sry i found that amusing b/c it reminded me of the first draft horse i ever rode.

his name was Jr. and he loved to jump. he was great at it and just was so comfty to ride over the jumps (mainly cause his hight, he just steped over most of the ones on the coarse i did,lol)

any horse has speed, draft horse's have power behind them(that's what they were needed for) so yeah they can also run and go fast like any other horse, they just got alot more to em.

it is comfty for me, but if you're not used to it, i would suggestion long hot bathes and icy hot.

edit: i'd like to add that comformation plays a big part in how comfty a horse is to ride. my qh was so bouncy (but i never really noticed cause i was used to that). it wasnt till years after riding when i got to get on my friend's arab stallion that i realized, hey my horse's comformation and gate is so ...not correct. i still love him, but i knew the difference after that. but that's just an example on how any horse can be bouncy/not comfty to ride. it all depends on 1. comformation and 2 the rider.

Answer 4

I have a Belgian x and it is very comfy.  They have a big rolling canter that is easy to sit.  They aren't fast.  They were bred to pull carts and plows so they are meant for power.  But they have plenty of ability for speed.

Answer 5

Comfort depends on the horse.

Draft horses are prone to having straight shoulders and sloped rumps as they were bred to pull and not be ridden. This can lead to a rather jarring gait and a very great tendency to be very heavy on the forehand. Speed is also something they were not bred for, too much weight really and it's not something that feed or training can change. They can gallop and tend to cover a lot of ground when they do but don't expect to get the speed of a thoroughbred out of them.

If you want a fast horse - you need a lighter horse.

Answer 6

I find that their canter tends to be more lofty.  But in general the same as other big horses.  Are they fast.  They are not race horses but depending on the bloodlines, some of them can move.

Answer 7

i don't think they are super fast but they just have really HUGE strides

i've never riden a draft or anything but my horse is 17.2 and he's soo comfortable to ride!

Answer 8

Draft horses were bred for their power and strength for pulling instead of comfortable riding gaits. Many of them tend to have more upright shoulders and a shorter choppier stride. Of course I've seen plenty as riding horses, excelling in all kinds of sports including eventing and dressage so their gaits depend on the individual. I'm not sure about speed as traditionally they weren't bred for it but I'm sure you could find one that can go fast enough.

Answer 9

it fun but it hard to stay on and it hurts a little

Answer 10

Theyre okay speed wise but they are comfy. The only problem i have had is my draft is so flat-backed that it makes it kind of difficult to ride bareback going fast, but at a walk or trot, bareback is great!! saddle wise they are hard to fit but once you find a great saddle they fun is unleashed. i know its not the safest thing to do but but draft is so wide that i can lay back with my head on his butt and be perfectly comfortable. jumping is great because most are sturdy and i ahvent had a refusal out of mine yet. So in full not a lot of speed but would make a good trail horse or jumper

Answer 11

theyre slow

and clunky

they dont relaly go anywhere fast

Answer 12

draft horses are very comfortable and smooth to ride but they are like riding a mack truck,it takes them a while to work up a head of steam (unless feed is involved) and stopping them is also not on par to a sports car so i wouldnt expect them to stop like a reighning horse.they also dont turn on a dime but more like a silver dollar.i rode mine in parades and even used them for roping calves(not timed roping,he wouldnt fit in the box)and roping bulls (funny looks from the other cowboys) but all of my drafts were great under saddle for long rides.just a long way to fall if something goes wrong.there are some exceptions to the speed and i have seen a draft clear some incredible jumps...................ok it was a five foot stock panel and he was after a mare.

a friend of mine and me had a race between her 15.2 hand arabian mare and my 18.2 hand clydesdale stud.she got me on the start but i caught her at the halfway point and won by three lengths.

Answer 13

They have the same gaits as other horses, except they are not exceptionally fast. The only problem I ever had with drafties are that they're wide, which would get me more sore quickly. Instead of being able to ride for 4 hours, I would have to get off of a draftie after 2. Personal opinions, but they're great horses. Their large backs make them very comfortable.

Answer 14

They are comfortable if they are balanced. If they are not balanced they are a bouncy mess. My friend let me ride her spotted draft and she was actually suprisingly fast. She jumps too. I have even seen draft horses that are really light moving.

Answer 15

THEY ARE AMAZINGLY COMFORTABLE, personal opinion though. Also They are actually not fast at all, they are and were not bred for speed.

Answer 16

they are SO comfortable to ride. just be careful not to fall off. =]. it depends on the horse on the speed. we used to have a belgain and it was pretty fast. but it was kinda outta shape.

Answer 17

They are just larger horses...

It depends on their conformation, you can have some that are amazing atheletes and used in dressage and jumping, and others that their gifts are in cart with their high action.

They have the same speeds as any other horse, they just have to be trained to achieve them properly.