Draft horse vs riding horse? Ever wonder what it’s like to ride a 19 hand Shire? Ever wonder what it would be like to hitch a cart to your sturdy trail horse? If so, this article is for you! What truly is the difference between a draft horse and a riding horse?
As with anything that can be categorized anywhere in the world, the broad category of horses are broken down into general types. Within these types are then different horse breeds.
The horse or “riding horse” type is probably what you ride when you take lessons or when you trail ride when you go on vacation. They are the horses most suitable for carrying people on their backs.
Clearly certain horses are naturally inclined to be better at certain disciplines. But, does this mean that you can’t try to do uncharacteristic things with the horse that you own? Of course not!
So, can you ride a draft horse? Of course! Draft horses are typically actually very safe and comfortable to ride. Though, it may be difficult to find the tack that will properly fit them, unless you ride drafts regularly.
Are drafts and riding horses different? Of course! But, can they be trained to similar things? Yes! Drafts and riding horses are different in the build and their size, but this doesn’t mean that they can’t have similar jobs.