Danby drives double/single. He was used double mostly, and I've used him under saddle for trail riding. He has been willing and comfortable out on the road, as well as in the forest, stands well for farrier & has been shod many times, leads & ties. Takes bathing well. Great for vet, recently had teeth floated, vaccines and Coggins done for 2024. He was recently wormed with Panacur Power Pack, and just this July Ivermectrin. He is gentle, willing, easy to catch, load and haul. He is not spooky, if he gets concerned he will look at the object and stop, and walks around it with some space. Traffic (both vehicle & foot) and dogs do not faze him. He does not kick, rear, bolt or bite. He loves treats tho! In the herd he is lower on the totem pole. He gets along great with any other horse put in with him, and even befriends the new ones well. He has been left alone when the other ones go out, and is ok with it tho he will pace the fence at first and neigh. He is very respectful of electric wire and will not push against the fences. All summer he only had one stable mate, that left often to drive the cart.
Cons:
Danby has had a few bouts with Laminitis and has to be kept on drylot. Great farrier work has taken good care of his feet, we do have xrays showing some mild rotation in 2023. He had been kept shod into the winter, but left barefoot until April. All summer this year he has been fine, but we just had a heavy rain a couple weeks ago and the grass in his pen has grown, and he came up lame just a week or so ago. I did my best with hosing, bute, and his diet, and now he has been shod on the fronts. He is doing much better already.
I have not been able to continue his training as I had health issues keeping me off horses for a few years. I did some trail riding last fall, and he was perfect. He does not know everything, but he did what was required, walk, trot, stop, back. I have never asked him to canter, being a driving horse only requires trot. He will lead, or follow on the trail. He was bred to be a Dressage type, taller and not as heavy. I am short, and he is tall so he comes up to picnic tables, rocks, trees, fences for me to mount. I have known him since he was a weanling. He’s been gently raised and handled all his life, trusts people, and loves to be around us. Danby is now down to the proper weight, and is generally managed on drylot just fine. He does not anything special other than restricting grass. Danby has not been worked much this past year, tho I did take him on a 2 hr trail ride early summer. Can send pics via email. He would make an excellent therapy horse, he is steady and calm, and gentle. He is ALMOST 15H. He needs a home asap, as I cannot maintain him properly, too much grass here.