Percheron Horses

The Billings Farm has four draft horses. A draft horse is a work horse. Typically they are larger than the pleasure or riding breeds. The large draft breeds originated in Europe and did not come to this country until after the Civil War.

When most people think of draft horses, they think of the big horses on the television commercials. Tall draft horses are selected by most breeders today for the show circuit. But in the 1890's most draft horses were for farm work, not for show, and farmers usually preferred the somewhat smaller horse. (Amish farmers still do.) These horses are usually only 15-16 hands tall (with one hand being 4 inches.)

Jim & Joe

We currently have four horses (or two teams) at Billings Farm & Museum. The older team consists of a pair of mares, Daisy and Purse. Purchased in 1996, they had previously lived on an Amish farm in Ohio and also near Cortland, New York. Each horse measures just over 15 hands and weighs about 1,500 pounds. They are full sisters born in 1990 and 1991; Purse is a year older than Daisy. The other team is a pair of geldings named Jim and Joe. Jim and Joe are grays that are turning white, a common trait for some Percherons. This pair was acquired by Billings Farm in 2004. They came by way of both Maine and Iowa (an Amish farm). Each stand 17-18 hands high, weigh about 1700 to 1800 pounds and also are one year apart having been born in 1998 and 1999. Although the same breed, the team's different genetic backgrounds contribute significantly to their difference in size and color.

Draft (or work) breeds are very different from the more familiar riding breeds. The Percheron breed at Billings was one of the draft breeds most preferred by farmers (as opposed to the more showy Clydesdale breed). Primarily used for pulling wagons and sleighs, they also plow in the spring, but are not the main source of power on this farm.

In 1890, the Billings Farm had many different teams and breeds of horses, and no one breed seemed to be preferred over the other.

Harv & Will

In addition to horses, oxen were an important source of power on New England farms. Currently, we are training a team of oxen, Harv and Will, born in August of 2004. Oxen are not a separate breed of animal. They are steers (neutered bulls) trained for work. Technically, they are considered oxen at 4 years of age.