THanks! I ride a Shire/ QH cross and she always nips at my fingers even if I don't have or smell like treatrs. She is still young so I'm going to start reprimanding her for it.
the most important draft lesson learned is respect of space, my draft (Belgian) was like a puppy dog, a big cuddly guy who was always in your business, I never realized it was an issue until my new trainer/boarding barn, and he noticed it as a problem, he used pat parelli techniques to teach respect to him and he was a dream
The thing about the steel toed boots is FALSE. The Mythbusters showed it to be wrong. Using an Arbor press, a steel toed boot gave way at 6,000lbs of pressure. A regular boot gave way at less than 1,200lbs of pressure. If a draft horse that weighs 2,500lbs even can apply 6,000lbs pressure by merely stepping, your toes will be crushed anyways, steel-toed boot or not. The choice is yours, but under normal circumstances, the steel-toed boot appears to be safer. One thing it will NOT do, is slice of your toes. It's a myth, and people would be wise to stop spreading it.
respect is the biggest issue with drafts. I am primary caretaker of a herd of 65 drafts (mainly belgians and percherons) and especially with them in a free herd setting, once they respect you, you dont have much to worry about. Drafts are too big to be "the boss"
i find kindness to be a big thing that all horses want. at the farm i work at there is one big belgian draft who is as gentle as a baby but if you dont lead him with kindness he wont listen he expects you to be kind like he is so he would not move if he thinks youre not kind. also when handaling any horse especially big ones like drafts you want to be careful when youre mounting. the one at the farm if he doesnt see the other horses when you mount he will lunge forward once he feels your weight. i have been steped on by him for i was handed the lead rope and the rider tried mounting him before i got to turn him the right way. luckily i only had a brused foot nothing broke.
the only issue with steel toed boots is in fact if you dont be careful and look at the way there made the steel could hurt youre feet more not necesarily cut youre toes off though.
well, im thirteen and training this 4 year old half green 3/4 draft horse. i find that draft horses are very kind and i know th one im training is VERY willing to please and obeys best with a kind aporach. When she bucks when u ask her to canter the first time, i use a sharp voice and she listens no whip nothing physical just a 'mad' voice and she responds. She is soo cute and is very willing to please with a gentle nature!