It seems like I have posted pictures of a “new team” several times in the past couple years. Yes, we have struggled a bit to find a good pair to replace Zig and Zag. If I am counting correctly, I think we have tried 4 times. And, we are really hoping that the 4th time is a charm with this new pair.
Draft horse teams are a tricky thing. They need to work well together. They need to have the right temperament. It’s nice if they are attractive. And they need to be able to pull a lot more at our ranch than what many teams pull in other settings. A fully loaded sled in a foot of fresh powder isn’t an easy thing to drag along behind you. It may sound easy, but those are hard horseshoes to fill.
In come Tim and Tom. Maybe not the fanciest looking team, but still healthy and strong. Reid and Terry had this team shipped in from Montana the other night, and so far they are proving to be exactly what we have needed all along. Their first big test will be Saturday night with the caroling sleigh ride. If they can handle a sleigh loaded with singing people in the dark, then they will have passed the ultimate test. Between now and then, they are getting a lot of practice runs! Hopefully this will be the last time you see a post about a new team for a long time!
Enjoy the holidays. When it all gets to be too much, just imagine yourself gliding through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, and the jingle bells ringing. We’re living it out here at the ranch!