Amish Horses Tour (Part 2)

Climb back up on the horse-draw wagon, and we'll take another jaunt through the Amish countryside. This first picture is of a Percheron mare. Her foal is hiding behind her. You will get to see the baby in a picture further down in this series of pics. Don't you just love the white fences, barns, and buildings on Amish farms? If you read any of my books, you know that I often refer to that "Look" as I describe the setting.

Tranquillity: That is a single word that sums up the vistas in Amish country.

Indiana Amish farmers seem to be partial to Belgian draft horses. They are what you see pictured above and below. Belgian horses vary in color from what they call, "Blond" to a dark sorrel that I would call, "Brick red."

You will also see buggy horses in among the draft breeds. Workhorses are rarely used to pull a buggy, they are for the heavy lifting such as pulling a plow. In the picture above, you can see the two styles side-by-side. Draft horses are often taller, have more muscle, and can look almost fat. The tall, thin, dark horses used to pull buggies (or "Carriages" as they are known by Amish folks in Pennslyvania.) Most buggy horses are of the Standardbred breed. Although, you will find Morgans, Dutch Cross, and Friesians, or some mixture of two or more of those listed.

It is quite evident that these horses are well fed and cared for.

Most Amish farms are well maintained and picturesque, although that may not always be the case. Before you jump to conclusions and judge a family when you see an unpainted barn or a skinny horse, take a moment to consider that we live in a real-world and things happen. Have you ever had a headlight or muffler go out on a car you were driving? Sometimes horses get ill, lose a shoe, hurt a leg, or anyone of countless misfortunate things that can happen. If a person loves their horse, they will try to nurse it back to health. Anyone that has spent time on a farm knows that sick or injured animals are inevitable. I've noticed that people are way too quick to judge before they take the time to understand the whole story. This happens more on the internet than anywhere! Please don't be, "That person."

If you enjoy these photos, you need to visit an Amish community. Ask around and find one near you. There are Amish communities in almost every state. I've visited the big three: Lancaster County, Pennslyvania, Holmes County, Ohio, and these pictures were taken in LaGrange and Elkhart Counties in Northern Indiana. I've also driven by Amish farms in Ontario Canada and many of the United States; including Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Kentucky, Colorado, New York State, and of course my home state Iowa. I need to travel more! There is so much more to see.

Above: Here is the picture I promised of the Percheron mare and her foal.

At the end of the day, I don't mind coming home because of these girls in the photo above. My own place has a little of the Amish flare thanks to my own Amish Horses, Karma and Karla.

If you want to look at Amish Horses Tour part 1, all you need to do is scroll to the top of the page and click on "Home." After doing that, you can scroll back down and beyond these pictures to find my last blog.

Horse Progress Days (a mouse in the corner)

 Have you heard the expression-- I wish I could be a mouse in the corner? Well, I lived that out this past weekend at the Horse Progress Days in Arthur, Illinois.
The Horse Progress Days are organized by the Amish, and most of those attending are from "Plain Mennonite" or Amish groups that vary considerably based on local and group standards. As an "English" person, I feel very welcomed and included. Yet, somehow, it makes me feel sad to be there in my "Worldly clothes." It's not because anyone treats me bad... but instead because they treat me so well. Let me explain. There are plain people at these events from all over the U.S. and even some from Canada. Many groups are represented, and they all have different rules and dress, yet more in common than not. They live and dress by conviction, and if you don't think it makes a difference in the lives of their children, you need to come and see for yourself. The children are incredibly well behaved and polite. This is true even for teens and young adults. I feel sad to be the one representing the world that they have chosen to abstain from. Mainly because I believe they are doing the right thing for their children by living this simple and plain lifestyle. I want to promote it. That is why I write books about their world.

 I sat at my book-signing table and observed this little "Train-ride" that happens to be horse-drawn. They loaded and unloaded children right outside my tent. Talk about cute! These children look adorable in their miniature Amish clothes. They waited patiently in 95degree temps with high humidity without fussing or complaining. Their mothers and dads waited on their little ones with smiles, quietly visiting in Pennslyvania Dutch.

 I don't know how old the boy is that is Roman riding on a team of ponies, but he was amazing. I think he was practicing to display his ponies in front of a crowd, but I happen to pass by and capture this shot with beautiful clouds behind him.

This is my book-signing booth with my bedroom behind it. (a tent)
Many friendly and kind-hearted Amish people stopped and looked at my books. Many bought copies. Yet, I found myself worrying that my books will disappoint or offend in some way. That is totally not my goal, but somehow it feels inevitable. What the average American sees as G rated, Amish view as improper for children. My books deal with some serious topics; that is why I write. So, I don't feel I can make them "Childproof" even though my goals are positive.

 The weather was strange... which is typical this year. The sky did some beautiful things and some terrible things. We had an incredible wind storm that lasted for almost a half-hour. We took on two inches of rain.
During the storm, I was in our huge white tent with around 40 people, most of them from plain backgrounds. We all literally held onto the tarp or structure frame, trying to keep it from blowing over. A friendly teenage Amish young man joined me at my station, holding a center post. We watched a young Amish couple at the next post over, doing their part. They had three totally adorable little blond girls who looked scared but sat quietly in a wagon. When the storm passed, I chatted with the couple and girls. They were all three enjoying suckers that a vendor in our tent gave them. The little blonds with chocolate brown eyes all smiled at me while I talked to their parents. The baby- maybe around 1year-old offered me a taste of her sucker, which I politely declined. Her mama said, "This is her first try at a sucker." Her daddy said, "After visiting with you, I feel we should buy one of your books." You couldn't meet nicer people.

 Once the wind and rain subsided, the event ended for the day while everyone tried to clean up their booths. Visitors with cars, pickups, and vans were almost all stuck in a muddy field. I instinctively knew that meant teams of horses would be pulling them out. I headed to the parking lot and helped a little but mostly observed as around eight teams of horses assisted those in need. It was a fantastic thing to witness, and I'd love to write a book about it. One Amish lady standing near me said what I was thinking, "Watching this was about as much fun as watching the organized events."

I took these pictures of some of the horse-drawn farm equipment on display. It all looks fascinating to other draft horse enthusiasts and me. I think the rest of you will enjoy the photos for the sake of beauty.

The centerpiece of this bottom picture is a horse-drawn hay-baler, hooked to a hitch cart with an engine to power the baler that would typically be driven by a tractor. (Be sure to notice the beautiful Amish farm in the background.)

I wouldn't have missed this event for anything, yet I almost wished I could have hidden like a mouse in the corner. Better yet, I wish I could be one of them, at least during the Horse Progress Days.

The Big Stage

My wife and I took a day-trip to the Percheron World Congress in DesMoines, Iowa this past week.

That's the "Big Stage" for Percheron horses.


I took some pics and videos of the Six-horse gelding hitches.

This picture above was shot a few seconds before the one below.













It kind of gives a time-lapse effect. You can see that I got as close to the action as possible.

The view from up high is better for the overall picture... but I like to be right there to feel the thunder of all those huge hooves.

 The photo above shows a few of the six-horse hitches being looked over by the judge. Three to four teams came in the area at a time. There were seventeen six-horse hitches in this gelding division. In the photo below you will see the top four teams. At one point they brought all seventeen hitches into the arena for the final awards. That is a whole lot of horsepower all standing in close proximity. It may look simple to an outsider, but if just one horse blows up things could get wild in a hurry.

My two favorite hitches came in 1st and 3rd. I really loved these six geldings in the video below. They were perfectly matched and super calm.

 

 I told my wife during the competition that the Young Living Hitch was going to win. That's the horses in the video below. She can verify that I called it!!! LOL. The Young Living Hitch did not make one mistake that I could see, and they were so powerful and lively. They won, and totally deserve to be World Champs!

By the way, a group of around fifteen-or-so Amish folks was sitting behind us. The Amish in my area would not take in such an event but other Amish groups are more lenient. I'm gonna guess that those Amish either had relatives showing horses or had raised some of the horses in the show.

Amish (Horses) Paradise

 If you love horses... you need to visit Shipshewana and the surrounding area.

My wife and I visited Middlebury and Shipshewana last weekend and for me, it's an Amish Paradise!

Draft horses are everywhere! I saw a few Percherons but for the most part, the Amish here use Belgians.

 My wife is not horse crazy like me. However, she enjoyed our drive that lasted for hours... I mean hours! There are miles and miles of Amish farms. Gardens with vegetables and flowers. Hundreds of shops to visit in town and on Amish farms. Buggies coming and going to and fro. Amish people on bikes. Little children driving ponies. Yes, I kid you not, it IS an Amish Paradise!

 Pastures were lush and green.

 White houses and barns set off the green fields.

 Fences and horses are close to the road in areas.

Streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes make everything even more heavenly. This is the area that inspired my novella, Amish Park. A story about one modern family's experiences as they vacation on an Amish farm. This part of Indiana is an Amish (Horses) Paradise!

Plowing with Horses

 Although I've had draft horses for years, this is the first I've owned a sulky plow.

This past April, I purchased an Emerson plow at the Kalona Draft Horse Sale. It is probably more than 100-years-old and works amazingly well.

A "sulky" plow has one plowshare (digging blade) and a seat for the driver. (as opposed to a walk behind style)
There are also "gang" plows which have more than one plowshare. In my novel Under the Heavens, main character Lenny drives a "gang" plow with six-horses. Unfortunately, I tell the readers that he is driving a "sulky" plow. I mention and correct the error in book II, Catbird Singing. If you have read or want to read the Amish Horses Series, this blog post should help you visualize what plowing with horses is like.

After I got my plow home, I needed to come up with a tongue. This type of plow needs a tongue and mine didn't have one.

 I stopped in to visit one of my Amish friends. He and his boys dropped what they were working on to search through their collection of old plows for a tongue that I could use this spring. They plan to make a new one for me before next summer.

This tongue is longer than I need for two horses. It was made for a six-horse-hitch. I had to add a section of chain-links so I could use it.

You may notice that my furrows aren't that straight.
Well, I'm a novice.
I have plowed with a six-horse hitch on an Amish farm. However, they set everything up and gave clear instructions on how to proceed. This time I was on my own.

My experiences of plowing with a six-horse hitch on an Amish farm are shared in detail with my readers in the Amish Horses Series.

 You can see a light section of soil that was plowed a few days earlier. The darker area was just plowed, and I finished up the grassy strip after I snapped this photo.
Karma and Karla patiently waited while I took pictures. They are 18 and 17-year-old sisters and happy for a break in the action.

Amish Horses 101

If this is the first time you've visited the Amish Horses Blog, you may not know much about Thomas Nye and his Amish horses. Let me give you a quick background about how a guy like myself ended up learning the art of driving horses from Amish farmers.

I was born with a love for horses. Although I grew up in town, I always managed to find a friend with a pony. So much so, my step-dad teased, "Are you only willing to make friends with someone if they have a horse?" This step-dad of mine grew up in Idaho, and he took our family out west to visit his cowboy brothers every summer. These experiences continued to drive my horse obsession.

Photo on left: Thomas Nye ( age 3 and wearing my favorite hat)

The photo below was taken on my step-uncle's ranch in Idaho.
(little Tommy age 7)

The first time I saw an Amish person was in my nineteenth year of life. I moved to Iowa near an Amish community and was instantly infatuated by that lifestyle. Maybe it had something to do with my love of history and interest in other cultures. More likely, it had to do with the fact that horses are the foundation of Amish life.

This habit of choosing friends who have horses is still an issue with me. LOL

My first friends in Iowa happen to be an Amish family. They took me along to Amish church, Singings, volleyball games and other social events. When they made hay, I offered to help.

Thirty-six years have gone by, and I'm still fascinated by the Amish lifestyle.Within months of my transplant into Iowa, I had my first horse. The photo on left: yours truly ( age 19 and seated on Gulfawn.)

The fist 10 or 15 horses I owned were riding horses. However, I kept watching my Amish friends doing fieldwork with draft horses and a growing urge to get my own team finally got the best of me.

One day, I randomly stopped at my Amish neighbor's place and asked, "Do you know anyone with a team of horses they might be willing to sell?" He sent me down the road a few miles to another Amish farm. I'll never forget the first day I walked into that huge barn, filled with draft horses. For a complete description of what I experienced there, check out my novel, Under the Heavens.

Here I am with my first team. (Lucy and Sally) My Amish friend predicted these older mares would teach me a lot about working with horses in harness, and he was right.

This kind Amish man seemed amused that I wanted to learn his trade. He patiently taught me how to harness and hitch a team of horses, filling me in on many safety issues. We hitched to a wagon, and he handed the lines over. That did it, I was hooked! My heart never returned to the modern world, entirely.

 The team I bought were mares and had colts the next spring. When I took the mamas back to my Amish friend's farm to visit his stallion, he kept my mares for several weeks and used them in six-horse hitches with his horses. Every time I stop in to visit with my Amish friends it is as if I slip back in time a hundred years. My Amish friends continue sharing valuable advice and I pass on their wisdom in my novels. Amish daily life is glorious.

Over the past 25 years, I've owned a number of draft horses which I bought from several Amish families in our community. Each family taught me a little more about horses and these experiences warmed my heart more than I can say. There is nothing quite like being on an Amish farm.

I took this picture of Karma and Karla last evening. I'm still driving horses and writing novels about my wonderful experiences with Amish friends.Whispering to Horses

If you love to read Amish novels, you will get a slightly different view through my books. They are rugged enough to hold a man's interest and sweet enough to make a woman smile. I promise I'll take you on a tour of an Amish barn with rough-hewn timbers, wooden stalls. and rich aromas of alfalfa hay. Then, we'll head out through the gate into lush green pastures. Climb on the buggy seat, and we'll head down a country road listening to a steady clip-clopping of horse hooves under a twinkling, star-filled sky, or through an early morning mist. Experience the peace and tranquility of Amish life. A simple life Under the Heavens.

Still Making Fence

This isn't my most exciting blog, but for those who follow Amish Horses, here is an update.

Yes, I'm still making fence. After spending a solid week pouring over edits in my newest novella, Cowboys and Amish Girls, I went straight to work making this fence.

Last week I shared pictures of my draft horses pulling these corner posts to the far edges of my property. The posts are all set and painted now.

You can see the edge of my pasture where it meets up with my brother-in-law's farm fields. When my wife saw this picture she asked, "Did you get some of the white paint in your beard?"

"Nope, that white is a sign of my aging wisdom."

The fencing material I'm using is called Hot Coat. I first noticed this type of fence while on a book tour in a heavily populated Amish area of Indiana. It's high tensile wire, coated with a white plastic that will conduct a shock. Amish farmers use solar powered fence chargers to keep their fences hot.

We have a local Amish business that sells Hot Coat. Evan's Sales and Service is just down the road from my favorite Amish bakery, Golden Delight. (of course every time I go to get parts for my fence I have to stop and get a donut.)

 I put the fence where I wanted it and then have been questioning how wise I really am, to put a new fence next to an ancient ash tree. Hopefully when the tree does fall it lands in the opposite direction.

My horses still aren't grazing next to my new fence, yet. There will be plenty of horse pics with my new "Amish fence" in the future.

I do have a novella that is all about a fence between an Amish family and a modern suburb.
Whispering to Horses