See. Explore. Discover.
Draft Horse Workshop


Dris Abraham
Dris Abraham

Draft horse workshops are taught by Dris Abraham. It's a great experience for both avid horsemen and beginners. 

Dris has been breeding, raising, and training his own Belgians for over a decade, and has worked and farmed with horses most of his life. 


x

Melissa Brown
Melissa Brown

Melissa Brown has been working at Historic Prophetstown and RX Acres Belgians since 2004. She has a degree in Animal Science from Purdue University and has taken several Equine Reproductive Continued Education Classes at The Ohio State School of Veterinarian Medicine and Colorado State Equine Reproduction Laboratory.


Rule

Historic Prophetstown clinics in partnership with Purdue University Extension.  All clinics are proudly sponsored by Purdue Federal Credit Union 
Purdue Extension  Purdue Federal Credit Union 

Gift certificates are available! Please check them out in our gift shop!

x

A few Clinic Testimonials

“I was very satisfied with the clinic and felt like a million bucks afterwards. Through the clinics and volunteering I have become increasingly more interested in the draft horse world. Thank you for providing a place and opportunity in which I can learn more about it." --Abigail Moore

“For me to get to Indiana, it is approximately a 250 mile trip one way. That alone tells the quality of the clinics. What a feeling I had after driving four horses. I greatly thank all of you! You have gone far and above all expectations. I left with a sense of being a part of a family." -- Randy Jackson

x

Want to send someone a gift certificate? Go here:

x

To sign up for a clinic online:

Options
Please select your clinic
 

x

Reproduction Clinics

February 17, 18, and 19, 2012
March 2, 3, and 4, 2012

x

The clinic will be held at RX Acres Belgians breeding farm

$300/participant
$250/participant if a member of Historic Prophetstown

Information can be applied to any breed, however will focus on drafts.

These clinics are taught by Equine Professionals, not Veterinarians.

Historic Prophetstown and RX Acres Belgians abide by the Indiana Veterinarian Practice Act.

x

Topics Covered:

  • Health, first aid, and feeding pertaining to the pregnant mare, foals, and stallions
  • Foal Care – first 7 days of life
  • Stallion management
  • Working with a Stallion Owner/Breeding Farm
  • Mare management throughout gestation
  • Teasing
  • Reproductive Anatomy of the stallion and mare
  • Breeding stable and farm layout
  • Various contracts used and their importance
  • Collection Procedures
  • Semen evaluation for transport and/or storage
  • Preparing to breed
    • Is your mare clean?
    • Lights
  • AI procedures
  • Supplies used, expenses, and sources
  • Procedure of receiving shipped semen
  • Should you breed?
    • Pedigrees
    • Conformation

x

Draft Horse Workshop

September 3 and 4, 2011
and
May 5 and 6, 2012

In this informative hands-on workshop you will learn to drive a team of Belgian Draft Horses in a farm setting.  A great experience for both avid horseman and beginners.

x

            Topics Covered:

  • Equine Care and Farm Management
    • Safety
    • First Aid and health – common illness and injuries
    • Feeding Management – Body Condition Scoring
    • Stable and Pasture Management – multiple species pasture
    • Conformation and horse selection
    • Draft Breeds – compare and contrast
  • Harness, Hitch, and Drive
    • Proper harness fitting and procedures
    • Safe hitching and unhitching procedures
    • Ground driving
    • Driving various equipment
    • Hauling people safely
    • Driving on roads and in crowds
  • Horse Drawn Farming
    • Farming without tractors
    • Sustainable farming practices
    • Equipment sources, use, and maintenance
    • Crop selection and rotation

x

Saturday evening will be spent at RX Acres Belgians breeding farm.

The May clinic includes a collection and breeding demonstration and a chance to view the colts.

The September clinic includes looking at weanling colts

Friday evening of both clinics, an orientation cook-out will be held.

All meals on Saturday are provided, as well as breakfast and lunch on Sunday.  Breakfast and lunch will be served in the farmhouse.  Saturday evening dinner will be a cookout at RX Acres Belgians.

$300/ participant
$250/ Participant if a member of Historic Prophetstown

 

x

Forage Clinic
July 27, 28, and 29, 2012

$300/participant
$250/Participant who are members of Historic Prophetstown

Friday evening, an orientation cook out will be held. All meals on Saturday, as well as breakfast and lunch on Sunday will be provided

Advanced driving skills required

  • Learn how to harvest hay in an efficient, productive manner
  • Use state of the art horse hay equipment

    Mower: I&J 9ft double cutting sickle bar
    Tedder: I&J 9 ft
    Rake: Pequea 9 1/2 ft sweep
    Baler: John Deere 336 ground driven square
    Forecart: I&J Ground Driven PTO - Heavy Duty with electric hydraulics

  • How to make hay without crimping it
    Is uncrimped hay more nutritious?
  • In depth discussion about hay procedures and techniques

Extension Hay Day
July 28, 2012

Registration 8 - 9 AM
Program 9 AM - 4:30 PM

An educational day for horse owners and managers and horse hay producers to learn about horse hay quality assessment, hay production practices, and building the feeding program around hay and forage.

A fee of $40 includes the demonstration and presentations, the handout packet, and lunch.

You are invited to rotate between the educational stations of presentations and join a lunch time panel on the following topics:

Basing Your Feeding Program on Quality Forage
Methods to Analyze the Nutrient Composition of Hay
Seeding, Fertilization, and Hay Production
Body Condition Scoring and Dietary Requirements
Hay Making Equipment
Hay Harvesting Methods

Click here for the registration form!

x

Advanced Workshop
October 22 and 23, 2011

$300/participant
$250/participant if a member of Historic Prophetstown

Friday evening, an orientation cook out will be held. All meals on Saturday, as well as breakfast and lunch on Sunday will be provided

Driving beyond the team

Participants attending this clinic are expected to know how to harness, hitch to a machine, and be comfortable with basic driving commands.

x

Topics Covered:

  • In depth discussion about farming techniques
  • Learn to drive a multiple hitch in a farm situation
  • Proper hitching and unhitching procedures
  • In depth discussion about equipment, maintenance, and hitching
    • What do you really need?

Click here for the registration form!

 
x

"Purdue Extension is excited to offer these educational horse clinics in conjunction with Historic Prophetstown.  These hands-on experiences combined with informative educational lectures and discussions will provide learning to the horse industry that neither of these organizations can completely provide on our own.  By combining the resources of these two horse educational resources we hope to support and encourage better horse breeding and management in the draft horse industry and the horse industry broadly." 

Dr. Mark Russell
Purdue University’s Equine Extension Specialist

x

All class sizes are limited, so call early to reserve your spot!

For more information on any of our clinics,
please feel free to call Melissa at 765-479-0367

Click here for the registration form!

x

Private clinics are also available upon request

   
Historic Prophetstown
© 2009 Historic Prophetstown