by Lindsay Humphrey
It might be the love of the horse that draws people into any number of disciplines, but mules and draft horses are certainly in a category
all their own. “Sweet natured” and “willing to please” don’t just describe the animals. Anyone who has been involved with the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association can attest that the members boast the very same traits.
“Draft-horse people love taking their animals to events and sharing their horses with others,” said longtime association member Evelyn Hiskett. “We can stand around talking about our horses all day long with anyone who will listen.”
The Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association was founded on the principles of education and information. Members find unique ways to enjoy their animals while introducing the public to something they might not know about otherwise. Many people don’t know that draft horses are used for more than just driving. Members have been known to do everything from barrel racing and pleasure riding to weight pulling and parading with their mules and draft horses.
A Diverse Group
Brought into the spotlight by the Budweiser Clydesdales, draft horses don’t always get recognized for their hard-earned diversity, not only in breeds but also in activities. “This club represents several different groups of people with a variety of drafthorse and mule interests that make the club unique and very interesting,” said Tom Peterson, president. “Our interests include champion six-horse hitches, horse pullers, combined driving, breeders, parade enthusiasts, trainers, farriers, and those who work the horses giving carriage and wagon rides throughout the state.”
At one time, the membership competed in the Tulsa State Fair, Oklahoma State Fair, Payne County Fair, and Kansas State Fair. Some of the fairs canceled horse shows during the COVID pandemic, which meant the club had to find alternative places to show off their animals. “The Kansas State Fair and Payne County Fair are the closest two that host a variety of draft-horse events,” Peterson said. “Currently, I am working with the Oklahoma State Fair, which is interested in bringing back the draft-horse shows and pulling events. In the meantime, by bringing together several different groups, we now have alternative activities to the shows, and our group is growing.”
One of the most popular events the club hosts is a driving clinic for people interested in hands-on learning. It began in eastern Oklahoma with Sula Robertson, a past president of the club. It allows as many as 40 people to participate, many with zero experience around draft horses, much less on the end of the reins.
“We hosted that clinic at our house for 18 years, and it was probably my family’s biggest contribution to the association,” Robertson said. “That was my favorite part about being in the club. We made lots of new friends and converted several people to draft horses.”
The club is looking to host another driving clinic this spring. As a free event, the clinic is always a major draw for club members and the public to learn more about the association and about draft horses.
In the past, Express Ranches Clydesdales and Express Ranches Percherons hosted a clinic to teach the art of showing drafts, which brought people from Oklahoma and surrounding states.
Humble Beginnings
Founded in the 1970s by Carl Benne from Edmond, Lonnie Shockley from Oklahoma City, and Ellen Ladd from Prague, the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association aimed to bring together like-minded people who enjoyed working with draft horses. The group has grown from those three founders to almost 100 families in Oklahoma and Kansas.
“There might have been a few other founding members, but those three were probably the most influential for me because of how involved they were,” Robertson said. She got started with draft horses when she bought a Clydesdale colt which became a breeding stallion for what is now Robertson Clydesdales.
Back when Benne, Shockley, and Ladd began the association, they were using draft horses at home for plowing fields and pulling wagons.
“At the state fairs, we used to demonstrate how people worked with draft horses,” Peterson said. “There is a history to each of the draft breeds, and I enjoy telling people the history of the horses and
how they transitioned from their original purposes — like my Percherons, for example, who were bred in France.”
Each of the draft breeds has a similar story of origin, and Peterson makes it a focal point of the club to tell people about them.
For anyone interested in a draft breed, even if they don’t own any themselves, the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association is the perfect place to get started. Members not only enjoy meeting new people but also introducing them to their horses and all the things they can do. “We have one official meeting per year, but we also have events and picnics when we gather together with our horses and drive through obstacle courses and other fun things,” Peterson said. “Usually, we’ll also do some teaching for starting a horse on ground driving for anyone who wants to learn or brush up on skills.”
Although they are big, draft horses aren’t called gentle giants without cause.
“There are always a few bad apples in every group, but for the most part, draft horses are kind and want to work with you and want to please,” Hiskett said. “If you’re kind to them, they’ll return it tenfold.”
Don’t Forget the Mules
“We have several members who raise, show, ride, and drive mules; they also belong to a group called the Oklahoma Teamsters,” Peterson explained. “This group puts on two wagon-train ride-anddrive events each year, which go on for three to four days. Members can go for one day or camp out and go for all days. They include both draft and riding horses as well as mules. It is one of the wonderful events the entire club can enjoy.”
No matter the interest — mule or draft horse — the association always welcomes new members of any age and background. All they need to bring is enthusiasm for the animals, and the rest will take care of itself.
For more information about the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association, contact Tom Peterson directly at (405) 306-6368 or [email protected].
No matter the interest — mule or draft horse — the association always welcomes new members of any age and background.
Ensuring Recognition for the Horse Industry
One role of the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association is representing the interests of the equine industry in the state. On behalf of the entire horse industry, members strive to promote ethical use and well-being while showing how important horses and their owners are to the state’s growth in the agriculture and business sectors.
“One of the issues that just came up recently pertains to carrying insurance for wagon rides and other carriage events in public,” said Tom Peterson, president
of the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association. “It looks like the insurance coverage will go up fourfold next year, and it has nothing to do with Oklahoma specifically.”
Horse-drawn wagons are surprisingly common all around the country in largely populated areas, and some of the individuals involved might not carry insurance. Most states declare that people using or being around equine activities do so at their own risk. But if you are giving rides or doing it as a business, proper
liability insurance for your property is more than just a good idea.
Clearly, the Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association is more than a club. “We make it a point to show people how special these horses are to their owners and why preserving the rich history of the draft animal is so important,” Peterson added. “We all take a lot of pride in our animals and want people to know we are committed to the history of the drafts and to the well-being of our horses and people who work or use them.”
