What Kinds of Horses Do the Amish Use?

Because of their religious beliefs, the Amish shun many 21st century conveniences, including motorized vehicles. Instead, they employ horse power to work their fields and for their transportation needs. The horse and buggy is, in fact, often the first thing people look for when entering Amish country. While there is no restriction on the horse breeds that the Amish use, former standardbred race horses are the most popular for pulling buggies, and draft horses are commonly found working the fields.

  1. Standardbreds

    • The standardbred is mainly bred for use in harness racing. While they have the ability to canter, they generally have been trained to trot or pace. Because a racing standardbred has already been broken to pull a cart, it is a perfect candidate for hitching to an Amish family's buggy. The standardbred is also known for having a calm and even disposition, which is important as Amish horses are often driven on roads with a lot of traffic. In addition, standardbreds are obtained fairly cheaply, as owners of unsuccessful harness racers are often looking for ways to unload their excess animals.

    The American Saddlebred

    • The American saddlebred is another breed that is commonly used by the Amish to pull a buggy. This is a fairly sturdy breed, with a naturally flashy, knee-snapping gait. The American saddlebred was originally bred to be driven and ridden on plantations in the South. Today, it is still shown in driving classes, as well as under saddle. In addition to its flashy gaits, the American saddlebred has a reputation for having a good disposition and a willingness to please. Saddlebreds have become less popular in recent years, and in some areas of the United States, the Amish have been able to pick up this horse fairly inexpensively.

    Draft Horses

    • The Amish do not use tractors or other machines in their fields. Instead, they rely on a draft horse or a team of draft horses to pull their plows and other farm equipment. The most popular draft horse breeds used by the Amish are the Percheron and the Belgian draft horse. Both are powerful, hard-working, but docile breeds.

      In Pennsylvania, donkeys are sometimes bred to Belgians, with the resulting foal being a strong, large mule that is popular with the Amish in the Lancaster County area. Mules are not used by Amish in Ohio and some other Midwestern states because they were once forbidden by the Amish Ministers' Conference for being an inappropriate mixing of donkey and horse blood, and thus being a creature not originally created by God.

    Haflingers

    • Haflingers are stocky, muscular horses that resemble Belgians, but are much smaller, standing between 13 and 15 hands. Belgian draft horses, on the other hand, stand between 17 and 18 hands. The Haflinger, which originated in Austria, is popular with the Amish, as it is an easy keeper, works hard and has the ability to pull a buggy, or be teamed together to pull a large plow or other heavy vehicle. It is a gentle breed and its compact size makes it easier for a small adult or child to work with than some of the large draft horses. In addition, while most large draft horses are uncomfortable to ride, the Haflinger is well-suited to being a mount. In 2003, Farm and Dairy reported that the Amish owned 38 percent of the Halfingers in the United States.