Still horse crazy after all these years

RATHDRUM - When Charlie the draft horse wasn't impatiently stamping his huge hoof or perking up his mighty ears to investigate a far-off noise, he seemed to be eavesdropping on a conversation.

The 1-ton, 17-hand-high stout equine, accented with blond mane and tail, nudged against Joy Crupper's shoulder Wednesday afternoon in front of her barn as she and her longtime friend, Karleen Meyer, talked about how they came to be so fond of the colossal breed.

"They're a much milder animal than a saddle horse," Meyer said.

"The 'gentle giant' really applies," Crupper added. "They take things much more in stride."

Crupper said Meyer was instrumental in introducing her to drafts, which are much heavier, taller and stronger than saddle horses. They also have shorter, thicker necks and are known to have exceptionally calm temperaments while being towers of strength that epitomize the term "horsepower."

"Karleen got me started because my daughter would show her draft horses," Crupper said. "When it came time to get my daughter a horse of her own, she said, 'I want a Belgian, because they do everything.'"

Meyer, who stood to the other side of Charlie, explained that her father was the reason she got involved with horses.

"My dad grew up with the pull combines with 33 head of mule on them in the Dayton-Walla Walla-Starbuck area," she said. "He had a love for horses and mules. He got his first team of drafts the year that I got married in '70, and I was the only one of four kids that enjoyed the horses with him."

Crupper and Meyer, both of Rathdrum, have been friends for almost 60 years. They grew up together in the small, historic town of Dayton, Wash., where their horses were an integral part of their friendship.

"She was a farm girl and I was her 4-H buddy and we hung out together, rode our horses back and forth to each others' houses," Crupper said.

"Joy was a city kid and, what were we, 13 miles between us? So in the summer, especially, we'd ride back and forth, ride one way and spend a night or two and ride the other way," Meyer said.

The ladies both found themselves in Coeur d'Alene in the early 1970s, where their affection for equines of all sizes has flourished.

Crupper shared a special observation she made about her love of horses when she was younger.

"I remember as a teenager, and of course when you're a teenager, things do not always go your way, but your horse would always listen," Crupper said. "Never make any judgements, never argue with you about it, just listen. You could brush him 'til his hair fell off and it just made him happy."

For Meyer, horses will always be dear to her for the memory of her dad, who was one of the first exhibitors in the Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule International Show, which celebrates its 39th year next weekend.

"It allowed me time to spend with my dad without the rest of my siblings around," she said. "My husband was not an animal person, I couldn't live in town. I think it's just a natural fit.

"When my dad died, I kept three of his favorite horses and a wagon, four sets of his show harnesses, so that I could continue on."

Crupper and Meyer are both active with the North Idaho Draft Horse and Mule Association, which presents the draft horse and mule show. They participate in plowing matches, mentoring youths and much more. Living the equestrian life is the only life for them.

They said preparing the big, beautiful draft horses for shows and parades is a year-round process when it comes to keeping them groomed, happy and healthy.

"I always said that my horses work for me seven months out of the year and I work for them for five," Meyer said. "Time's coming up where I'll start pitching hay and manure instead of them working for me."

While their size and power make caring for them more laborious than regular horses, Meyer and Crupper agree that the effort is worth it.

"It gives me a reason to get out of bed and get dressed in the morning," Meyer said. "Having grown up on a farm, we always had to do our chores before we had breakfast. That's been instilled in me since I was old enough to be in 4-H and it's the same way now. I'll get up and get dressed and go do my chores and then come in for breakfast."

Competitors in the upcoming show will be log skidding with horses and mules, driving carts, showing off the best of the breed and much more. Meyer said when they take their drafts to events, people are always curious how much they weigh, how tall they are and how much they eat on a daily basis. She said they consume "as much as you'll feed them. I was always told you feed them about 10 percent of their body weight twice a day to maintain them, so if you're going to be working them hard, increase the hay or add grain to it, higher protein."

The Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule International Show will take place Sept. 24-27 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint, where Crupper, Meyer and their colleagues will compete with their draft horses as well as adorn them with ribbons and braids while enjoying social time with other horse lovers.

"Our horses are a hobby, the same as anybody with a boat or a set of golf clubs," Meyer said.

"You just have to feed it all year, whether you use it or not," Crupper added, grinning.

Info: www.idahodrafthorseshow.com/home