The horse is the main worker on an Amish farm. Plows, hauls, pulls — and does it for 20 years.
Breeds
Belgian: most popular with Amish. 800-1000 kg, calm, obedient, incredibly strong. Percheron: more elegant, slightly lighter. Good in field and buggy. Haflinger: small (500 kg), versatile, economical to feed.
Cost
Trained draft horse: $3,000-8,000. Untrained young: $1,000-2,000. Upkeep: $2,000-3,000/year (hay, oats, shoeing, vet). Tractor: $30,000-60,000 + $5,000/year fuel and repairs. Horse is cheaper and produces fertilizer.
Care
Feed: 7-10 kg hay + 3-5 kg oats daily. Water: 40-60 liters. Shoeing: every 6-8 weeks. Teeth: check annually. Hooves cleaned daily.
Service Life
Start work at 3-4 years. Full load until 18-20. Then light work for life. Amish don't send old horses to slaughter — that's shameful.