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WHETSTONE — While a familiar sight in the Amish farmlands of Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, it’s not often that folks around here see huge draft horse teams going down neighborhood roads.
That is, unless you live in Whetstone.
People in that community have grown accustomed to seeing harnessed teams trotting around their neighborhoods, sometimes venturing onto the shoulders of highways 82 and 90.
Whetstone resident Loren Sheldon raises and trains Belgian draft horses. He now owns nine of the massive equines, eight mares and one stallion. You can’t miss them. Sheldon’s fully mature adult Belgians weigh between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds, literally dwarfing most riding horses that average 1,200 pounds.
  
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Sheldon has been driving the horses in parades and events for five years now. He and his wife, LaDonna Holt, along with a handful of close friends, participate in about eight parades every year throughout the state. Under “Sheldon Family and Friends,” they launch into parade themes and Old West roles by wearing period clothing, riding in covered wagons and thrilling crowds with their authentic look.
“Sometimes we take two rigs, sometimes just one,” Sheldon said while harnessing a sleepy-eyed mare named Star. “We start every year with the Tucson Rodeo Parade (Parada de los Vaqueros), and finish with our local Christmas parade.”
For the past four years, Sheldon’s entry has won “Best Family Group” in the Tucson parade, as well as first place in the equestrian category of an annual parade in Springerville. Sheldon’s wagons have carried VIPs, town officials and mayors down parade routes. Transporting the horses to different events is accomplished with a semi truck that has been modified for hauling the giant draft horses. The rig allows Sheldon to haul up to nine draft horses, hay, spare tires, panels (portable corrals that attach to the side of the truck), 100 gallons of water, harnesses and the wagons. Splashed on the side of the rig is an image of a giant team pulling a wagon, along with “Sheldon Family and Friends” in bold lettering.
While primarily Sheldon’s retirement hobby, the horses have become a family project, along with the support of a handful of close friends. John Lohse, Gary Warren, Bud Hamblin and Barb and Charlie Sherlock are just some of the people Sheldon says are part of his extended family.
“LaDonna (Holt) doesn’t drive the horses, but she helps with harnessing and grooming,” Sheldon said of his wife’s role. “She’s participates in the parades and most of the events that we go to.”
Holt designed many of the period clothing costumes they wear in parades. During times when Sheldon is out of town, she’s responsible for feeding and caring for the horses.
Raised on a farm in Michigan, draft horses were a big part of rural life while Sheldon was growing up. The powerful, muscular horses were used for farming and transportation long before there were tractors and motorized vehicles. Today, they’re used by horse farmers, in shows and pulling contests, and as carriage horses.
Amish communities have continued using drafts for farming and transportation, refusing to embrace motorized vehicles and technology.
Sheldon prefers Belgians over other draft horse breeds. He feels they’re better suited for Arizona’s hot temperatures. He likes the breed’s color (a range of browns), heavy muscling, deep chest and powerful hindquarters, along with its quiet, docile nature. Despite that calm nature, Sheldon takes no chances when it comes to safety issues and training. He has witnessed serious accidents in parades, where crowds are thick and unusual sounds and distractions are the norm.
“I don’t ever take these horses for granted,” Sheldon said. “They get worked every single day. I take them around traffic, expose them to sirens, loud noises, balloons, all kinds of things we see in parades. These horses are no different than wild animals. People have to keep that in mind when they’re working with them. When something alarms them, they react quickly. It’s our job to be ready for that.”
Sheldon teaches drivers to watch the team’s body language at all times, staying tuned in to what the animals are doing.
“You need to think like the team and be two seconds ahead of them,” he said. “It’s the only way drivers stay out of trouble.”
Along with parades, Sheldon’s horses are used by the Whetstone Church of Christ every year when the congregation goes Christmas caroling.
They also are used for family reunions parties, weddings and other events.
Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or via e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
WHERE TO CALL
Want to make arrangements for horse-drawn rides? Loren Sheldon can be reached by calling 266-0341. Or call LaDonna Holt at 266-0344.
