Ever Seen A Horse Pull? You Really Should Check It Out!

Horse pulling is a draft horse competition where horses in harness, usually one or two animals, pull a stone-boat or weighted sled and the winner is the team or animal that can pull the most weight for a short distance. 

At the Hemlock Fair, the pairs of horses wait along the exterior fence of the arena, creating a spectacular view of the teams. The fans line up early along the rectangular arena and eventually fill the stands to watch the event, that has become a premier show during fair week. “I like seeing the horse pulls as much as anything at the fair,” fans can be heard saying while watching the event. Rural community fairs, like the Hemlock "Little World's" Fair, have a soft spot in its heart for horses.”

There are different weight classes and strict rules to avoid animal cruelty. The Belgian horse is the breed most frequently seen, but other draft breeds are also used. There are also competitions for ponies, where they pull significant weight relative to their size, but usually for shorter distances than full-sized horses. The sport of horse pulling originated when horses were still used for daily farm work. Farmers would challenge one another to see whose horse or team could pull the most weight. Since then, horse pulling has evolved into an organized sport with teams of equine athletes. Horses that are used for horse pulling are generally not used for work on the farm. Instead, they are worked regularly to keep their muscles and tendons strong and limber to prevent them from being hurt during competitions. 
A starting load is set on the weight sled, a weight that most teams are expected to be able to pull. Each team entered in the competition is hitched to the sled and they would pull it for a short distance. If the team can not pull the weight, they are removed from the competition and those that successfully pulled the weight continue on to the next round. The competition continues on in this way until only one team of horses remains. Rules and regulations are in place to protect the safety of the horses during competitions. If you have never seen a horse pull, check it out on Wednesday night at the Hemlock Fair.