RM Mini Drafts
This breed of mini drafts, a mix that was started between Haflingers and Icelandic Horses,
was established in the early 1900s to assist in the development of roadways and hiking trails
within Banff National Park up in Canada. Their broad chests and fluffy winter coat make
living up in the cold Rockies bearable, and their densely muscled bodies make all the hard
work they typically do possible for such a small breed of draft horse. Their size range varies,
coming in around 13hh-15hh, with the tallest horses being only 15.0hh.
They tend to make a much better working horse rather than show horse and can often be used
for carriage pulling and pulling farm equipment. They can still be ridden though despite being
great working horses, and have retained the same unique gaits that Icelandic Horses are known
for, the 'tölt' and 'skeið' gaits. They are typically hard working, easy going, and spirited horses,
making for a great working or riding companion.
In recent years, the breed has come back into the spotlight after it had been more or less
abandoned within the park and surrounding areas. Locals took it upon themselves to set up an
event during the warmer months of the year to catch the wild horses, know as the "Summer
Mini Round-Up". During the round-up, people from across the world can come and watch the
horses parade through the main thoroughfare, making sure to keep an eye out on any horses
they'd like to adopt after they've all been herded into the auction fields.