Dutch Love Farm Percherons

03/24/2025

We happen to know that the the 2025 MSU 4-H Horse Judging Contest will have a class of Draft Horse Mares at halter, and since having teams visit for a How To Judge Draft Horses afternoon isn't really feasible in the time available, we are trying to help a little in a more digital manner. What we have here is a photo class of 4 Aged Percheron Mares (obviously not the horses that will be at the contest). Photographs are arranged singly by horse, and then each view has its own collage. The mares are provided courtesy of Webster Farm Percherons, Tradewinds Farm Percherons, and ourselves, Dutch Love Farm Percherons.

We would like to invite experienced breeders and judges from the Draft Horse industry to place the mares as they see fit, and to please offer a few reasons as to why the class sorted out as it did.

It is our hope that this will prove beneficial to our Michigan 4-H judging teams, as well as anyone else who might be interested in judging Draft Horses.

Thank You to our participating judges (you'll be paid in goodwill and cold beverages if you stop by the DLF/TWF stalls at Indiana & Iowa 😉), and Good Luck! to the MI 4-H teams, from a past group of 4-H & MSU Judging Team kids.

04/21/2024

We are easing into proper spring with the first field hook. We put (left to right) Divo- DLF Liberace (DLF Lo**ta×Lucasia Zodiac), DLF Le Chanceaux (DLF L'noire×
Westwind King's Talisman-- today is his 6th birthday!), and DLF L'noire (DLF Lo**ta×Blooming Grove Midnight) on the soil conditioner and made a few easy rounds. This was four-year-old Divo's first trip on a field implement and he stepped off without missing a beat. We only have six acres we will be farming this year, and will be doing as much of of the work as possible with the horses. Divo needs the work experience, and he and Luna both need the conditioning ahead of show season.

02/19/2024

Go ahead, take pictures of the sunset... the Main Characters will arrive shortly.

02/06/2024

We bred this c**t, but he is currently under the guidance of our friends at Tradewinds Farm. He's out of our foundation mare family, ought to be a cheerful and willing partner, and would look good in your yard-- message Tradewinds Farm for more information.

11/12/2023

The weather in West Michigan continues to be glorious, so we are getting good work done with the young horse. This weekend Divo (3 yo gelding, DLF Lo**ta × Lucasia Zodiac) went to work for real with his teammate Chance (5 yo gelding, DLF L'noire × Westwind King's Talisman) skidding logs on Saturday, and today we put them on the chore wagon to haul chunk wood up to the house to split. This was his first trip on the wagon, and also being loaded with the tractor. We couldn't be more pleased with the exceptional sense and work ethic Divo is displaying, and Chance's talents as a steady, calm breaking horse must also be recognized.

We did have a little extra help-- our goat, Goat-goat (he is a ¾ Boer × Savanna), often supervises work around the yard, but today he decided it was time to go on an adventure and trekked back to the woods with us on the first load... evidently one trip was enough as he declined to leave his hay pile when we went back out.

11/04/2023

Last week we put 3 year old Divo on as the third horse, and this week he has graduated to driving on the pole and in lines. Like last week, we used them to skid a few firewood logs up to the cutting yard, and we couldn't be more pleased with how Divo performed. He & Chance will be the primary chore team this winter, and we expect a lot of fun to be had with them.
Near, DLF Liberace (DLF Lo**ta × Lucasia Zodiac), off, DLF Le Chanceaux (DLF L'noire × Westwind King's Talisman).

10/28/2023

Hayride season is over, it is a gorgeous fall day in West Michigan, and it's time to start the c**t. Our 3 year old, Divo, had his first hook today and it was as good a first trip as we've ever had with a young horse. He went to the woods as the third horse and we drug a few firewood logs up to the cutting yard with hardly any razoo at all. We have big expectations for this scion of our "L" bloodline, and so far he's well on track. We'll do it again tomorrow, and soon he'll go to the pole and work as a pair all winter with his emotional support nephew, Chance

L to R: DLF Liberace (DLF Lo**ta by Cedarfarm Ontario ×Lucasia Zodiac), DLF Le Chanceaux (DLF L'noire by Blooming Grove Midnight × Westwind King's Talisman), DLF L'noire (DLF Lo**ta by Cedarfarm Ontario × Blooming Grove Midnight).

09/23/2023

Tis the season! A perfect opening day at Fruit Ridge Hayrides 2023- this year we are hooking a 3 generation team of homebreds featuring (as viewed right to left), our Grande Dame, the incomparable DLF Lo**ta (Starview's Deleila × Cedarfarm Ontario) her grandson DLF Le Chanceaux (DLF L'noire × Westwind King's Talisman), and her daughter DLF L'noire (sired by Blooming Grove Midnight), fresh off a successful show season and ready for the fall work.

07/22/2023

These boys... our three year old gelding, Divo (DLF Liberace- DLF Lo**ta×Lucasia Zodiac) has been enamored of little orphaned Master Mage (DLF Miss Mimi×Shady Lane Abner) since he was born, and has taken up the role of big brother & protector with all due seriousness. Divo is a big, awkward young horse, and it is rather incredible to watch him be careful to play gently with Mage.

When the crew comes in for dinner, Mage trucks right down to Divo's stall and has to be shooed out and into his own, and Divo stops to poke his head over Mage's gate on the way back out. They're not destined to be teammates, but they're clearly always going to be friends.

07/10/2023

Anyone wishing for a very nice prospect could not go wrong with this filly we bred & sold in utero. Our own Master Mage sired by Shady Lane Abner, and their dams are full sisters. The quality, smarts & personality with this cross are off the charts. Send Tradewinds Farm farm a message for all inquiries.

Snapped a quick photo of this pretty girl during morning chores today. This is Tradewinds Miss Mystic (Shady Lanes Abner x DLF Miss Macy, by Cedarfarm Ontario). Missy is one of the most laid-back and friendly babies we've had this season! She is not shy about coming over to get her share of the attention, and she's so pretty we don't really mind.

She will be available, if someone were looking for a long necked, smart and personable prospect, with a pedigree filled with performance horses in many different venues and her talent and curious nature. This filly ought to be an incredibly fun partner for someone and go on to be a fantastic addition as a broodmare when her show career is over. Please pm us for particulars.