The

Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry

Dedicated to Preserving one of the last American Draft Horse breeds

Everett Smith, Founder

That would look good pulling my carriage!  That's probably what Everett Smith thought over 50 years ago when the idea of adding color to his carriage horses popped in his head.  The Sugarbush Hitch Co. operating out of a small town in Ohio, needed a bit of sparkle in the harness, so Mr. Smith began crossing his draft horses with a relatively new breed of horse called the Appaloosa.

Never being one to do things by halves, Everett Smith set out to get his hands on the best Appaloosa horses and the best Percherons he could find.  The resulting foals would be the parents of a new breed of horse, the Sugarbush Draft Horse.  While others have crossed Appaloosas to Draft horses after him, Mr. Smith was working toward a long term vision, not a single foal crop.

When crossing draft horses to "light" horses, the size of bone is reduced.  To bring back the draft traits requires multiple generations of dedication, and this is what Mr. Smith did.  For 5 decades he took the best offspring, and crossed back to the best mates to achieve a heavy horse with flashy coloration.  Through out the process, he kept diligent records of parentage, and encouraged those who purchased his foals to do so as well.  Thus began the Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry.

Like a true horseman, Everett Smith was less interested in the marketing and menial aspects of the horse registry.  His true love were the animals.  These majestic horses made everyone who sees them stop and stare.  When working with them people realize that they aren't just a pretty color, but have great minds, and because of Mr. Smith's careful planning, there are no known genetic defects in the Sugarbush Draft Horse breed even today.

Everett Smith shown with Charlie D, a Sugarbush gelding.  Mr. Smith worked toward his vision of a colored draft horse for over 50 years, and along the way, created a new breed of horse that is loved by many new generations of horse owners.

© 2010 Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry, all rights reserved.  Website design by Spotted Horse Productions

This page was last updated: May 14, 2012

Many Sugarbush Draft horses were sold, and their new owners began breeding, using additional draft breeds as crosses.  Mr. Smith was always ready to help his fellow Sugarbush Enthusiasts with advice and suggestions on how to do it better.  Those of us who have worked with him, know that he has a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share.  He produced most of the famous Sugarbush Draft Horses, such as Sugarbush Harley Quinne and Sugarbush Harely's Classic O. 

Sadly, time has a way of catching up with all of us, and in 2008, Mr. Smith announced his retirement from horses.  He stopped breeding horses, and placed the last of his small herd for sale.  In the almost 60 years that Everett Smith has been breeding horses, he managed to create not only a new breed of horse, but a unique and consistant type that breeds true and has traits that are desirable by almost any horse lover.  For many of us, Everett Smith is responsible for creating the perfect horse, the Sugarbush Draft Horse.