Lee Jeffs of Castle Dale is often seen in parades with his beautiful team of large horses pulling a covered wagon. Lee Jeffs this past month has replaced two of his taller older horses with two younger Suffolk draft horses that he had transported here from Minnesota. Lee learned of these heavy muscled horses from a horse breeder in Belvedere South Dakota. Lee said these strong horses are a little shorter than the ones he had been using and are easier to harness.
The homeland of the Suffolk horses is Norfolk and Suffolk counties in England. It is bordered on the north, east and south by the North Sea and on the west by the Fens. Isolated from their neighbors, the farmers of Suffolk independently developed breeds of livestock to fit their special way of life. To plow the heavy clay soil they needed an agricultural horse with power, but also stamina, health, longevity, and docility. So these fine husbandmen produced the Suffolk horse and bred him for the attributes that fulfilled their needs.
The Suffolk farmer used his horses to till and harvest his own land, so seldom did he have horses to sell. This not only kept the Suffolk relatively unknown but also pure, remaining unchanged and true to his original purpose: to be a strong and faithful worker for his master. Of all the draft breeds, the Suffolk is one of the oldest in existence with records dating back to 1880. Crisp’s Horse of Ufford, the foundation stallion of the breed was foaled in 1768.
From the American Horse Association Magazine and internet.
On Dec. 3, Lee Jeffs and his granddaughter, Allison were observed training his new team of Suffolk horses to pull a wagon at the Emery County Fair Ground Arena.
Lee Jeffs breaks in a new ride
"Lee Jeffs and Allison Jeffs train his new Suffolk horses."