service gives me a purpose. To see the joy it brings others makes all the hard work worth it.” She’s also expanded by starting another business “Driven by Drafts” centered around making opportunities with draft horses available to her community: “This business encompasses my passion to teach others about draft horses and working to develop the breed as well as a larger community of draft horse enthusiasts. I now offer driving lessons, some riding lessons, breeding my Percheron mare, as well as training, and horse drawn services.” Along with offering a “green” alternative to a needed service, Macey appreciates everything about this rewarding lifestyle: “I enjoy the in-depth training that each horse receives and requires in order to work around the public, and through the commotion of off farm situations. I also love how it brings horses into the community and includes people that may not typically have the opportunity to be around them. In the future I plan to continue with both businesses, as well as that I found there was a potential to do work towards owning a farm that focusexactly what I was looking for. I realized es on true sustainability, homesteading, that working with draft horses enabled and continue with my farming roots.” them to earn their keep by providing unique services, while also providing a Feeding for Success career for me that I truly enjoy.” When it comes to powering the Draft Her passion and appreciation for draft Trash team, as well as Macey’s slew of breeds began in high school with the chickens, pigs, goats, and rabbits, she inspirational guidance of an employtrusts Poulin Grain to keep them at the er: “For around 9 years I have worked top of their game. alongside a great man named Patrick “My horse’s health and diet is crucial Palmer, who has taught me a great in order to allow them to perform their amount of what I know about draft horses. Throughout high school and college best and withstand the long hours of I worked with Patrick to provide sleigh, work under harness, as well as grow and wagon, and carriage rides for various develop properly, and remain in good events and weddings, along with his condition for work. I really enjoy seeHorse Drawn Trash Route business ing the energy and stamina that Poulin located in the town of Bristol Vermont. Grain provides my horses.” Macey’s feeds of choice for her draft It wasn’t until 3 years ago, in my last team include E-TEC® Fibre-Max, E-TEC® year at Vermont Technical College for an Equine Studies degree, that I owned Balancer, and Alfalfa Pellets, while her my first team of Percherons with my sig- broodmare and filly thrive on EQUI-PRO® nificant other. Ever since then I have Mare and Foal, and E-TEC® Balancer. She had my geldings working on the Mid- is sure to cater to each animal’s needs dlebury horse drawn trash route. As with customized diets, and says “WithPalmer semi-retired, he allowed me to out my horses in their best condition, I become an owner of Draft Trash Pick- wouldn’t be able to run the business that up LLC, along with Nick Hammond as I worked so hard to establish”. Macey and her partner also produce my partner.” their own hay supply for their animals, and utilize Poulin Grain’s complimenDriven By Drafts Draf t T rash Pickup now ser vic- tary forage testing service to determine es the town of Middlebury, Vermont deficiencies, and how best to meet their year round with Macey’s Poulin Pow- horses’ diet needs. “Since feeding Pouered team picking up curbside trash, lin Grain, I have noticed a tremendous recycling and compost materials, and difference in the overall health and delivering to the local transfer station. appearance of my horses. For both my “I can’t express how much this busi- broodmare and young stock, I found ness and running it means to me. To that a balanced diet has helped to fill have a childhood dream come true, to out their condition, improve their coat be involved and provide such a unique quality and shine.” Winter 2022
Draft Trash Pickup
M acey Ross, a determined twentysomething, is making horses commonplace in the Middlebury, Vermont community in a rather unconventional way. Her business, Draft Trash Pickup, is a horse drawn curbside trash, recycling and compost pick up service that has us reminiscing years gone by. The Beginning After exploring some more typical career paths in the equine industry, Macey found the right fit with an unusual, but practical choice: “As a lifelong Equine advocate, I have always imagined myself owning horses. Throughout my upbringing I brainstormed careers within the industry that would allow me to love what I do, and make a living while doing so, in order to justify and make it possible to own and keep horses. I worked for multiple barns, and explored the idea of being a farrier, riding instructor, or a barn manager. It wasn’t until I started working with draft horses
10 4 Legs & a Tail
