Joli hongre percheron bai foncé

The online definition of “rook” includes strength, steadiness, and a bold presence — and that description fits Rook exactly. Watch any of his videos, and you’ll see it for yourself. Horses this massive don’t come along often; Rook is truly a once-in-a-lifetime horse.

Rook is wise beyond his years and does everything we ask of him, and more. He adores everyone he meets — we call him the lap dog of the pasture, always watching for you and waiting for a banana. On a recent visit to our local nursing home, Rook met dozens of new friends, wheeled out to him in wheelchairs, walkers, and even hospital beds. He was convinced they were petting him through the window, and honestly, he would have stayed all day to socialize if we’d let him.

Here at the estate, we keep all kinds of animals — cows, a dog, and ten free-range goats who all pile onto Rook’s back every night, since it’s the biggest, warmest back around and they try to squeeze on together. Rook takes it all in stride; having been raised on a farm, he simply accepts every animal into his circle as family.

Rook loves an easy, scenic trail ride through our fields and roads and has a wonderfully relaxed nature. Ask him to step it up, though, and he’ll show you a gliding trot and a long, extended canter that lets him float across open ground.

We exposed Rook to as much as possible from a very young age, as we do with all our horses. He goes through water and swims, and he’s completely unbothered by trucks and heavy equipment thanks to our construction business, where he sees big machinery every day. Walking, trotting, and running alongside our side-by-side is second nature to him.

Given his size, good farrier habits matter, and we start every horse on lifting its feet from just a few months old. I did Rook’s feet myself for years until his training barn took over, and he’s since come back to us — vets consistently comment on how amazing his feet look, hard and extremely healthy. Rook stands well for on-the-ground trimming as well as trimming in stocks, and he’ll do whatever his next owner needs of him.

Rook has been trained both under saddle and to drive, though we currently don’t have a cart large enough for him — he’s heading toward 18.2 hands and 2,200 pounds, too big for our shafts. He’s still growing, and it’s hard to say exactly where he’ll land in height and weight. His sire (now deceased) stood over 19 hands, and his dam is 18.3 hands, so massive size is simply in his genetics.

Rook is the last gelding on our property; we placed one gelding through this site last year, and the rest of our herd has since sold as well. We’re now moving in the direction of breeding draft horses, having brought in several new mares from around the country and abroad, and it’s that shift toward breeding that has us seeking Rook’s forever home.

Rook currently resides at one of the largest estates in the north, where his care has always gone above and beyond. Horses like Rook — with this kind of scale and bloodline — are a genuine rarity and becoming harder to find. This truly is an opportunity of a lifetime, and we’re excited to offer such a magnificent horse to the world.