Our equine team members live at Sugah Cain - an idyllic 65-acre John’s Island farm of green pastures and beautiful moss-draped live oak trees. Even in high season, only about half the herd works on any particular day while the other half remains at pasture.
Most of our 30 Belgian and Percheron draft horses come from Amish working farms, where they were bred and trained for heavy work.Still, they need their rest—and of course—fantastic care. We own a large, well-ventilated stable downtown where the horses enjoy rest, shade, and water between tours. Our stable features “box stalls,” that enable the horses to lie down and rest at will. After every tour, our horses have a break, and their temperature, respiration, and overall health are evaluated.
Please visit our stable at 14 Anson Street and witness first-hand the quality of the horses, the excellent facilities, and the level of care and treatment our horses receive.
Meet the Horses
Credit: Explore Charleston
June2025
Equine Employee of the Month
Tucker
Tucker is a 10 Year Old Belgian Draft Horse. He was born in Ohio and stands 17.1 hands tall and weighs in a 1880 pounds!
He loves golf, eating grass and playing at pasture with his friends!
We own a 65-acre farm on John’s Island called Sugah Cain. This “horse heaven" is where our horses are free to run in large pastures or graze beneath the shade of grand live oak trees.
We frequently rotate our horses from the downtown stables to the country to maximize their time in the pasture. At Sugah Cain, our horses have access to free-choice hay and water and enjoy the supervision of a caring and competent staff. Our 10,000 square foot barn boasts eight 12’ x 14’ stalls and a climate-controlled feed room. There is also a shaded area for washing, grooming, and shoeing.
Caring For Our Horses
Diet & Care
Meals
We feed our herd a low starch, low sugar, high fiber grainless horse feed and a high quality chopped hay. Our horses eat approximately 40,000 calories daily in feed and hay.
Stalls
Our stable features box stalls bedded with wood shavings, which is a safe, effective, and environmentally-friendly bedding option.
Individual Monitoring
We take the horse’s temperature before and after each tour. If his temperature is elevated beyond the normal range, the horse is taken out of service until the temperature returns to normal. Each horse receives a veterinary exam twice a year. Preventative health includes shots, worming, and dental care.
Horseshoes
All the horses wear iron shoes with a rubber tire attached that provides cushion and additional traction. They see a farrier and get new shoes every 4 – 6 weeks.
Workload & Breaks
Working Hours
The City of Charleston strictly regulates horse work schedules to no more than 8 hours per day, 6 days per week. Our horses usually have a five-day workweek and average 5 tours a day during the busy seasons.
Rest Between Tours
Between tours, horses get a minimum of a 30-minute break in front of a water trough. Showers and high-performance fans keep them cool.
Working in the Heat
When the outside temperature reaches 95 degrees, carriage operations throughout the city cease.
Horsepower
Our Draft horses are 2000-pound athletes. Belgian Draft and Percheron horses can pull 4x their own weight! They actually push on their collar, and the harness does the pulling.
Retirement
Aging Horses
When our horses reach retirement age, we connect with horse lovers who want to provide them a home with good care.
