Terry and Elaine Joseph live, breathe, and work the draft horse way of life at Cedar Knoll Farm based in Lisbon, Connecticut.

Their livery and carriage services take them across New England and the tri-state area (including Long Island). Work spans the spectrum from snow-white Percherons perfection bedecked with feather plumes escorting Joan Rivers on her Snow Queen float in the annual Macy's Day parade in Manhattan to tilling the earth with real horsepower and a hydraulic two-way plow on a rural hillside.

“We love what we do, absolutely,” said Elaine, writer, graphic artist, co-owner. “If you are going to work with animals you have to love it.”

Their schedule this time of year is busy. Transportation choices for a ride behind draft horses include a white or black vis-à-vis (face to face) carriage, two wagons, two more wagonettes, three sleighs, or an antique landau, made in England. Details to personalize a ride include lanterns, sleigh bells, or a transparent cover for the Cinderella coach (just in case weather threatens).

The handsome beauty of draft horses in the hitch or under saddle is a language all cultures understand. Cedar Knoll's draft horses are popular for Quinceañeras (an important 15th-year ceremony for girls in the Hispanic community), which are sometimes more lavish affairs than many weddings. The farm also does “Baraat” weddings (under saddle or by carriage). A special site offers details. (Such as that horses are conditioned to perform and ignore the joyful cacophony that happens during this ceremony.) The Josephs also field queries for film or stage productions and model requests.

Diane Smith of Positively Connecticut has done a segment about Cedar Knoll and wrote about the farm in her latest book, “A Connecticut Christmas.”

Corporate, civic, museum or other community events? Yes, they do all that, plus offer draft horse demonstrations, workshops and lessons; harnesses, carriages and draft horses for sale.

Aside from the commercial carriage business, the couple farm with their horses. Yes, really, farm. Terry can “gee” and “haw” a team to back a plow right up the ramp into a waiting trailer when done plowing, pretty as you please. (See for yourself, at the link to the farm's YouTube video here.) Terry not only loads, harnesses, drives and hauls, he makes regular runs to Pennsylvania to get feed, hay, harnesses or other equipment, and moves horses for the Amish.

Over years strong friendships have developed there as well. Terry will deliver horses or pick up hay and feed, and somehow end up helping with planting tobacco or other crops – all done with draft horses – of course.

The Josephs will be at Horse Progress Days in Lancaster County, Penn., home of the highest concentration of horse-drawn manufacturers and horse farmers in the world, July 1 and July 2.

Ten draft horses, one trick pony, dogs, a flock of chickens, peafowl and ducks, plus the Josephs call the farm home.

Terry, a trucker by profession before co-owning Cedar Knoll Farm's livery business, chooses from a 2008 M550 Ford and a 36-foot stock gooseneck trailer or an International road tractor with a 48-foot trailer to move stock, feed and equipment. To get to Long Island, teams ride the ferry.

While hauling is Terry's turf, Elaine handles the digital and social web that hitches up the world to their business. As active members of the Eastern Connecticut Draft Horse Association, participation leads to competing in events, the creation of the group's annual calendar and support of the web site.

“A web site is mandatory these days,” she notes. “We know how to spread the word. When people are searching for draft horses, appearance matters. Our horses are not only well fed and cared for – they are happy and that shows. We take a lot of pride in our work. We love our animals.”

And it shows, from forelock to fetlock.

For more about draft horses and Cedar Knoll Farm, visit daily happenings on a blog-journal. Elaine Joseph also writes regularly for publications that include Draft Horse Journal, Rural Heritage, Massachusetts Horse.