Today, the heavy draft horse breed is one of the most popular among horse breeders worldwide. These animals are distinguished by their exceptional endurance, large size, and strength. The breed was specifically developed to be the ideal companion for transporting heavy loads and performing agricultural work.
Content
Types of heavy draft horses and their descriptions
There is in the world several breeds of heavy draft horses, of which the following can be distinguished:
- Suffolk;
- Irish;
- Vladimirsky;
- Shire;
- Bityug;
- Australian;
- Belgian Heavy Draught;
- Soviet.
Soviet heavy draft truck
Soviet heavy draft horse breed has a number of advantages, necessary for the animal to perform heavy physical work. Besides being very hardy and hardworking, this charming horse also produces a lot of milk. The Soviet heavy draft horse was created by crossing draft horses and Brabancons. These charming creatures also contain genes from Suffolk, Ardennes, Percherons, and Bityuks.
In the 19th century, Barbancons were brought to Russia as draft horses, but they did not fare well in the changing climate and adverse weather conditions. Consequently, the management of the Mordovian and Pochinkovsky stud farms decided to improve the breed's qualities and create a new Soviet variety, which was officially recognized in 1952.
These beautiful horses have enormous physical strength, docile nature and do not require special conditions of maintenance.
The Soviet heavy draft horse, in turn, is divided into several subspecies:
- weighted;
- main;
- lightweight.
Shire
The horse of this breed is distinguished by its heaviest weight - up to 1225 kg and height - 185 cm at the withersThe Shire horse's homeland is England. The breed's ancestors are believed to have been the famous knightly war horses. In the 16th century, Shires were used in military affairs, and somewhat later (in the 18th century), they were used as draft animals in agriculture.
Representatives of the breed were renowned for their impressive size, powerful build, and speed. Shire horses come in a variety of colors: gray, brown, bay, black, and more.
Belgian Heavy Draught Horse
This horse played an important role in the development of such breeds as Clydesdale and Suffolk horses, as well as Shires. Another name for the modern Belgian breed is the Brabancon. The height at the withers can reach 172 cm. Colors include chestnut, bay roan, red-chestnut, and other colors.
Representatives of the breed have powerful muscles, which helps them maintain their working capacity for a long time. Brabancons are relatively easy to care for and are noted for their enviable health. The Belgian Heavy Draft boasts a long lifespan and a calm disposition.
Australian Heavy Draft
Australian Heavy Draft Horses are the result of crossing Shires, Clydesdales, Suffolks, and Percherons. They are very friendly animals and easily adapt to heavy work. Australian Heavy Draft Horses thrive in both harness and saddle. Horse Color can be either solid or spottedThe legs are moderately feathered, and the mane and tail are also of medium thickness. The horse stands at least 170 cm tall, weighing between 600 and 900 kg.
Bityug
Unfortunately, this breed has not survived to this day. However, in ancient times, these horses were highly prized by peasants and were renowned for their exceptional work ethic. The stallions were relatively short (158 cm) but were noted for their endurance and incredible work capacity. The breed developed from a cross between trotters and Russian heavy draft horses.
Vladimir Heavy Draft Horse: Photo
The breed originated in Russia. The average height of a horse is 165 cm at the withers and weighs approximately 750 kg. Its color can be chestnut, bay, or black. a very unpretentious animal, capable of living both in a herd and on a stud farm. From its ancestors (Clydesdales and Shires), the Vladimir Heavyweight inherited some of its body features, including a large stature, thick hair on its legs, and an abundance of white spots. Its compact build, however, does not hinder its smooth and graceful movements.
Vladimir Heavy Draft horses frequently compete in various competitions. These horses possess excellent breeding qualities and are used on livestock farms not only as draft animals but also to improve the herd's gene pool.
Vladimir Heavy Draft Horses are absolute record holders for trotting. Vladimir Heavy Draft Horses are distinguished from other large draft breeds by their energy and exceptional agility.
Boulogne Heavy Draft Horse
Representatives of this breed are famous for their beauty and grace. They easily switch from running to trotting, and their movements are fast and perfect. Boulognese horses have two subspecies: small and large. The larger horses are used primarily for harness racing and, unfortunately, in the meat industry (meat products, sausages, etc.). The second type of these beautiful horses has almost disappeared. The average height is 170 cm, weighing 700-900 kg.
Despite the fact that the horses belong to the heavy draft group, they have a unique and quite attractive appearance: a beautiful curly mane, huge kind eyes, a high forehead, and graceful ears.
Irish Heavy Draft
The breed is distinguished by its unpretentious character, extreme mobility and enduranceDespite their relatively small size, Irish Heavy Draft horses are renowned for their strength. These horses are now bred and used for both competition and hunting.
Irish draft horses are distinguished by their presentable appearance—they have an even posture, a perfectly straight back, a sloping croup, and a high-set tail. They can be bay, black, gray, red, or any other color, sometimes with white spots. This heavy draft horse has proven itself adept at racing over fairly high obstacles and can easily break into a gallop.
Scottish (Clydesdale)
The breed originated in Scotland and is widespread in the UK. It has excellent driving qualities. walks and trots wellThe build is powerful, with broad bones and strong muscles. To ensure good performance, this breed requires high-quality feed and appropriate housing conditions. The horses' primary colors are black, gray, roan, chestnut, and bay.
Percheron horse: photo
The breed is distinguished by its large size and enormous body mass. Individual specimens have been known to reach over two meters at the withers! Percherons are very elegant and hardy. able to run for several hours straight without stoppingThe breed's recognition and incredible popularity stems from its qualities. These horses combine the most valuable traits of both riding and draft horses.
From Arabian horses, Percherons received the athletic strength of a heavy draft horse and a massive build, along with ease of movement, energy, harmonious build, dry constitution, and nobility.
Horses have a fairly large but graceful head with a straight profile, a wide forehead, beautiful lively eyes, and wide nostrils.
A beautifully shaped neck With a lush mane and a well-developed crest. The chest is deep and wide with well-rounded, short ribs. The back is straight, the croup is slightly forked. The legs are muscular, dry, and have strong joints. The hooves are strong, and the fetlocks are not very pronounced.
Percherons stand 158-175 cm at the withers and weigh 700-900 kg.
These hard-working dogs have a good-natured nature, adapt easily to a variety of living conditions, and are also noted for their robust health. The Percheron's endurance and strength are perfectly complemented by an energetic temperament and remarkable conformation.
Percherons have shown good results in previous draft horse trials. They are capable of trotting long distances with ease. a load weighing as much as 1-2 tons! In Russia, animals of this breed are widely used as circus performers. In their modern form, these horses are bred without hair on their limbs, making them much easier to care for.
Suffolk
These are relatively small horses with a hard-working and patient nature. Their bodies are quite massive, giving their limbs a short appearance. Their coats come in various shades of chestnut: lemon, gold, copper, and others. Characteristic markings of the breed are acceptable: white "socks" or "star" on the forehead.
Horses are very docile and completely non-confrontational, so they can easily be used in hippotherapy and teaching children to ride.
Of course, the need for draft animals today isn't as great as it was, say, at the beginning of the 20th century, but horses of this breed still find use. They are used in remote areas, on kumys farms, private farms, for logging, and in sports and entertainment (circuses, equestrian clubs, etc.). Therefore, the breed still needs to be preserved and further improved.
