Draft horses are typically large, muscular horses that were created by breeders for handbook labor. Draft horse Breed is a term that implies to pull or draw a cart. This tells you what the animal’s purpose is. These horses are strong, patient, and easygoing. You’re here because you want to purchase a draft horse to add to your farm.
We have compiled a extensive list of horses after doing comprehensive research. So you can make informed purchases, we’ll show you pictures and give you some information about each horse.
Draft horse Breed for Work
1. American cream Draft Horse
American cream Draft, a workhorse that hails from the United States, is a rare find. The distinct champagne-colored gold of the American cream Draft is what provides it its name.
The breed’s demand declined as technology in agriculture improved during the 20th century. Today, its population is very low.
Height: 18-19.5 inches (6-6.5 feet).
Weight: 1,500 – 2,200 pounds
2. Ardennes
The Ardennes can be traced back to ancient Rome. You’ll be able to see why the breed survived all these years by taking a look at its muscular body. It is a native of lands with dense forests, rolling hills, ridges, and other hilly terrains.
It was typically used as a military horse by its owners, but its strength makes it an outstanding farmhand.
Height: 18-19.5 inches (6-6.5 feet).
Weight: 1,500 – 2,200 pounds
3. Belgian Draft Horse
Belgian Draft is a strong horse breed that originated in Belgium. This horse is typically kept by its owners as a farmhand. It can also pull carts and plough. This horse is the most well-known draft horse in America and is a terrific choice for anybody searching for a flexible and powerful horse.
Height: 16.5-19.5 inches (5.5-6.5 feet).
Weight: 1,800 – 2,200 pounds
4. Horses from Clydesdale
Clydesdale horses are a large breed, typically standing over 6 feet tall. The mane that falls above the hooves is a sign of its size. The Clydesdale horse has altered over time and is now smaller than their forefathers.
These horses are typically paraded by their owners, and numerous people will recognize them for being Budweiser horses.
Height: 18-21 (6-7 feet).
Weight: 1,900 – 2,700 pounds
Also see: Belgian horse Vs. Clydesdale – What’s the Difference
5. Friesian Horse
The Netherlands is the origin of the Friesian horse. It is agile and graceful, and it has a mane that hangs over its hooves much like the Clydesdale. It was a common horse that carried armor-bearing knights, and people today use modern Friesian horses to ride as well as for farm work.
Height: 18-21 (6-7 feet).
Weight: 1,900 – 2,700 pounds
6. Fjord Horse
Norway’s Fjord draft horse has a distinct appearance. It is medium-sized with a long, arched neck. It has a thick mane that is typically trimmed to accent its neck.
Height: 18-21 (6-7 feet).
Weight: 1,900 – 2,700 pounds
7. Haflinger Horse
The Haflinger, a horse from Austria or northern Italy, is the Haflinger. This horse is one of the smaller draft horses. They are small but have lots of energy and can be ridden. They sport a gorgeous chestnut coat.
Height: 13.5-15 fingers (4.5-5 feet).
Weight: 800 – 1,300 pounds
8. Irish Draft Horse
The Irish Draft is an outstanding worker who is very confident on its feet. The 12th century is the time it was born. This horse is mainly used by its owners for showjumping.
Because the Irish Draft is mainly fed by grazing, it is very popular with southern ranchers, where the fields are year-round.
Height: 15-18 inches (5-6 feet).
Weight: 1,300 – 1,400 pounds
9. Percheron Draft
Percheron, a French draft horse, is typically colored grey or black. However, it can also display multiple patterns. It is a large horse with small eyes and ears.
It is one of the most popular draft horses in America, with 75% of its total population. It is still very popular in France, where the Percheron is used for food and work.
Height: 15-18 inches (5-6 feet).
Weight: 1,600 – 2,300 pounds
10. Shire Draft
Shire horses are a large breed, which can be colored either black, grey, or bay. This horse was used by owners to pull delivery vehicles. These horses are now used for plowing and riding. These horses are rare, unfortunately.
Height: 16-19 inches (5.3-6.3 feet).
Weight: 1,800 – 2,500 pounds
11. Suffolk Punch
The Suffolk Punch horse is an English horse of chestnut color. It is energetic and strong enough to do numerous tasks on the farm.
Although it was very popular in the early 20th century, its numbers are declining steadily and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has designated it critical.
Height: 15-18 inches (5-6 feet).
Weight: 1,975 – 2,425 pounds
Modern times have less demand for horses to work, and they are less common than ever before. There are still numerous spectacular examples of these majestic animals, so we’ll be taking a look at 15 draft horses that we think are the best or many interesting.
Famous work & Draft horse Breeds
1. Shire horse for Work
The Shire is an English draft horse breed. Stallions usually measure 17.2 hands (178cm, 70.5in at the withers).
It has outstanding pulling power and was used originally for road haulage and farm work.
As railways became much more common, and especially as mechanized farming was introduced, the breed began to decline. The Shire horse has seen a revival in the 1970s and is a valued part of English rural and agricultural culture.
Traditional utilizes of Shire horses were to pull carts that provided beer from breweries. This practice is no longer common, but a few breweries in the UK still use it, and continue to deliver beer by horse-drawn wagon.
One of the largest horses ever recorded is a Shire gelded named Samson, whose name was altered to Mammoth after he reached his legendaryly enormous heights.
2. Suffolk Punch
The Suffolk Punch, also known by the “Suffolk Horse”, is an English breed. It was bred in Suffolk. It is smaller and much more stocky than Shire breeds, measuring 16.2-17.2 inches (165-178cm; 56-70in). It is chestnut in color (traditionally “chesnut”).
This breed was originally bred to farm work. It is hardy and has a terrific temperament. This breed is also simpler to care for than similar horses and needs less feed.
The Suffolk Punch, a 16th-century breed of draft horse, is still recognized today. It is currently very rare and is classified as “critical” by UK rare Breeds Survival Trust.
3. Clydesdale
Clydesdale is where the Clydesdale breed originated. This was the original name of what is now the county Lanarkshire in Scotland. The breed was thought to have originated from Flemish stallions being bred with local mares in order to improve their stature. Shire blood was added to the breed in the 19th century.
Clydesdales can stand 16-18 hands (162-183cm; 63.5-72in), but they are taller and much more powerful than their predecessors. Clydesdales are usually bay-colored with feathering around their legs. However, other colors are available.
With the introduction of mechanized farming, the breed suffered a major decline and was at risk of extinction. They are now a very popular carriage horse or parade and are used in public relations by Anheuser-Busch, the American brewery.
4. Irish Draught
The Irish Draught is the product of centuries of breeding. This included crossing the Irish pastime with AngloNorman war horses, Iberian breeds and Clydesdales with Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbreds, Connemara Ponies, and Clydesdales.
It is flexible and can be used for numerous purposes.
In order to create a variety of sport horses, this horse is typically crossbred with Thoroughbreds and warm-bloods. This practice is endangering the survival of the breed as numerous breeders focus on breeding sport horses, while ignoring mares that can produce purebred horses to continue the line.
5. Dutch Draft
The Dutch Draft is a muscular, large and stocky horse. It was established in the early 20th-century after the end the first world War. It was once the most popular Dutch draft horse breed. However, just like numerous other breeds it fell into decline after the second world War.
It has a calm temperament and is very strong. It has heavy feathering around the legs.
6. Friesian
The Friesian, another Dutch breed, is one of the much more graceful and lighter draft horses. Although they are typically black, there are also bay and chestnut varieties. They can stand between 14.2 to 17 hands (147-173cm; 58-68in), but their average height is 15.3 hands (1160cm)
They are flexible horses that can be used in both harness and under saddle. This is especially true in dressage. They aren’t suggested for heavy work such as farming because of their small frame.
7. Ardennes Horse
The Ardennes horse is an old breed. It is one of the oldest modern draft horse breeds. As the name implies, it comes from the Ardennes region in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
These horses were once used by the Roman army. The descendants of the original stock have been used throughout history as war horses, both to pull artillery and as mounts.
Stallions are relatively small and stocky, with a height of around 16 hands (162cm, 63.5in). They are used in agriculture, forestry, and leisure. This breed is typically bred for its meat.
8. Jutland Horse
The Jutland Horse, which is based in Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula, is many likely a descendant of a horse breed that was used by Viking raiders during the 9th Century.
Modern Jutland was created by crossbreeding horses with other horses. It has been around because the late 19th Century.
Although these horses were initially used on farms, they are now much more common in horse shows. To deliver beer around Copenhagen, the Carlsberg Brewery still utilizes Jutland Horses.
Jutland Horses can be quite short and stocky at 15-16.1 inches (152-165cm, 60-65in). They are known for their calm temperament and chestnut color. There are only about 1000 purebred Jutland Horses left.
9. South German Coldblood Horse
The South German Coldblood horse breed is found primarily in Bavaria, southern Germany. Although it is closely related to the Noriker horse from Austria, the two breeds can be considered distinct.
This breed has a distinct characteristic: it can display “leopard complex patterns” – it’s one of few horse breeds that allows this.
10. Percheron horse for Work
The Percheron is one of the most well-known French draft horse breeds. It was born in France’s Huisne valley, which is also known as Perche. This horse’s name comes from the region.
This breed’s ancestors were war horses. The Arabian blood was introduced to the bloodline in the early 19th century. After that, stallions from France were brought in to expand the breed’s size, making it a draft horse instead of a trainer horse.
This breed was a popular choice in America before the second world War. It accounted for 70% of all draft horses in the US. The enhanced use of technology in agriculture and a decreased need for horses to work after the war led to a decline in the number of these horses.
Percherons in France measure between 15.1 to 18.1 hands (155-185cm; 61-73in). Percherons are usually gray-black in color and are still extensively used as a workhorse. They are popular in show jumping and compete in shows. They are also increased for their meat in France.
11. Brabant horse for Work
The Belgian, along with the Clydesdale, the Shire and the Percheron were the main breeds of draft horses in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a strong breed that originated in Belgium’s Brabant region.
This horse’s name is somewhat misleading. Brabant horses and Belgian horses were one breed in the past. The names could have been interchangeably.
After the second world war ended, the Belgian horses in America and Brabant horses Europe differed. The Americans were taller and much more agile, while European horses were selected for their strength and stockiness.
Today, they are considered two distinct breeds. The Belgian horse is an American horse, while the European horse is called “Brabant”. The two breeds are close in numerous ways and share numerous similarities.
American Belgians usually stand between 16.2 to 17 hands (168-173cm 66-68in), and are light chestnut colored.
They are still used for their work, but they are now used as pleasure horses and show horses. Brabants are typically increased for their meat.
12. North Swedish Horse
The North Swedish Horse, a small, but sturdy horse that is strong and durable, was originally developed for agricultural and forestry work.
They are known for their generosity and good character.
They are also highly valued for their health, which allows them to live longer in the severe climate of northern Europe.
Like practically all draft horses, North Swedish Horses are less needed for modern agricultural work. They are used for leisure and harness racing.
13. Fjord Horse
The Fjord Horse, another Scandinavian horse breed, is a Norwegian breed originating in the west region of Norway. It is an incredibly helpful breed because of its quick feet. This flexible animal can be used for numerous other purposes, including pulling, plowing, driving, and riding.
Although the Fjord horse is only 13.1-14.3 hands (53-59in) and steps roughly 135-150cm in height, its strength is outstanding despite its small stature. The Fjord horse is a gentle, friendly horse that is prepared to work.
Fjord horses are mostly brown dun, although four other colors have been officially recognized. The Fjord horse naturally has a long mane. However, this is typically cut to ease grooming and to highlight the neck’s musculature.
This breed is regarded as one of the oldest in the world and closely related to Przewalski’s Horse, a central Asian native that is believed to be the last wild horse to survive. another breed used by Vikings was the Fjord Horse.
14. Russian heavy Draft
The Russian heavy Draft, a horse with a small but outstanding strength, was established in Russia in the second half of the 19th century.
It