Heavy horse breeds

Heavy horse breeds do not participate in races and cannot boast of graceful movements. The purpose of these animals is different – they are used to perform hard work and transport goods.

heavy truck

Features of heavy breeds

Heavy horses are not always tall, but have a strong physique. They have powerful limbs, a thick neck, a broad back, and a large chest. The main quality of such breeds is strength.

Before the development of mechanization, heavy draft horses were used for field work and for transporting goods. Today, most of these breeds are endangered.

Heavy trucks in Russia

Agriculture flourished in the XNUMXth century. At that time, there was a need for strong horses. It was not affordable for rural residents to buy heavy trucks from Europe. Then, on the basis of foreign breeds – Percheron horses, Shires, Clydesdales and Brabancons, domestic heavy draft horses were bred.

Vladimir breed

This breed line was created at the end of the XNUMXth century on the basis of Clydesdale stallions from England. Selection work was carried out for several years, and the breed received recognition at the beginning of the XNUMXth century.

English draft stallions were crossed with local draft mares, which had the best qualities – endurance, adaptability to the harsh climate and the Russian food supply. The foals that were born inherited strength, power, a beautiful physique and turned out to be adapted to local conditions.

Vladimir heavy trucks are tall and massive. Their main characteristics:

• height – 1,7 m;
• long dense back, strong lower back;
• big head;
• slightly convex profile;
• croup dense, lowered;
• the limbs are powerful, covered with long hair from below;
• the hair in the mane and tail is thick;
• the suit is predominantly bay, black representatives are less common.

Vladimir heavy horses

Vladimir heavy horses, despite their rough appearance, show a kind and docile disposition. The main direction of use of this breed today is equestrian tourism.

Russian draft horse

This breed is a descendant of the Belgian Ardennes and Percherons. It is valued higher than the Soviet and Vladimir heavy trucks, thanks to its unpretentiousness and endurance. Russian heavy draft mares produce a lot of milk, from which koumiss is prepared.

Characteristics of the breed:

• height – 1,5 m;
• the girth of the pastern in stallions is 21 cm;
• the neck is short, dense;
• the back is elongated, wide, the line of the loin is straight;
• limbs of medium length, strong, overgrown in the lower part;
• the mane is thick;
• suits – bay, red.

Now the Russian heavy truck is less often used in field work, but it has proven itself well in equestrian tourism. These horses can carry children and adults in the saddle for hours without showing any temper.

Soviet heavy truck

The breed was obtained by absorption crossing of the Bityug with Brabancon, Percheron, Arden and Suffolk. She is taller than the others. The height at the withers of an adult stallion reaches 1,7 m, while the individual weighs 700–1000 kg. The advantages of the breed line are:

• early maturity of the young;
• unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention and feed;
• high milk yield of mares.

Breed Soviet heavy trucks

Soviet heavy trucks are calm and peaceful animals. Foals are characterized by rapid growth. Until the age of three, they are used to perform hard work, after which they are used as producers.

Exterior description:

• medium-sized head, dry;
• the neck is not long, very dense;
• the back is massive, wide;
• the chest is powerful, the ribs are rounded;
• limbs are strong, stable, short;
• hair in the mane and tail of medium density;
• suit bay, red.

Other draft horses

Many European breeds of heavy draft horses have influenced the development of domestic ones, so it’s worth getting to know them better.

Belgian Brabancon

The ancestors of the Brabancons are the Ardennes and the Flemish horses. The Belgians can rightfully be proud of their offspring, as today this breed line is considered the best among all heavy trucks in the world.

Exterior:

• height up to 165 cm;
• small head;
• strong wide neck;
• rounded deep chest;
• powerful back and sacrum;
• downed croup with well-defined muscles;
• legs dry and strong, short, with correct setting and strong hooves;
• suits – bay, brown, and also red-roan.

The main advantages of the breed are early maturation, milk production of mares, a long period of use in reproduction and unpretentiousness.

Attention! The breed had only one significant drawback – the concave line of the sacrum. Breeders managed to eliminate this hereditary defect.

Clydesdale

These horses were created in Scotland, the blood of native wild horses and Flemish stallions flows in their veins. Horses are distinguished by a harmonious physique. Breed characteristics:

Clydesdale breed

• long straight neck;
• compact head with a narrowed frontal part;
• nostrils wide;
• the eyes are large and expressive;
• shortened wide back;
• compact relief croup;
• limbs of medium length, sinewy, overgrown below the hocks;
• bay suit.

Attention! The Clydesdale breed is characterized by the presence of white markings on the lower legs.

Percheron

The heavy-duty percheron breed comes from France. It is believed that the blood of Boulogne, Breton and Arab ancestors flows in the veins of these horses. Despite their large size, animals are distinguished by graceful easy movement and unprecedented dexterity.

Exterior feature:

• height at the withers reaches 1,62 m;
• powerful chest, girth 1,97 m;
• metacarpus – 23–24 cm;
• a head with a broad slightly protruding forehead and a blunt nose;
• ears are elongated;
• nostrils large;
• the neck is short, powerful;
• croup compact rounded;
• low tail set;
• the back is wide, but short, strong;
• legs are very powerful with large joints;
• the color is predominantly gray in different variations.

Percherons are smart, flexible and hardy horses. Today they are used in the circus, as well as for horseback riding in tourism. In rural areas, they are excellent helpers in the field. Stallions are often used to improve the characteristics of other breed lines.

Horse Percheron

Shayr

This breed is recognized as one of the oldest among heavy drafts. She hails from England. During the Crusades, horses were used for military purposes, and later they began to be used as draft horses. In the XVIII century Shires were involved in the agricultural sector. In the post-war period, the breed was on the verge of extinction, like many others. Now they are trying to revive it.

Characteristic:

• height – 1,80 m (some representatives are higher than 2 m);
• large head with a wide frontal part;
• long and muscular neck;
• low withers;
• massive wide chest;
• the sacrum is powerful, dense;
• the croup is rounded;
• limbs of medium length, strong;
• suits – bay, gray, red and black;
• the Shire breed is characterized by a bald head and white “stockings” on the hind limbs.

Reference. The working horse Shire has a balanced character and a subtle mind, and it is also famous for its soft gait.

Almost all draft horse breeds found themselves in a sad state when the age of mechanization began. It was only thanks to modern enthusiasts that these horses were saved. Today they demonstrate their power by participating in exhibitions and trials.