Horse breeds are divided into several categories, each of which has certain characteristics. There are horses designed for riding, sports, light-drawn, and the largest horses are heavy trucks. They are used for work in the fields and transportation of goods. These animals are distinguished by their huge size and violent strength and power.
heavy truck
Heavy horses are the largest in the world
There are more than a hundred breeds of heavy draft horses in the world. Some were bred at stud farms through selection, others appeared as a result of uncontrolled crossing of stallions and mares of different breed lines.
Heavy trucks are the largest horses in the world. On average, they weigh 900 kg, but there are individuals whose body weight exceeds a ton. To find out which is the largest horse in the world, it is worth getting acquainted with heavy draft breeds.
Brabanson
The breed was created over the centuries in Belgium. In ancient times, brabancons were worn by knights in heavy armor, and at the beginning of the 19th century, animals were used as helpers in agricultural work. The blood of Ardennes and Flemish horses flows in the veins of these animals.
These are massive strong horses up to 167 cm high and weighing 800-900 kg. They are distinguished by a powerful body and short, dry limbs and large joints. The chest girth of the stallion is 210 cm. The head is compact, broad-browed, the neck is dense with a slight bend. On the lower part of the legs there are lush brushes. The traditional suits of Brabancons are red and bay.
Attention! Belgian heavy trucks have been declared a national treasure of their country.
Arden
The history of horses of the Arden breed is rooted in the distant past. The ancestors of these animals grazed in mountainous areas in the territory of modern Belgium and France. The current representatives of the breed differ from their wild ancestors in appearance, they are noticeably larger and better built, thanks to crossing with Brabancons.
Arden horse
Modern Arden horses are short in stature. The height at the withers of the stallion is 150-160 cm, weight – from 700 to 800 kg. The physique is massive, the limbs are thick and short with large, stable hooves. The chest is rounded, its girth exceeds 200 cm. The croup is muscular, slightly forked, the back is wide. The neck is short, straight, dense. The head is massive, the auricles are small.
Russian heavy truck
The Ardennes are considered the ancestors of the Russian heavy truck. At the beginning of the 1952th century, there were many farms in Russia where horses of Belgian origin were bred. They were crossed with Brabancons to enlarge the breed. Thanks to careful selection of individuals with good traits and subsequent reproduction, it was possible to obtain a completely new breed line. In XNUMX, she was named Russian heavy truck.
Characteristics of horses:
- height – 1,53 m;
- weight – 600-700 kg;
- elongated body;
- barrel chest;
- small head with a wide frontal part;
- the neck is not long, massive with a beautiful bend;
- the back is moderately soft, long with a slight deflection in the lumbar region;
- croup rounded, dense;
- the limbs are thin and sinewy, set correctly;
- the mane is thick.
Colors are characteristic for Russian heavy trucks: red, red-roan, bay, black is less common. The breed is valued for unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention and feed, for strength and endurance. Although this is not the largest horse in the world, it deserves to take its place in the ranking of large breeds.
Vladimir heavy truck
The breed was created with the participation of Shires and Clydesdales, which were crossed with local peasant mares. The horse of the Vladimir heavy truck is the tallest of the Russian heavy-duty pedigree lines. The height at the withers in some stallions reaches 1,7 m, and the chest girth is 1,95-1,98 m.
The Vladimir working horse has a large head with a characteristic convex profile, a long powerful neck, and oblique shoulder blades. The body is elongated, the back is wide and strong, the croup is slightly lowered. The limbs are sinewy, straight, overgrown in the lower part. The Vladimir heavy truck is bay, black, or less often red.
Clydesdale
It is not known for certain how the Clydesdale horse breed originated. According to one version, their ancestors were local Scottish mares and English stallions. During the period of intensive development of agriculture, the breed began to gain popularity, and it was in demand not only in Europe, but also in America and Canada.
Clydesdale horse breed
Clydesdale Exterior Features:
- height 1,8 m;
- weight – 900-1000 kg;
- large head with a slightly humpbacked profile;
- the neck is short, there is a slight bend;
- the withers are wide;
- the chest is powerful, its girth exceeds 2 m;
- croup forked, muscular;
- the limbs are large with well-developed joints;
- there are lush brushes on the legs;
- suits – roan, red, bay, black;
- Clydesdales are characterized by the presence of white marks on the head, abdomen and limbs.
Shayr
The largest horse breed in the world is the Shire. It was created in England in the 18th century. It is believed that the Flemish and Friesian horses had the main influence on the formation of the breed line. The founder of the Shire dynasty was a stallion born in 1846. He was very large, therefore he received the nickname Samson. When he grew up, his height at the withers reached 219 cm, and his weight exceeded one and a half tons.
Shires are large horses with long legs, unlike other heavy trucks. They have a large head with a rather broad forehead and a long, massive, curved neck. The back is short, the croup is rounded with well-visible muscles.
Attention! A feature of the Shires is a bald spot on the head and white marks on the limbs, resembling stockings.
Record holders, famous for their large size
Samson, who lived in the 19th century, later renamed Mammoth, has long since died. No horse could beat the legendary stallion in this category at that time. Today his record is broken.
Samson
Considering the 10 largest horses in the world, one cannot fail to mention Big Jake, a stallion from Belgium. His sperm is worth thousands of dollars, because this horse is a real giant. With a height of 2,17 meters, he weighs 1,6 tons. This is the tallest horse in the world.
The horse Digger of the Shire breed belongs to the royal cavalry. With a height of 1,96 m, he weighs 1200 kg. The stallion is already 12 years old, but he is still growing. It is highly likely that he will be able to set a world record.
A horse named Shire Cracker attracts the attention of tourists and journalists. His height at the withers reached 1,98 m, and his weight is 1 ton 200 kg.
Other record holders:
- Brooklyn Supreme;
- Nordram Lascombe;
- Dr. Le Ger;
- Duke;
- Morocco;
- stallion Po.
Today, the title of the largest horse in the world belongs to Big Jake. However, other horses may also get into the Guinness Book of Records, since selection work is ongoing, new stallions are born.
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