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A draft horse (US) or draught horse (UK), also known as dray horse, carthorse, work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred to be a working animal hauling freight and doing heavy agricultural tasks such as plowing. There are a number of breeds, with varying characteristics, but all share common traits of strength, patience, and a docile ...
In 1976, the Irish Draught Horse Society was founded to preserve the breed, [9] with an external branch in Great Britain emerging in 1979. A horse board, Bord na gCapall, was also founded in 1976 (later resurrected as the Irish Horse Board in 1993), in order to promote the breeding and use of horses other than Thoroughbreds in the country. [2]
The horses have been used throughout history as war horses, both as cavalry mounts and to draw artillery, and are used today mainly for heavy draft and farm work, meat production and competitive driving events. They have also been used to influence or create several other horse breeds throughout Europe and Asia.
After 1918, tractors were rapidly replacing draught horses until the 1930s depression, when renewed interest in them was kindled. By 1950, tractors had virtually replaced the draught horse on rural properties in Australia. [4] The Australian Draught Horse Stud Book Society was established around 1979 to promote these horses and breeding programs.
Between 1950 and 1959, only 25 horses were registered in the United States. However, numbers began to increase, and 121 horses were registered in the US by 1985. [11] A bay-coloured Shire, showing Clydesdale influence in colour and markings. The National Shire Horse Spring Show is held annually and is the largest Shire show in Great Britain. [12]
At this time the breed also became larger, with horses from other French districts being imported to Perche to change the Percheron from a coach horse averaging 1,200–1,400 pounds (540–640 kg) to a draft horse averaging 2,000 pounds (910 kg). [14] The Percheron stud book was created in France in 1893. [1]
The Belgian Draught descends from the heavy farm horses of the region of the Low Countries that is now central Belgium: the Colosse de la Méhaigne [a] from the valley of the Méhaigne in the area of Namur; the Gris de Nivelles et du Hainaut [b], named for Hainaut region and for the city of Nivelles, now in Walloon Brabant; and the Gros de la Dendre [c], named for the Dender river, from East ...
They are also commonly used to improve other breeds through crossbreeding. Today the breed is used as a draft horse on small farms and to gather seaweed. It is also bred for meat production; [5] horse meat is a dietary staple in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. [16]