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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 ...
Colonial Williamsburg acquired its first American Cream Draft horses in 1989 [20] as part of its Rare Breeds program, which began in 1986. [21] In the village, American Creams are used for wagon and carriage rides, and as of 2006, there is a breeding program run by Colonial Williamsburg that is working to increase breed numbers.
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]
With a worldwide population estimated to be only about 500, the cream horse’s status is considered “critical,” the Livestock Conservancy says. The only draft horse developed in America comes ...
The breed is generally branded with a small anchor mark on the left side of the neck. [1] Due mostly to the many additions of Oriental blood, the Boulonnais has an elegant appearance that is not often seen in heavy draft breeds and it has been called "Europe's noblest draft horse". [4]
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.
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]
The Dutch Draft was created in the years after the First World War by cross-breeding the heavy draft mares of the province of Zeeland with Ardennes and Brabant stock from neighbouring Belgium. [ 4 ] : 273 [ 3 ] : 462 Until after the Second World War , it was the most important Dutch horse breed, but with the mechanisation of agriculture , it ...