Heavy horse 5. Heavy horses, what are they? Russian breeds of draft horses

11.05.202027.05.2017

Draft horses are a breed of large and strong horses whose purpose is to transport heavy loads.

The need for very strong horses arose in the Middle Ages: not every horse was able to withstand a knight in full armor, much less carry it. The knightly war horses of the Middle Ages were called "destrie", which comes from the Latin "dextarius" - right-handed (apparently, the name is due to the fact that the knight's squire was usually on the right side of the war horse). The weight of the destrie could reach 800-1000 kg. or more, and a height of 175-200 cm. With such a mass, the destriers could not jump and overcome obstacles, and they also got tired quickly.

Several claim origins from medieval war horses. modern breeds heavyweights, for example, Percherons (French heavyweights), Brabançons (Belgian heavyweights), shires (English heavyweights).

Percheron draft horse

Draft horse Belgian breed(Brabançon)

Shire draft horse

A Shire stallion named Sampson, born in England in 1846, holds the title of "most big horse in history." Sampson, who at the age of 4 received a new nickname "Mammoth" (Mammoth), was 2 meters 20 cm tall and weighed 1520 kg. Unfortunately, there are no images, let alone photographs of Sampson, but you can look at photographs of other giant horses of heavy breeds:

Morocco from the Percheron breed. Height 215 cm, weight 1285 kg.

Brooklyn Supreme is a Brabançon breed. Height 195 cm, weight 1450 kg.

Russia has its own heavy horse breeds: Russian heavy horse, Soviet heavy horse, Vladimir heavy horse.

The Russian draft horse breed was formed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by crossing breeds of draft horses and small draft horses - Ardennes, which were exported from Belgium. For the most part, the Belgian Ardennes were of a disharmonious build. In Russia, under the influence of selection, ardenas acquired a harmonious build and good exterior forms. In 1900, at the World Exhibition in Paris, Russian Ardennes attracted everyone's attention as a completely unique breed of work horses. One of the best was the brown stallion of the Khrenovsky stud farm Karavai (born in 1887) who received gold medal. The Russian Draft breed was registered in 1952. Russian draft horses are short and usually reach 150 cm at the withers, but they are very strong. Mares of the Russian draft breed are distinguished by high milk production. The maximum productivity was obtained from the Lukoshka mare - 4870 liters of milk over 305 days of lactation.

The initial genealogical structure of the breed was formed under the predominant influence of two ancestors of the lines - Karaul (born 1909) and Larchik (born 1918), with Karaul and his descendants playing the leading role for many years.

Photos of Russian heavy trucks:

The Soviet heavyweight breed was formed by crossing Belgian working horses - Brabançons with local draft horses of various origins (crosses of Percherons, Ardennes, Bityugs). The import of Brabançons from Belgium to Russia began in the second half of the 19th century. The main role in the formation of the breed was played by the successful breeding of Brabançon stallions: Beaujeu (born 1919), Endijen de Laval (born 1923), Clairon Remy (born 1910) and Paulin de Vere (1921). .r.). Gradually, a new breed of horses was created, significantly different from the Brabançons. These horses were much drier, more harmonious, more agile and somewhat smaller than Brabançons. New breed received the name "Soviet heavyweight" and was registered in 1952. The height of Soviet heavyweight stallions is greater than that of Russian heavyweights and reaches 160-170 cm. Weight reaches 700-1000 kg.

The absolute record for carrying capacity among horses of this breed was set by the six-year-old stallion Force, who carried a load weighing 22,991 kg. at a distance of 35 meters. Mares of the Soviet draft breed are distinguished by exceptionally high milk production. The maximum productivity was obtained from the mare Rowan - 6173 liters over 338 days of lactation.

The greatest influence on the development of the breed was exerted by the stallion Boje - the founder of the leading line, which was developed through his great-great-grandsons - Omul and Phenomenon, the founders of new modern lines. Important role The breed also includes the Flutist, Cowboy and Jasmine lines.

Photos of Soviet heavy trucks:

Another heavyweight breed in Russia is the Vladimir heavyweight. Horses of this breed were developed by crossing local Russian horses with heavy draft breeds from Great Britain - Scottish Clydesdales and English Shires. The greatest role in the formation of the breed was played by Clydesdales, of which the most valuable were Lord James (born 1910), Border Brand (born 1910) and Glen Albin (born 1923), who became the main founders of the breed.

On average, Vladimir draft stallions are 165 cm tall at the withers and weigh 758 kg. In height, weight and strength, Vladimir heavy trucks are inferior to Soviet heavy trucks, but surpass them in the “weight - speed - endurance” ratio. Without a load, the Vladimir draft horse is so fast that, despite its great bulk, many representatives of the breed can trot 1600 m in 3 minutes. With a load of 1.5 tons, the Vladimir heavy truck can trot a distance of 2 km in 5 minutes or even faster. The Vladimir mare Hungarian covered 420 meters with a load of 9 tons.

Photos of Vladimir heavy trucks:

Today, the draft horse breed is one of the most popular among horse breeders around the world. These animals are distinguished by their extraordinary endurance, large size and power. The breed was bred specifically to create an ideal assistant for humans in transporting heavy loads and participating in agricultural work.

Types of heavy trucks and their descriptions

There is a world several breeds of draft horses, from which the following can be distinguished:

Suffolk;
Irish;
Vladimirsky;
Shire;
Bityug;
Australian;
Belgian draft;
Soviet.

Horse breed: Soviet heavy truck has a number of advantages necessary for the animal to perform heavy work physical work. In addition to the fact that this cute horse is very hardy and hardworking, she also brings a lot of milk. The Soviet heavy truck appeared as a result of crossing draft horses and Brabançons. The blood of these cute creatures also contains genes of Suffolk, Arden, Percheron horses and Bityuk.

In the 19th century, Barbançons were brought to Russia as workhorses, however, they did not tolerate the changeable climate and bad weather conditions very well. Based on this, the management of the Mordovian and Pochinkovsky stud farms made a decision to improve the qualities of the breed and create a new Soviet variety, which was officially recognized in 1952.

These beautiful horses have huge physical strength , flexible character and do not require special conditions of detention.

The Soviet heavy truck, in turn, is divided into several subspecies:

weighted;
basic;
lightweight.

Shire

The horse of this breed is distinguished by the heaviest weight - up to 1225 kg and height - 185 cm at the withers. The Shire's homeland is England. It is believed that the ancestors of the breed were the famous knightly war horses. In the 16th century, shires were used in military affairs, and somewhat later (18th century) they were used as draft force in agriculture.

Representatives of the breed were famous for their impressive size, powerful physique and speed. The color of shires can be different: gray, karak, bay, black, etc.

Belgian draft horse

This horse played an important role in the development of such breeds as Clydesdale and Suffolk horses, as well as shires. The second name of the modern Belgian breed is Brabançon. The height at the withers can reach 172 cm. There are red, bay-roan, red-red and other colors.

Representatives of the breed have powerful muscles, which helps them maintain performance for a long time. Brabançons are quite unpretentious in care and are distinguished by enviable health. The Belgian draft horse can boast of its longevity and calm nature.

Australian draft horses are the result of crossing Shires, Clydesdales, Suffolks and Percherons. These are very friendly animals that easily get used to doing hard work. Australians do well both in harness and under saddle. Horse color can be plain or spotted. The legs have a medium degree of hair, the mane and tail are also of medium thickness. The horse's height is from 170 cm, the weight of Australian heavyweights is 600-900 kg.

Bityug

Currently, the breed, unfortunately, has not survived. However, in ancient times, horses were highly valued in peasant farms and were famous for their excellent hard work. The stallions were relatively short in stature (158 cm), but were distinguished by their endurance and enormous capacity for work. The breed appeared as a result of the selection of trotters and Russian draft horses.

Horse of the Vladimir heavy draft breed: photo

The breed was bred in Russia. The average height of a horse is 165 cm at the withers, weight is about 750 kg. The color can be red, bay, black. This very unpretentious animal, capable of living both in a herd and in a stud farm. From his ancestors (Clydesdales and Shires), the Vladimir heavyweight inherited some body features, large stature, strong hair on the legs and an abundance of white spots. The body is dense, however, this does not interfere with the smooth and graceful movements of the animal.

The Vladimir heavy truck often takes part in various competitions. Horses have excellent breeding qualities and are used in livestock farms not only as draft power, but also to improve the gene pool of the herd.

Vladimir heavy trucks are absolute record holders for delivering cargo at a trot. The Vladimir breed is distinguished from other large heavy-duty breeds by its energy and extreme mobility.

Boulogne heavy truck

Representatives of this breed are famous for their beauty and grace. They easily transition from running to trotting, and their movements are fast and perfect. Boulognes has two subspecies - small and large. Larger horses are used mainly for harness racing and, unfortunately, in the meat industry (meat products, sausages, etc.). The second type of these beautiful horses has practically disappeared. The average height of a horse is 170 cm, weight is 700-900 kg.

Despite the fact that the horses belong to the group of heavy draft horses, they have a unique, quite attractive appearance: a beautiful curly mane, huge kind eyes, a high forehead, and graceful ears.

Irish draft horse

The breed is distinguished by its unpretentious character, extreme mobility and endurance. Despite their relatively small size, Irish draft horses are famous for their strength. Now these horses are bred and used both for competitions and for hunting.

The Irish are distinguished by their presentable appearance - they have an even posture, a perfectly straight back, a sloping croup with a high-set tail. They can be bay, black, gray, red or another color, sometimes with white spots. The heavy horse showed itself well in running with fairly high obstacles, and can easily go into a gallop.

Scottish (Clydesdale)

The breed was bred in Scotland and is widespread in the UK. Has excellent driving characteristics, walks and trots well. The physique is powerful with wide bones and strong muscles. To ensure good performance, representatives of this breed require high-quality feed and appropriate living conditions. The main colors of horses: black, gray, roan, red, bay.

Percheron horse: photo

The breed is distinguished by its large dimensions and enormous body weight. There are individual specimens that reach more than two meters at the withers! Percherons are very elegant and hardy, able to run without stopping for several hours in a row. The breed gained recognition and incredible popularity thanks to its qualities. These horses combine well the most valuable features of both riding and draft horses.

From Arabian horses, Percherons received the athletic strength of a heavy draft horse and a massive physique at the same time with ease of movement, energy, harmonious build, dry constitution and nobility.

Horses have a rather large but graceful head with a straight profile, wide forehead, beautiful lively eyes, and wide nostrils.

Neck beautiful shape with a lush mane and a well-developed comb. The chest is deep and wide with rounded short ribs. The back is straight, the croup is slightly forked. The legs are muscular, dry with strong joints. The hooves are strong, the brushes on the legs are poorly defined.

The height of Percherons is 158-175 cm at the withers, weight 700-900 kg.

These hard workers have a good-natured character, they easily adapt to different conditions residence, and are also distinguished by good health. The Percheron's endurance and strength are perfectly complemented by its energetic temperament and remarkable exterior.

In previous tests of heavy draft horses, Percherons showed good results. They are easily able to trot over long distances cargo weighing as much as 1-2 tons! In Russia, animals of this breed are widely used as circus performers. IN modern form horses are bred without hair on their limbs, which makes caring for them much easier.

Suffolk

These are relatively small horses with a hard-working and patient character. The body is quite massive, so the limbs visually appear short. The color can be different shades of chestnut: lemon, gold, copper and others. The following markings characteristic of the breed are acceptable: white “socks” or “star” on the forehead.

Horses are very easy-going and completely non-conflict, so they can easily be used in hippotherapy and teaching children horse riding.

Of course, in our time the need for live draft power is not as great as, for example, at the beginning of the 20th century, however, horses of this breed are still used today. They are used in hard-to-reach places where people live, on koumiss farms, private farmsteads, logging, as well as in the sports and entertainment sector (circus, horse riding sections, etc.). Therefore the breed still needs to preserve the gene pool and further improve it.

Horses have been used by humans since time immemorial. Without them it was impossible to travel long distances, plow a field, or transfer loads. Today, horses are rarely used for such work, but new breeds continue to be created. We freeze in admiration at the sight of a herd of horses. And we are amazed not only by the handsome trotters, graceful and graceful, but also by the heavy horses. These good-natured animals do not require special conditions of detention; they are hardy and strong and have a special feature.

In Russia, draft horse breeds began to be created late - only in Soviet times. There was little equipment, and there was a need for massive draft horses for heavy work. They were indispensable in agriculture; they were used as draft power. The freight horse was more valuable than ever.

Buying horses abroad was expensive. In addition, imported animals often died: getting used to the climatic conditions, poor maintenance and low-quality feed was not easy. And they needed working horses that could withstand difficult conditions.

Vladimir heavy truck

The first was the Vladimir heavy truck, developed by consolidation Russian breeds foreign heavyweights. The Vladimir breed was officially recognized after the Second World War, although it began serving people much earlier.

Vladimir heavy truck

The pedigree of these horses contains well-known ancestors; genes from different breeds are mixed in the blood. The Vladimir heavy truck is characterized by:

Large head with a convex profile;
Muscular and dry physique;
Wide croup;
Long hair on legs;
Bay color.

Horses of the Vladimir breed are characterized by hard work and vital energy. They are distinguished by early maturity and fertility. The stallions are distinguished by their heroic power, visual attractiveness, and wide gait. This is a real horse tractor. Therefore, the Vladimir heavy truck is still one of the well-known and preserved breeds.

Vladimir heavy truck

Vladimir heavy trucks exceed Soviet ones in terms of: weight - speed - endurance. Without a load, the Vladimir heavy truck resembles a trotter; it can trot 1600m in 3 minutes. With a load of 1.5 tons, this breed is capable of covering a distance of 2 km in 5 minutes.

Russian breed

Russian breed of horses

The Russian breed was obtained by crossing imported, foreign animals. Taking into account the difficult post-war conditions and lack of feed, a different climate, Russian heavy trucks turned out to be agile and hardy. They were distinguished by harmonious proportions and beautiful forms. The breed was obtained by crossing draft horses with small heavyweights from Belgium. Russian draft horses have the following features:

Dry and strong build, squat;
Red color;
Developed chest and wide withers;
The head is light and dry on a long, curved neck;
The mane and tail are thick.

Despite its small height (up to 150cm), the breed is strong and resilient. They are distinguished by their balance, which is combined with energy. Used in agriculture. Undemanding to feed and living conditions.

The youngest breed of domestic selection is the Soviet heavy truck, characterized by powerful dimensions and high milk production. Gradual selection and crossing with Western European forms helped breeding farms develop a horse whose name is associated with Soviet times.

Soviet horse breed

The basis of the breed was the famous Belgian draft horses. It has the following features:

Strong physique;
Color red or bay;
Wide and muscular body with powerful chest;
Smooth and wide back;
Moderate fouling of the mane, brush and tail;
Smooth head profile.

Soviet heavy draft stallions are characterized by their large size. These are huge horses, weighing up to a ton. The mare weighs 650 kg. They are characterized by precocity and fertility.

Soviet breed boar reaches 650 kg

The Soviet heavy truck is balanced and has a calm disposition and moves quickly. They are characterized by a slight clubfoot, which is not found in other breeds. They serve people for about 3 years (agricultural work), then most often they are used as producers.

The recommended period for using Soviet breeds in agricultural work is 3 years

Horse competitions with the participation of these breeds, including the Soviet heavy draft, began to be held during the times of the USSR. The speed of delivery of goods at a walk and trot, endurance and traction power of the horse were assessed. Today such competitions are held abroad. But other indicators are also included in the assessment of the breed, for example, exterior and constitution, character and contact with humans.

Breeds of foreign selection

Heavyweights have been used in European countries since time immemorial. They are revered, proud of them, and the history of their breeding began long before the breeds began to be officially recognized. They have spread all over the world, and their blood is used to breed new breeds and strengthen the positive qualities of existing ones. Some of the long-bred breeds are still popular today.

Percheron is a breed that the French obtained by crossing Arabian horses with local horse representatives. The result was beautiful and hardworking horses, which are characterized by:

Gray, sometimes black in color,
The physique is dry and large,
Strong legs
Elongated back and powerful croup,
Long neck and lush mane,
Height 1.7 m at the withers.

Percheron horse

A beautiful horse is kind and obedient in character. It is distinguished by enormous strength and energy.

Shires

Shire horse

The Shires became the ancestors of the Brabançons, who were brought to England in the 12th century. This is one of the oldest heavy draft breeds. At first it was used exclusively for military purposes, and when the wars ended, they began to be used for peaceful purposes in the fields of England. They are distinguished by their powerful and majestic forms. The breed was modified by order of the King of England, who required horses more than 1.5 m in height. They have:

Huge weight up to 1-1.2t,
Large height – 1.78 m,
Powerful and deep chest,
Lush friezes from the hocks,
Black or bay color with spots on different parts of the body.

Brabacons are also an ancient breed of horses that became the ancestors of modern varieties.

Brabacon horse

They are characterized by harmonious and proportional forms that have been preserved over the centuries. The breed comes in red and bay colors.

Brabaçon mare and foal

Horses mature quickly, easily get used to new conditions, and are undemanding when it comes to feed. In weight and height they differ little from shires. The exterior is complemented developed muscles and a dry constitution. And given their flexible nature and excellent performance, there is no need to talk about their popularity.

Heavy draft horses were created for the purpose of hard work in the fields or in harness. These working horses are strong and resilient, they were used as heavy transport, transporting loads over long distances, moving at a steady trot.

Working on a horse in the field

Times have changed, and loads are transported by transport and a heavy workhorse is no longer needed. But these strong and stately animals have not lost their former popularity, although they are not in demand as much as before. They are used:

In rural areas for transporting goods, for obtaining milk and meat;
In urban conditions, there is an active restoration of breeds: they have found application in sports, shows and the tourism business;
The historical places of Europe are perfectly complemented by draft horses. They create a special flavor, attracting tourists.

Breeding Features

The population (number) of horses of these breeds has suffered greatly, since since the mid-20th century, heavy horses have lost their intended purpose and are no longer in demand. Domestic breeds have survived only thanks to amateur enthusiasts.

Breeding farms have a breeding program, where they continue to work on creating new and preserving old breeds. In Europe, the state allocates money for these purposes; in our country, horses are preserved mainly in private collections, but this will not stop breeders.

Breeding draft horses is simpler than other types of horses. They adapt to different conditions, being unpretentious. Fertile: the mare gives birth to one foal, but can bear newborns from 3 to 20 years of age. Therefore, the number of foals born from one horse is quite large.

Video: heavy trucks. Difference from riding horses

Large and kind horses deserve to be preserved and multiplied. These beautiful and proud animals must take their place in the modern world. Therefore, work on their breeding is not stopped by the difficult situation in the country or financial difficulties.

The draft horse is a large animal with a thick neck, muscular body and legs, and is a representative of heavy breeds. Main task: transporting bulk cargo, performing arable and other types of rural work.

The draft horse has a powerful neck, muscular body and legs, which helps it transport large loads

Giant horses do not look as dry and graceful as their “warm-blooded” counterparts. But these horses have an excellent disposition and have a number of other positive qualities, due to which they are still in demand worldwide among many horsemen.

Many “cold-blooded” horses look quite massive compared to “warm-blooded” horse breeds. They are almost never used in equestrian disciplines, since they are not endowed with flexible movements due to their stocky body constitution. However, many horse lovers are attracted to these animals by the following characteristics:

Softness of gait. "Tyazhiki" are not capable of fast movements, high jumps and performing the fine elements of dressage. However, the gait, step-trot-gallop (a career for “heavies” is virtually impossible due to the weight of the body and the thickness of the legs) is very comfortable for the rider. Despite the fact that heavy trucks are tall and large, they are comfortable to ride. When moving, their body is not able to rise high above the ground, therefore, the shaking in the saddle will never be strong.
Dimensions. The draft horse, like many other breeds, has its ancestors. In the Middle Ages, mainly in European countries, the ancestors of heavy draft horses were mostly considered knightly horses, and only then - heavy draft horses for farmers. In ancient feudal times, these large horses were called “destrie” (dextarius), which translated from Latin means “right-handed.” Perhaps the heavy horse giant received this name because right side the warrior, who was mounted on a horse, was accompanied by his personal squire.

The weight of a heavy horse of that era varied from 800 kg to 1000 kg, and sometimes more. The height was from 170 cm to 200 cm, which, in accordance with the weight, was the portrait of a very large, heavy horse, incapable of fast gaits. Despite the fact that such a representative of the equid had considerable power and could carry a heavy load of armor and weapons of a knight (including the knight himself, and sometimes the lady of the “heart” in addition), he did not always have enough endurance over long distances . He quickly ran out of steam.

Historians and world breeders of heavy draft horses believe that the direct descendants of fighting heavy draft horses include such breeds of horses as shires, percherons, branbancons, and clydesdales, which is confirmed by ancient historical chronicles. Let us emphasize that we are talking about European breeds of heavyweight horses.

The sight of a powerful horse evokes at least respect from even an observer indifferent to the horse family. If you communicate with the “heavy” for some time, then you can conquer their calmness, peacefulness and charm. After all, many of these horses have a good-natured and flexible character. They get along well not only with adults, but also with children, and even with other animals. According to many breeders who practice breeding these breeds of horses, it should be noted that among them there are not many aggressors and rebels in dealing with people, despite their significant size.
The priority when carrying out breeding work for breeding heavy draft horses is to improve their genetics (hereditary qualities), which allows the descendants of heavy haulers to acquire qualities such as high carrying capacity, adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and unpretentiousness in care and diet.

The quality of the exterior of heavyweights comes in second place after strength qualities, since in most countries (especially in Russia) they are bred primarily for rural work, and only then for specialized entertainment competitions. Also in Russia, a “cold-blooded” horse is often popular among horse riding enthusiasts.

To check the quality of the bred (produced) breed, many large breeders organize various strength testing events for the “heavies”. Most often, this involves transporting maximum loads at speed and for a long distance over rough terrain with certain obstacles (puddles, inclines, uneven terrain, etc.).

Such competitions are gaining popularity every year, since in terms of entertainment and extremeness they are sometimes not inferior to classical types of equestrian sports.

Among heavy trucks, various strength testing events are often carried out, for example, transporting maximum weights for speed and duration of distance.