#percherons

^A Budweiser Commercial featuring the Clydesdale

The Clydesdale

A heavy horse first developed in Scotland, as the name Clydesdale refers to the Clydesdale district. These horses were developed by farmers, used to plow land and pull carts full of harvests. Originally, these horses were compact animals, but over time, grew in height to their current standard size (162 to 183 cm).

Like many Draft Horses in Europe, World War 1 devastated this breed's numbers. Clydesdales, as well as Percherons, mules, Belgians, and Shires, were used in large numbers to pull supply wagons, artillery, and ambulances for the front. They were far more reliable over the torn and muddy ground than early cars, but also, more vulnerable. As the war wore on, replacing horses became so difficult, that this loss contributed to the eventual defeat of Germany. It is estimated that more than 8 Million (8,000,000) horses, donkeys, and mules died in World War 1.

^Mules unloading ships at port during WW1. Thousands were imported to sustain labor needs during the war, and never returned home after.

After the war, mechinization continued to reduced the need for these specialized breeds, and in 1975, the Clydesdale had less than 900 breeding mares left in the United Kingdom. Since then, renewed interest has helped numbers recover, in particular, in the US, after the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company began presenting and breeding the horse as their mascot in 1933. Anheuser-Busch now owns the largest herd of Clydesdales in the world, and produces around 15 foals per year. Clydesdales are also popular in Australia, though globally, numbers remain under 5,000 horses.

The Percheron

The Percheron is a French draft horse, thought to be the closest heavy horse related to the Medieval Great Horse. Their name also comes from the area they developed, the Perche region. They were first developed, unlike other breeds, for pulling stagecoaches, and as such are generally a bit less thick, and more refined, than other draft breeds. During the stagecoach times, they were referred to as Diligence horses, as the stagecoach they pulled was called a 'diligence'. They also lack feathers, or accumulations of hair on the lower legs, that heavy horses usually have.

^A Six-in-hand team, meaning six horses pulling a cart in pairs. There are many pulling configurations, with pairs being most common.

Introductions of Arabian blood have been added to the lines over time, and due to both the original development and this blood, Percherons are considered to have good endurance at the trot. During the French Revolution, this horse faced extinction due to the chaos that followed. Similarly, the breed dropped in numbers during the First World War, causing American Percherons to take over the breeding market. The horse is always either grey or black, and have a high-stepping gait. They are commonly crossed with Thoroughbreds to make sport warmblood horses.

^Black Percherons with a fancy trot step at competition.

Ardennais

The Ardennais horse is also a French horse, with lines in Belgium and Luxemburg, however, while it is used for farm work and driving, this horse is also used and bred for meat. Horse meat is not uncommon in France, and also accepted in other European countries, excluding Spain and England. France, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Sweden, are all known for the practice of eating horse meat, though this is considered culturally taboo in England, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Poland and to a lesser extent, Spain. They are believed to be an ancient breed, with origins in Roman times, and were used even then to pull artillery and supply wagons. They are noticeably wide in the chest and barrel, with short, thick legs, and often are bay or bay roan.

^Thiccc. Note the tail docking, a practice of cutting the bones of a horse's tail to prevent it being caught in the harness while working.

The Belgian

The Belgian, as you might suspect by this point, is a horse first developed and used in Belgium. There is, however, a related, but distinct, American Belgian, which is taller, slimmer, and strictly chestnut colored with flaxen manes and tails. Belgium Belgians, also called the Brabant, are primarily roans, with chestnut, black, bay, or grey base colors.

The American Belgian is now the most populous Draft horse in the United States, and also the breed of Big Jake, the tallest horse in the world. Belgians are intelligent, adaptable, and useful even in the modern age. I have had the pleasure of meeting several Belgians, mostly through my local Draft Horse enthusiast club, and they are lovely creatures. However, one did step on my hand (not from the club) and I am very luck to still have all fully functioning fingers. Feet. Like. Dinner. Plates.

^American Belgian showing off how high the head can get.

The Brabant is also an agriculture and driving horse, but, they are also known for shrimp fishing. They wade into the water with nets attached to their tails, and walk about with the fisher in hopes of a good haul. I did not know this before I started looking up the breed for this post, so you do learn something everyday.

^Shrimp-fishing Brabants, taken from Horse Canada, https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/tradition-shrimp-fishing-horses-belgium/

Black Forest Horse

Originally, this section was going to be on the Shire, however, French and UK horse breeds tend to dominate the common knowledge of draft breeds. Rather, I decided to bring in the German Black Forest Horse, a light Draft breed from the Black Forest area dating back to the 15th century, also called Schwarzwälder Kaltblut, which translates to Black Forest Coldblood*.

Black Forest horses are almost always dark flaxen chestnut, or Dunkelfuchs in German. They have minimal feathering, are relatively short and stout, and were originally developed for logging and agricultural work. Like many heavy breeds, they are known for their gentle personalities, and considered a good family horse*. They are currently considered endangered due to the effects of two world wars, economic depressions, and mechanization. Like other light draft breeds, such as the Frisian, Fjord, and others, the Black Forest Horse is more often being used as a riding horse, as well as pulling carts or sleds.

*Source: https://www.fei.org/stories/lifestyle/health-fitness/breed-profile-black-forest-horse

Sugarbush Harlequin Draft

^This is Harley. Harley is an escort pony at the Kentucky Downs, known for the Kentucky Derby. If you ever take the time to watch the Kentucky Derby, you might notice a hulking spotted horse among the lean racehorses. That's Harley. Harley is a representative of the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft breed, a rare American-developed draft breed known for their spotted coats and gentle dispositions.

This breed was first developed by Everett Smith, who looked to create a heavy horse that could be ridden, pull a cart or plow, and whose looks caught everyone's attention. The Sugarbush Draft is a heavy-sided cross between Stonewall Sport Horses, themselves a breeding program of racing Appaloosa to Percherons by Michel Muir, and Smith's own Percheron horses. This breed has only been in existence since the 1980s, and so is very low in numbers, but rising in popularity.

Haflinger

Haflingers are a unique horse on this list, as they are not particularly known for being tall or mighty. However, they are sturdy, wide, and well suited to pulling, and historically used as packhorses, farming horses, cart horses, and riding ponies.

^Packhorse Haflingers during a reenactment.

Their history goes back to the Middle Ages, and, like the other horses on this list, their numbers fell sharply during World War 1, as the Austro-Hungarian army used them in large numbers for packhorses. Haflingers were also used in World War 2 for the same purpose. Unlike other horses, after the war, numbers rose as a new, riding type Haflinger was promoted by breeding farms, resulting in the survival of the Halfinger as a riding pony today. They are versatile, easy to keep, and good with kids as well as able to carry adults, though also known for stubborn and quirky personalities.

Modern Uses

Logging

Sustainable logging practices often include the issue of not polluting and impacting the area around the tree actually being logged. Horses, being considerably smaller and less polluting than heavy machinery, as well as more agile, are used in sustainable logging practices as a way to remove logs while maintaining the health of the forest around them.

Farm work

While less popular than in the past, many horses are still employed in agricultural work. In communities which reject certain levels of mechanization, such as Amish or Mennonite communities, horses may be the only way to farm even today. Other farmers use horses with an eye toward reducing pollution, reliance on fossil fuels, and even costs.

Showing

By far the largest area of work for horses today is performance. From Budweiser advertisements to local shows, these horses perform and delight audiences around the world. Pulling competitions show off the strength of heavy horses in particular, while team competitions display cohesion and obedience to commands.

Pleasure

You know you can have a cool horse just cause you want to, right?

Parts of a hitch

Now here is where my knowledge fails. I have driven horses before, but I am in no way an expert horse driver. I can give you the very basics of horse harnesses, but after that, you're gonna need to do your own research on this.

Number one of what I do know, is that the reins Do Not pull the cart. The reins direct the horse, to an extent, but all driving horses I have met are also very well trained to voice commands. Things like "Whoa" to stop, "Walk on" to move forward, "Gee" for right, "Haw" for left. Many drivers also use a whip, not for striking, but to touch the side and back of the horse to clarify commands, or protect their horse from overly-friendly passerby. The part that the horse uses to pull is the trace/tug, a bar extending from the cart to the side of the horse, where it connects to the collar. The reins, called lines, run to the bit of the horse, sometimes through a check on the collar. A Breeching strap or Backstrap will keep the horse from getting tangled in the traces. Have a hopefully accurate illustration which seems good to my eyes.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the majestic Draft Horse. Please let me know what my next post should be! And as always, if you have any questions, ask here or in my mailbox.