Which draft horse is the biggest

They have thick coats, which are typically bay, brown, black, gray, or chestnut. Like the Clydesdale, they have feathering on their lower legs. It is an ancient breed and has influenced the development of other draft breeds, such as the Clydesdale and the Shire. They are well known for their docile nature and Herculean strength. Their average height is 16 to 17 hands tall, and they weigh between 1, to 2, pounds. Belgians are typically bay, chestnut, sorrel , or roan in color.

The most desired color of an American Belgian is chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. Belgian have a genetic predisposition to develop equine polysaccharide storage myopathy PSSM which results can result in lameness, muscle weakness and lack of propulsion. The Clydesdale originated in the county of Clydesdale, Scotland, and was used as a farm horse to work fields and pull carts.

A mature Clydesdale typically weighs between 1, to 2, pounds, and they stand up to 18 hands tall at their withers. Clydesdales have thick coats that are commonly bay, black, grey, and chestnut with or without roaning. The most common color scheme of a Clydesdale horse is bay with white markings on their face, feet, and legs. Some horses also have white on their bodies, usually under the belly.

Clydesdales have feathering on their lower legs that is typically white. These long hairs on the lower legs require daily grooming. If the area is neglected, skin irritation is common. The Percheron is a French horse and is the most popular of the large draft breed. Their sizes range considerably, from as small as The Percheron breed was significantly influenced by lighter oriental horse breeds such as Arabian.

Due to their effort, Shire horses are slowly starting to make a comeback. Clydesdale is slightly smaller than the Shire and is noted for its high stepping gait. Most Clydesdales have a bay coat with white markings on the feet, legs, and face. Some horses even have markings under the belly. A Clydesdale can also be black, grey, or chestnut in color. This breed of horse is gentle yet energetic and is favored for its high trainability and easygoing nature. Some of the notable characteristics include silky feathery legs, a broad forehead, and a long arched neck.

Owing to their gentle and energetic nature, these beautiful creatures are used on farms and other areas requiring their abilities. In addition, due to their flashy appearance characterized by the white, feathered hooves , these horses are also used for shows and parades. Did you know Percheron horses were once considered the tallest in the world?

Original Percherons could even go up to 19 hands in height. The crossbreeding of Percherons with lighter horses like the Arabian , however, had a significant influence on the size and strength of these horses.

But there is also an upside to it; it also contributed to their elegant appearance. Today, Percherons are used in parades, riding, horse shows, and many other equine activities.

They are also some of the most intercrossed, especially when the breeding involves a larger horse and a smaller one. This breed of horse is best known for its hardiness, willingness to work, and ability to withstand severe climates.

Percherons are mostly black or gray. Their size, however, depends on the country they are bred. Originally known as the Flanders Horse, The Belgian Draft horse is one of the horses historically used for farming. Today, the horse is still used in agriculture work and cart pulling as well as in shows and riding circles. Even though Belgian Drafts have feathered hooves like the Shires and Clydesdales, they do not boast a long, elegant neck as these two breeds do; their neck is short and muscular.

And most of them are typically bay, roan, sorrel, or chestnut in color. Belgian Drafts are generally shorter than many of the horses considered larger breeds but we still have some that have been found to grow as huge as the Shire. The most famous giant Belgian was the Brooklyn Supreme that stood up to 19 hands tall and weighed more than 3, pounds.

Dutch Draft is one of the rarest breeds of horse, but still ranks among the largest horses ever known. Personality Traits: These amazing horses are super energetic, versatile, and gentle. Best for: Clydesdales are great for farm work, but more sought after as show horses in parades and for carriages. Genetics: Hailing from Normandy, France, the Percheron is a draft horse breed which equine experts believe to have an ancestor from Arab or Rome that dates back to the French empire during the wars.

History: The origins of this large breed horse are mostly unknown but historians claim that it goes as far as the 8 th century. However, with their sure-footed gait and energy, the very first Percherons served brilliantly as war horses in the mid-eighteenth century and were later on used for farming.

Nonetheless, these horses were mainly bred for their strength to pull and uptake plowing tasks in the field. Physical Traits: Percherons can range between 15hh to 18hh in size.

And are mostly found in black or gray colors, marking them as a symbol of subtle style. Moreover, their large eyes and broad, full forehead complements well with their straight face, strong jaw, and attractively refined ears.

Best for: Percheron horses help a lot at the farm. But these are also great show horses. Genetics: The Belgian Draft is popularly believed to be a descendant of the Brabant — the great horse from the medieval times that was known to carry knights to fight in battles. Although this breed is slightly shorter than the Shire and Percheron, it still stands tall enough to classify as one of the biggest horse breeds found worldwide.

They were, in fact, exported throughout the continent to build strength by crossbreeding with other smaller horse lines. Furthermore, these horses were widely used for agriculture and pulling cargo before industrialization took over.

Physical Traits: A magnificent portrayal of sheer bulk and breadth, the Belgian horse boasts of an appealing chestnut color and a distinctive mane. Best for: Forestry, heavy farm work, and casual horse-riding are some of the main purposes Belgian Drafts are used for. Genetics: Found in the Netherlands, Dutch Draft horses are a crossbreed between Ardennes and the Belgian Draft which makes them huge, strong workhorses.

History: The Dutch Draft originated around the first World War and was quite popular in the regions of Groningen and Zeeland for heavy pulling jobs, especially on the farms. However, the breed faced a sharp decline after World War II. Physical Traits: Flaunting an ebony-colored coat, the Dutch Draft is rather short in comparison to other draft horses but stands strong as a stout and heavy workhorse regardless.

Furthermore, its most prominent features include heavily covered fluffy hair from below its knees and over the hooves. Personality Traits: Dutch Drafts exhibit kindness and docility with huge stamina and enduring power. Best for: Owing to their exemplary stamina, one would find a Dutch Draft either pulling heavy objects or in horse-drawn plowing competitions.

Two Belgian Drafts were recorded to pull 17, pounds. Today, these horses are most common in heavy farm work and forestry. However, they are still useful as riding horses.

This is one of the few draft breeds that are not on the edge of extinction. They are generally shorter than most other draft breeds, but this breed still has some pretty giant horses. The most well-known Belgian Draft was named Brooklyn Supreme. This horse stood This horse breed is quite old and relatively tall. They are the tallest horse in Britain, standing between They weigh around 2, pounds in most cases, though bigger horses are possible.

These are still popular today for forestry and farm work. They also do a lot in the advertising industry, thanks mostly to their striking figure. However, we have mentions that date back to , so we know the breed has changed little since that time. This horse likely has close genetic ties with some pony breeds, despite being massive. This is one of the rarer horse breeds on this list. They are ancient and have reached a genetic bottleneck due to the massive losses during the World Wars.

There are very few left in Britain today. In America, the breed is a bit better off. However, crossbreeding with Belgian Drafts is allowed in the United States, while the British still do not allow this. For this reason, the British also do not allow crossbreeding with American Suffolk Punches. The Dutch Draft is a newer breed of horse. This led to a whole new breed of horse — the Dutch Draft. This breed is quite heavyset. It became popular in Zeeland and Groningen, mostly for farm work and similar heavy pulling jobs.

This is likely one of the strongest horse breeds. They often compete in horse-drawn plowing events, where they often win. Despite this, they are much smaller than some of the other draft horses.

Mares are usually around 15 hands high and stallions are around 17 hands high. Still, they are much larger than most other breeds out there. They are not small horses by any means. This horse breed is a giant conglomeration of other horse breeds on this list. They are basically a hybrid, with the genetics of Clydesdales, Percherons, Shires, and Suffolk Punches all wrapped up in this one breed. As the name suggests, this horse was bred for Australia.

To make the horse suitable for this country, many large horses were used. It is likely that many of these horses were brought over with settlers, and then crossbreeding began to happen. Eventually, this led to a new breed. This horse is famous throughout Australia, where it is the dominant draft breed. Many are not registered, so the exact number of horses around today is challenging to figure out. This horse is relatively large, though it is smaller than many of its ancestors.

It can stand between