3 Most Common Heavy Draft Horse Breeds in North America

A draft horse is a rare sight in modern times. When at one time draft horses provided the bulk of horsepower in the world, they have been replaced by machines. World War II also decimated draft horses around the world. In North America, the three most popular draft horse breeds are the Belgian, the Percheron and the Clydesdale.

The Belgian

There are more draft horses in North America than the total population of Percheron and Clydesdales combined. Belgians are also popular in Europe and can also be found in Japan. The Amish in North America prize Belgians because they are the best horse breed to produce draft mules.

What makes the Belgian so popular? It has massive strength, yet it is so gentle that even horse-savvy children can lead stallions to and from pasture. They also can be ridden. Sadly, their gentle nature and bulk makes them a prime breed for meat in Europe and for the dwindling pregnant mare urine industry in North America.

Belgians arrived in North America in 1886. In the years since, the American Belgian varies considerably from the European Belgian. In America, European-type Belgians are called Brabants and have a separate section in the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America's registry. American Belgians are sleeker and primarily chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. European Belgians are bulkier and tend to be roan, black, bays or darker shades of chestnut.

The Percheron

This breed was more popular than Belgians before World War II, according to The Official Horse Breed Standards Guide (Voyageur Press; 2009.) There are now far more Percherons in North America than in France. It developed in France during the 1800s by putting two imported Arabian stallions to local draft mares. This gives a bulky draft relatively sleek legs and an elegant head with wide eyes and an alert, jaunty expression.

Percherons are mainly gray or black, but they do appear in other colors such as chestnut and bay. White markings on the head and lower legs are allowed. Percherons average 17 hands in height but many individuals are shorter.

Percherons are mostly used in EurAsia for meat, although some still are used for agriculture. In the United States, Percherons are mostly used for showing, riding and for the tourist industry pulling large carriages or haywagons. Percheron mares are sometimes crossed with light horse breeds in order to create a muscular riding horse.

The Clydesdale

Best known for flogging beer, the Clydesdale also makes a great riding horse and is excellent for working in forests where machinery cannot get into. Clydesdales, developed in Scotland, can now be found throughout Europe, Australia and North America. But if was not for their rich champions the Busch family, the breed may today be little more than a footnote in the history of draft horse breeds. The Busch family managed to hang on to their Clydesdales when most other draft horses were sent to World War II.

The Busch family was attracted not only to the Clydesdale's strength and attractiveness, but its way of moving. While the Belgian and the Percheron shuffle across the ground raising their knees as little as possible, the Clydesdale has a noticeable lift in its knees and hicks, making for more of a prance.

Although best known as bays, Clydesdales come in many other colors, including roan, black and chestnut. Clydesdales often are generously splashed with white on the faces, legs and bellies. White above the knee and belly splashes is called a sabino pattern. Clydesdales average 16.3 hands in height, but have been known to grow to 18 hands.

The Future of Draft Horses

As the world's human population expands and eats up the world's remaining wide-open spaces, there is little chance for any draft horse breed to become the common sight it once was. But there are many devoted breeders and draft horse enthusiasts to ensure that at least a few thousand of their beloved drafters will continue on into the future.

Sources

Hendricks, Bonnie. International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds. University of Oklahoma Press; 1995.

Dutson, Judith. Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America. Storey Publishing; 2005.

Smith, Donna Campbell. The Book of Draft Horses: The Gentle Giants that Built the World. The Lyons Press; 2007.

Lynghaug, Fran. The Official Horse Breed Standards Guide. Voyageur Press; 2009.