Draft Horse Breeds still Popular?

The word “draft” originally comes from “draught,” an old word that means “to pull something.”  From early times the draft horse was used as a source of “power” for farming, hauling freight and moving people around the country.    Before the shift in the early 20th century to the tractor and increasing use of motor transport these stunning horses were to be found everywhere.  The draft horse is well known as a hose of  enormous bulk, huge  muscular strength, patience and docility . . . and even though we lost a great number to the point in some cases of near extinction, due to the efforts of some very dedicated people the draft Horse was saved, we are still building up the numbers of these horses and in line with that they have over the lst few years enjoyed a renewed interest in this particular type of horse.

With this renewed interest we are seeing them back on the streets where they belong,  and to many to actually see them under saddle is appealing to a whole new generation of horses lovers.  We have a long way to go before we even come close to the numbers but the encouraging news is that the numbers are growing worldwide.

Most draft horse breeds are bred for the region in which they were developed. For example, the Clydesdale draft horse breed came to being in Clydesdale, the Irish Draught in Ireland and the Belgian was born in Belgium where it was more suited to the climate and soil. The French draft horse breed is known as the Percheron, while the ever popular Shires hail from England.

To be considered a true draft horse, they must be of a solid build usually weigh around 1,400 to 2,000 lb (910 kg).  And depending on if they are classed as a Modern Draft or Traditional Draft  range from approximately 16 hands high to 19hh.  The draft horse has decended from a mixture  of sources and also with some natural selections and man’s intervention into what we see today.

Joan, A War Horse ( Part III)

Joan worked badly that day and ate hardly anything. Next day she stayed in and fed out of my hand. The next she seemed well again, but Darby’s place had been hard to fill. Through that Winter and a Summer of denfesive warfare of rations were seldome late, though often delivered under fire, and Joan maintained her old gait, apparently caring little about the going or whether she drew more than her share of the load. Perhaps you’ll say that she was hungry too.

The Winter of 17-18 found us at Potijza and the horses in a ruin at Ypres, a lot of hard work but no action. One day Joan’s mate and her driver were struck down by her side at feeding time, and she was the only one left of the old seventy-five.

This made no difference to Joan, and all through the criticical Spring days of ’18 no extra work could change her spirit, no long, hot days of marching with short halts and quick watering and feeding could alter her condition. SHe had become the company’s pride, the personal friend of the oldest driver and the Seargeant himself, but those days allowed no proper care of men or horses.

And then the tide turned and we began to advance–Arras to Cambral in a week. For two or three hours each day men slept in ditches and horses were picketed in fields, and then up again and on. Ten of our poorest animals were lost from sheer fatigue, and some of our best were wounded and killed. Gradually half our transport was left behind, first all the pontoons, then some tool carts and limbers.

The rations lived a charmed existence. Each night, when we had rolled into our blankets, those who were still awake could hear the same cockney voice from the wagon calling a strange horse stranger names becayse he lagged behind his ‘Joan : but it meant to each a pleasant dream of bacon, bread and tea.

Joan, a War Horse ( Part II )

This was not surprising, for good horses will never lag behind, but next morning early when the wagon started for rations there were Darby and Joan-fresh as paint, traces taut, bite rattling like a pebble mill, ears forward, snorting and stepping out just as if there had been a week in the stable.

That Summer we lost horses. July, August, September, found them always on the move; sometimes Fritz got their range, sometimes they were bombed at night or shot while bringing up rations. We moved slowly forward, and sometimes backward, day and night in action, with the horses never far away in open fields’.

With the Autumn came rain, mud and cracked heels, and in the village of Souastre Darby had to go with open gashes on both hind feet. Standing in the lines, I watched him being led away. I saw him stop, raise and turn his fine head in time to see Joan being hooked in with another horse. This was too much for Darby-there was Joan with a strange animal; perhaps she wanted him; anyhow he was going. With a sharp tug at his halter he was free; in a minute he had caught the wagon, whinnying all the way; in another he was limping by Joan’s side.

Joan, a War Horse ( Part I )

In the literature evoked by the great war somewhere can be found a tribute to nearly every kind of living thing that worked and died for victory.

The human elements receive the lion’s share-perhaps it was theirs. Horses are portrayed sometimes in romantic colors-cavalry sweeping through a French valley, with flying pennants and drawn swords, perhaps a gun team coming into action in a cloud of dust. But these were isolated cases, thanks to barbed wire and mud. Yet every night on the western front essential things-food, water and ammunition- we’re brought forward along the roads or trails, too soft or dangerous for motor transport, by mules or horses whose work remains untold and unsung. The author had occasion to care for several horses in the British sector which glorified this service through many months of war-such a horse was Joan. Of whom the following story is true.

When I first saw her in ’15 she was already an old soldier-and I a green reinforcement-standing in a muddy, bleak field near the ruined village of Elverdinghe, on the first hard standing she had seen since Aldershot in August, ’14.

She was not the Major’s charger, nor the Quartermaster’s well groomed and overfed hackney, nor even the well-bred dun pony that was daily fed on lumps of sugar for delivering unnecessary dainties and necessary drinks to the officers’ kitchen, but only a typical English shire cart horse which, according to the stable piquet, had “ come through the retreat “ with several other horses in our string.

I remember seeing her little during those first strange weeks in that forward billet, but when we moved back into rest at the end of a long march I saw at the end of the column two steaming horses in an overloaded wagon almost touching the one in front-Joan and her teammate, of course called Darby.

Some Horse Care

SHELTER. Shelter is very important In regions were winter is freezing for months on end. Horses adapt to weather conditions very well, but brutal winds and heavy moisture would totally get into them. A run-in shed with three sides and a slanted roof is adequate for shire horses.

• Outdoors – The open side of the shed must face away from the prevailing wind, and the shed should be situated in a spot with adequate drainage.

• Indoors – Stalls will need to be maintained daily and replenished with clean, dry bedding. Even on the coldest days, crack the barn door slightly to provide ventilation and keep fresh air moving through the space.

WATER. This is probably the single most important need during a bad weather. Though horses need less water in cold weather, they also drink less. In fact, they often do not drink too much to stay hydrated. An adult full-size horse needs at least 6 liters of fresh water daily to maintain good health and condition.




Adopt a shire horse, Michael

Adopting an animal is a unique and rewarding gift for any occasion, and for friends and family of all ages. Give the gift that makes a difference by symbolically adopting the Clydesdale and Shire as they are listed as vulnerable and at risk. (See chart below)  Help us support  The Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s conservation efforts to save these magnificent Horses.
By donating funds in the form of an animal adoption, you will help provide for these magnificent animals and support our important conservation program. All financial support, large and small, is precious to us. Your donation is tax deductible.  Your 12-month personalised adoption package will  include, a Personalised adoption certificate and photograph of Michael at the time you start your annual sponsorship, which can be framed on request.  A fact sheet about the Shire Horse and regular photographs of Michael as he grows and matures into the fine Stallion he will be.
Frequently Asked Questions: There is no limit to the number of people who can adopt Michael,  as you are supporting a species of animal and Michael is the appointed mascot.  You cannot take home Michael but you are welcome to come and visit him anytime.

In the very near future there will also be available a range of gift products that will have Michael and his mum Westie displayed on, from t-shirts, tote bags, tiles, plates  to mugs.  These will raise funds for Glenmeadows Shire Horse Centre which has a tentative Open Day of 22nd October 2009.

When your business or company adopts an animal, you are supporting one of Mother nature’s most treasured creations. Your adoption certificate displayed in public view will demonstrate your commitment to conservation and the local community icon that will be Glenmeadow Shire Horse Centre.

Horses/Ponies  – as found on “The Rare Breeds Survival Trust” at http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/main

Category	Breed/s
1. Critical	Cleveland Bay horse; Eriskay pony; Suffolk horse
2. Endangered	Dales pony; Exmoor pony; Hackney horse and pony
3. Vulnerable	Clydesdale horse; Dartmoor pony; Welsh Mountain (Section A) Semi-Feral pony
4. At Risk	Fell pony; Highland pony; Shire horse
5. Minority	N/A
6. Other native breeds	New Forest pony; Shetland pony; Welsh pony & cob

Traditional versus Modern

This excellent photograph, taken 66 years ago, shows the late Jim Cradock with James Forshaw & Sons’ celebrated stallion, The Dean, setting forth on his route from Wem, Shropshire, in April 1938.  Mr Cradock travelled stallions for many years on behalf of the renowned Carlton Stud at Newark.  However, Mrs Minnie Cradock, emphasised that ‘The Dean’ was her husband’s favourite, because of his wonderful temperament and soundness. Jim considered it a privilege to have the care and companionship of such a noble animal.

The Dean, a brown with four white legs, was foaled in 1928 and was named after his breeder, Stanley Dean, of Heaton, Bolton. His sire being Lincoln What’s Wanted 2nd (LWW2), and his Dam was Blurton Shy Maiden, his beautiful feather came from his Dam’s line which included the legendary Lockinge Forest King, the horse that endowed the Shire breed with its excessive feather in the early 1900s.  The Dean was remarkable in his own right, after winning his class for four consecutive years, 1934-37, in the breed’s heyday of the huge London Shire Horse Society shows. Yet from a six to a nine-year-old he was never considered for champion. Why? Because he was only 16.3hh. However there was considerable interest and support for this most practical division, often described as the ‘short-legged class.’  The Dean, despite his smaller stature, still weighed a ton (2240lb) and he was the breed’s ideal model depicted in a series of photographs until the standard was changed in 1949 with the Shire Horse Show champion, The Bomber.

As it was shown the Shires were going to the lighter finer feather and bone of the Clydesdale type.  Hence today we have two types of Shire, I personally lean towards the older style of Shire referred to as the traditional working Shire type.  The English Standard indicates a Stallion to be at least 17 hands whereas the American Standard will accept a minimum height of 16.2hands which leads us to the ‘short-legged class’ of old.  Notice the differance between the two types of Horses….Photograph of Father Abraham who is Westie’s Sire was provided by ”John Edwards, Toora Shires”.

I would like to acknowledge that this content and the photograph are derived from an article originally published in a magazine that has been around since the early 70’s which is dedicated to all draft horses,  it is called “Heavy Horse World” and worth subscribing to if you want to know anything about this type of horse.