Irish Draft Horse

The Irish Draft horse is a wonderfully versatile horse but the term draft can be confusing because, although they were used on the land they are, in fact, generally lighter than true draft horses. As with many breeds, there was an old type and there is now a newer type. The original Irish Draft was a small animal, standing at approximately 15 hh to 15.3 hh, and had a more draftlike conformation.

These horses were probably descended from the Great Horses of Flanders, which were imported after the Anglo-Norman invasion of A.D. 1172. They had infusions of Andalusian blood over the years, as well as that of the Connemara pony. At the end of the 19th Century Clydesdale blood was introduced to the breed to improve its draft qualities but this crossbreeding caused some consternation within the Irish Draft world. The Clydesdale was blamed for poor conformation below the knee and lack of stamina. These traits have been largely bred out and infusions of Thoroughbred blood have added greater refinement, better conformation of the shoulder and greater endurance.

The Irish Draft Horse of today is larger than it was and more of a riding horse, losing some of its draft characteristics. They are versatile horses and often appear to have a high degree of common sense. In appearance they should have an intelligent head, which sometimes has a roman nose on a well-set neck. The shoulders should be powerful and the barrel and quarters muscular. The legs should be clean, with short cannon bone, and muscular second thigh and forearm. The Irish Draft Horse combines quality, weight and natural athleticism. They are widely used for crossbreeding with Thoroughbreds to produce top-class competition horses. This cross-breeding has led to a decline in the breeding of pure Draft foals, although steps are being taken by the breeders to counteract this process.

The Irish Draft Society in Ireland was formed in 1976 and the English Draft Horse Society in 1979. Both societies are very active in promoting the Irish Draft and there are various programs to grade top quality mares, stallions and foals. The Irish Draft is usually bay, chestnut, or gray and tends to stand between 15.3 and 17 hh.

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