Irish Draught Horse

Submitted by Gregg Banse on August 10, 2005 - 4:42pm. Draft Horses

Origin: Ireland
Height: 16-17.1 hh
Colors: All colors, except pinto/spotted horses. White above the knee is also discouraged.
Build: Lighter than most draft horses, but still muscular with strong hindquarters, powerful legs and deep shoulders
Attributes: Strong, adaptable and has a very efficient metabolism

History of the Irish Draught Horse

The Irish Draught is an amalgamation of different native Irish breeds. There is no specific lineage of bloodlines in the Irish Draught breed's ancestry. The Irish Draught was bred by the people of Ireland to be a versatile horse. Irish farms were small affairs, and the farmers required a draft horse that could work in the fields, pull the cart and be ridden into town. Also, as hunting was popular, extra money could be readily made if a mare produced a foal that could be sold as a hunter's horse. Calm temperament, with a willing work ethic and few maintenance requirements were highly important factors as well.

After some time the Thoroughbred was introduced to Ireland and inevitably bred to the Irish Draught. The offspring of this pairing turned out to be an amazing hunting horse, and was named the Irish Hunter. The Irish Hunter was highly popular, but the Irish Draught retained its exclusive position as the draft horse of choice in Ireland.

During World War I, the Irish Draught was commandeered into service as an artillery horse, hauling guns and ammunition through the European battlefields. The deaths of so many Irish Draught horses while in the War, combined with economic hardship in Ireland caused the Irish Draught population to dwindle. With no registry to keep tabs on the Irish Draught, it was feared that it might become extinct all together. So in the early nineteen hundreds, the Irish Department of Agriculture set up a registry and inspection of Irish Draught mares, as well as supplying monetary compensation for owners of approved and registered stallions.

Not long after the Industrial Revolution occurred and many of the Irish Draught horses were sent to the slaughterhouse when their owners shifted to using mechanical farming equipment.

What kept the Irish Draught alive was the Irish Hunter. The Irish Hunter was in such demand that Draught mares were cherished, because when they were bred to Thoroughbred stallions the Irish Hunter was produced. But because the Irish Draught itself was not so so popular, the number of purebreds began to decline dramatically. The Thoroughbred blood was diluting the Irish Draught population.

In 1976 the Irish Draught Horse Society was founded. Because there was no foundation stallion, the registry could not be run as others were. So the system that the Society settled on was that each horse would be inspected and classified, and either put into the main studbook, or into the supplementary studbook. Thus purebred lines of the Irish Draught could be continued.

Characteristics of the Irish Draught Horse

Appearance and Conformation of the Irish Draught Horse

The Irish Draught has a build more similar to a warmblood than a draft horse. The Irish Draught's feet should be very hard, although they are not that large. The Irish Draught should have large legs with large joints and the legs should have a short and straight cannon bone, which does not slope forward from the knee to the fetlock. There should be almost no hair or feathering on the Irish Draught's legs. The hindquarters and legs should be well muscled and strong, both for pulling and for jumping. The Irish Draught's quarters slope downward, but the tail should be set reasonably high. The barrel is deep, but not particularly wide and the back is a little longer than other draft horses. The Irish Draught's withers are distinctly set further back than on other horses, this lengthens the slope of the shoulder and adds to their power. The Irish Draught has a long, thick neck, increasing its all-around sturdy and strong appearance. The movement should be very free and smooth, with no heaviness or ponderousness.

The color of the Irish Draught is highly variable, any solid color is acceptable. The most common colors of the Irish Draught are are grey, chestnut and bay. Irish Draughts can also be found in brown, black roan or even dun.

Temperament of the Irish Draught Horse

The Irish Draught is a very docile horse. The Irish Draught horse is thought to be highly intelligent and gentle.

Uses for the Irish Draught Horse

The Irish Draught is a highly versatile horse. The Irish Draught is very good at light pulling, and most types of farm work. The Irish Draught horse truly excels as a heavy hunter, show jumper and even as a dressage horse. Irish Draughts are greatly sought after as carriage horses and popular in competitive driving. They are truly a wonderful light draft horse, and a lovely companion.