Irish Draught

Other Names: Irish Draft

Origin: Ireland

Color: Black, gray, bay, chestnut

Avg Height: 15.1 to 16.2 hh

Avg Weight: 1320 to 1650 lbs

Build: This breed has a good neck and head carriage, strong shoulders, and clean, extremely hard legs with plenty of bone.

Temperament: Quiet and docile.

Main use: Pleasure and show jumping. Because of its great stamina and ability to carry weight, it has long been favored for crossing with Thoroughbreds to produce quality hunters, show jumpers, and event horses.

Special abilities: This breed is particularly noted for its free, easy, and true action and for its natural jumping ability.

History: Although the precise origin of this breed is unknown, it has been suggested that it descended from warhorses and other horses imported into Ireland at various times, such as the heavy horses of Normandy and Flanders. These horses were crossed with the smaller native Irish horses to produce the early Irish Draft horse. Irish Draft horses were later given greater speed and stamina by crossing them with Spanish imports to produce the Draft horse of today. In the past there has been a shortage of Irish Draught horses, but the bans imposed on the export of horses from the Republic of Ireland to the European continent for working purposes (1964) and slaughter (1965) led to a replenishment of the breed. Today's horse is much lighter than its ancestors and has evolved to become a substantial all-purpose horse with a bold, willing nature.