Italian Heavy Draft

Origin: Italy.

Color: The coat color may be chestnut, which has a lighter mane and tail, or it may be red roan or bay. Most are a dark liver chestnut with the lighter flaxen manes and tails. Other colors are not permitted within the breed, but there may be white markings on the legs and other distinctive coat markings.

Avg Height: 14.2 to 15.3 hh

Avg Weight: 1320 and 1540 lbs

Build: Light head, which is square and lean, with a straight or convex profile. The head looks fine and tapering in comparison to the horse's overall bulk. Broad forehead with abundant forelock. Well defined jaw and flared nostrils. Large lively eyes and smallish ears, with give these horses and alert expression. Short, strong muscular neck which is very broad at the base with a full mane and a noticeable crest. Moderately pronounced withers which are well-defined and muscular. Short, flat, and straight back, powerful loins, and short, rounded flanks. Much depth to the girth. Rounded, sloping croup is preferably double, and quarters are well made, rounded, and very powerful. Tail is carried higher than might be expected. Broad, deep and muscular chest with well-rounded ribs, and the abdomen is well tucked up. Shoulder has good length and is fairly sloping, and is set close to the body. Short legs are placed well apart and have some feather on the lower parts, which is unlike the Postier Breton. Some coarseness in conformation, which is apparent to the legacy of the lesser quality of the Italian mares of the original base stock. Small, boxy hoofs, which are well proportioned nicely formed.

Temperament: Very docile and amenable.

Main use: In spite of their eminent suitability for use in agriculture, horses of this breed are being produced increasingly for slaughter.

Special abilities: Combines strength and speed with exceptional speed and activity for their size. Quick to mature, has a hardy constitution and is economical to keep. Roughly one-third of the stallions standing at stud in Italy are of this popular heavy horse.

History: This breed dates back to 1860, and is of regional importance within Italy. One third of the stallions standing at stud in Italy are of this popular heavy horse breed. Today it is bred throughout northern and central Italy, but the main center of breeding is in the area around Venice. In the past, at one time, Italy imported massive Brabants to improve their own native strains, and then the more active Boulonnais and Percheron were tried. None of these really produced a quick-moving horse with smaller proportions, which is what Italy required. Eventually crossing with the lighter, clean-legged Postier Breton met the requirements. Since the Postier Breton is known for its trotting speed, this cross was ideal for the light draft and farm work that was required in Italian agriculture. When crossed with the more common Italian Heavy Draft mares, the result is powerful animals with kind, docile temperaments. The resulting speed and action of these offspring led to the title "Tiro Pesante Rapido," or Italian Heavy Draft. The stud farm at Ferrera, the Deposito Cavalli Stalloni, first began breeding native stallions from Po Delta, later introducing English Thoroughbreds, Hackneys, and purebred Arabian blood. Around about the turn of the twentieth century, there were efforts to increase the weight of this breed by using the Boulonnais, Ardennes, and the Breton. During WWI, horse breeding suffered in Italy, as it seemed to do in every other part of the world, and rigorous steps needed to be taken in order to remedy the situation as soon as the war was over. Ardennes and Percheron stallions were introduced because of this, but it is the Postier Breton and careful cross-breeding which gifts the Rapid Heavy Draft with its distinctive characteristics.