Draft (Draught) Horses – The American Cream
History
This breed is the only draft breed to originate in the United States. The granddam of the line was a draft mare (Old Granny) who was the first registered American Cream. She was purchased at an auction in Iowa in 1911. Her foaling date was estimated between 1900 and 1905. After her purchase she went on to foal numerous cream colored colts, which invariably sold for above average prices.
Nelson’s Buck, owned by the Nelson Bros. of Jewell, Iowa, is considered the progenitor of the breed. His only registered offspring was a cream colt named Yancy, whose dam was a black Percheron. Yancy would sire Knox 1st in 1926 and Knox 1st would sire Silver Lace.
Silver Lace is listed as the most influential stallion to the American Cream breed. He was born of a light sorrel Belgian mare in 1931. His owner hired him out for stud services from early spring until the end of November. His fee was $15 and was not due until the colt stood and nursed for the first time. He sired many colts during his seven years as a stud. He died, mysteriously, in 1939.
Another Iowa resident became interested in the breed and bought as many of Silver Lace’s progeny as he could find for sale. With the help of the horses’ owners, he began to carefully record the ancestry of each horse.
C.T. Rierson, that Iowa resident, is responsible for the name of the breed, and for being the driving force behind the breed being recognized by the state of Iowa as having originated there.
Description and Conformation
The ideal characteristics for the American Cream Draft is the distinct medium cream color, a solid white mane and tail, amber eyes, and pink skin. The modern mare weighs between 1600 and 1800 pounds (113.6 to 127.8 stones). Stallions may weigh in at 2000 pounds (142 stones) or more. The heights range from 15.1 to 16.3 hands (a hand is four inches. This means the height, at the shoulder, is 60.4 to 65.2 inches or 153.4 to 165.6 centimeters), making them of average height for a draft horse.
One very outstanding characteristic of the American Cream is its good disposition. This is an important trait if one desires to team a pair of them for pulling and showing. It’s also very trustworthy. And because there is uniformity in color and conformation it’s very easy to match teams which look great, and work together very well.
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Summary: Draft, or Draught, Horses, why were they necessary? Where did they come from? What you’re about to read is the first of six articles about these amazing animals. Watch for the others!
Draft (Draught) Horses – Percherons
History
Although the exact origins of the Percheron have been lost over the years, there are several different beliefs about their roots. There are those who believe that this large draft horse is descended from the original horses of the Ice Age. Still others think that it’s closely related to the Boulonnais horse that the Romans used to invade Brittany. And a third group maintains that the horse is from a herd of Arabians, or some of the horses used by the Moors during the battle of Poitiers. Whatever one chooses to believe, the consensus among all is that the Percheron can be traced to Normandy at an area called La Perche. Once again, a draft breed has at its roots the Belgian-Flemish blood.
While modern-day Percherons are notable for their heavy draft work, during the 8th century the heavier native and cob stock were crossbred with Arabians and other Oriental horses. The Percheron produced by this breeding made the horses more suitable for riding and lighter draft work. As time passed, the use of a Percheron as a carriage horse developed into the more practical need as a heavier draft animal. The smaller-boned breed of the late 1800s was crossed with the heavier mares of Brittany, resulting in the stockier Percheron that is most familiar today.
Description and Conformation
The preferred Percherons are black or grey but browns, sorrels, and bays are acceptable for registration. Due to the Oriental-type blood throughout their history, while a heavy horse, the elegance of the heritage shows. The Percheron is not as choppy in its movements as other heavy draft horses tend to be. The head is ideally medium sized, has a lean, clean cut, and a broad width between the eyes. While the chest is deep and wide, the shoulders of the Percheron should not stand out prominently, as they tend to do on other drafts. The back is straight and strong in proportion to the neck length and shoulder height.
Today’s average Percheron measures 17 to 18 hands (68 to 72 in., or 173 to 183 cm.) at the shoulder. Mature Percherons can weigh from 1600 pounds (113.6 stones) up to, and in excess of, 2400 pounds (170.4 stones).
This breed of draft horse has been acclaimed as being very adaptable in any environment And it is characterized by a long smooth stride which shows determination and willingness. It is also known for its intelligence, affable temperament, willingness to work, and reputation for ease of handling.
Draft (Draught) Horses – The Shire
The last of six articles about Draft (Draught) Horses, this one is about the Shire, and English draft horse which can be traced back as far as the Roman Conquest.
History
The Shire, an English draft horse, can be traced back to the days of the Roman Conquest. The horse has been depicted in paintings, as far back as the 15th century, in full war regalia. There are those who do not doubt that this heavy draft was used by knights in battle. Others, however, do not share this belief. In any event, once the tournaments and heavily armored knights passed into history, the ancestors of the Shire were put to use pulling wagons on the roads and ploughs in the fields. It soon became the largest and most powerful horse in Britain. Still today, brewers in English cities use the Shire to pull beer wagons and, they are used for weight-pulling and ploughing competitions.
Although the Shire was found and developed throughout England, what is know today as the Midlands (Lincoln, Huntington, Derby, Norfolk, Leicester, Cambridge, and Norfolk shires) were where the highest concentration of this draft could be found. As with other draft horses, the Shire bloodline was improved with the mixture of other breeds throughout history. There are relatively accurate records, which date back about 1000 years, that show when the Belgian and Flanders breeds were crossed with the Shire.
The Shire was first imported to America in 1853. In the early 1900s it seemed that the Shire might overshadow the Percheron as America’s favored draft horse. However, the Percheron prevailed.
Description and Conformation
The typical colors for the modern Shire includes grey, brown, bay, and black. There is the occasional white, but it is a rarity. The mature stallion stand 16.2 to 17.2 hands (165 to 175 cm., or 65 to 69 in.) at the shoulder and weighs up to 2200 pounds (156 stones). The mares and geldings are slightly smaller.
This draft has the convex, or “Roman”, nose. Its eyes are large, wide-spread, and intelligently expressive. The shoulders are large and prominent. The body is relatively thick. And the legs are long with a good deal of feathering around the feet.