A draft horse was bred to be strong.
A draft horse is a horse that has been bred to be extremely strong, allowing it to handle heavy work such as pulling a plow or pulling a fully loaded cart, a type of large open wagon used to haul things like barrels of beer and wine. . Draft horses are quite recognizable because they tend to be extremely large; Some famous draft horse breeds include Shires, Percherons, Vanner Horses, Belgians, and Clydesdales. Americans may be very familiar with Clydesdales because these draft horses are famous for being used in advertising for Budweiser beer.
The draft horse probably originated in Europe.
The draft horse appears to have originated in Europe, with many draft horse breeds hundreds of years old. Some biologists support the “four fundamentals” theory of horse breeding, which suggests that modern horses evolved from four different populations of horses, in which case draft horses probably descend from the type of draft horse imaginatively named . These horses have been used in a wide variety of settings, from farms to urban settings, for hundreds of years, and were once the main source of power for humans, before the advent of the engine.
The physical constitution of a horse is known as its “conformation”. Several things about a draft horse’s conformation distinguish it from other horses. Draft horses are quite large, of course, and tend to have short bodies with very muscular hindquarters designed for pulling. They tend to have a Roman nose, with wide, flat faces that some people find endearing, and draft horses also have very strong shoulders and front legs.
In addition to being bred to be strong, the draft horse was also bred to have an ideal working temperament. Draft horses are extremely gentle and very friendly; children can ride them and play around their feet without fear, for example. They are also docile and very patient; some well-trained draft horses will resist when warned without the need to tether them, for example, a very useful feature on horses used for deliveries.
Despite their bulk, many draft horses are very graceful and beautiful. Many breeds have feathered feet, meaning they have tufts of long hair on top of their hooves, and are often something to see in action, as many breeds have a tall, flowing gait. These gentle giants continue to be used for agricultural work in many regions of the world, with some becoming beloved pets and revered work animals.