The Irish Draft, or Irish Draught, was developed for both ploughing and riding purposes. They are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses (or Irish Horses) that excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping. The Irish Horse, or Irish Hunter, is the result of a cross between the Irish Draft and the Thoroughbred. ... Eventing, is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...

Breed Characteristics

The Irish Draft does not have the typical draft-horse body suggested by its name. They are lighter, with a build similar to a Warmblood, and move much more freely than the heavy draft horses. They have very powerful hindquarters, strong legs with good bone and short cannons, muscular gaskins and forearms, and large feet. Their neck is short, thick, and crested. The Irish Draft has a straight or slightly convex profile and intelligent head.

The horses have good temperaments, being gentle and kind, yet bold, sensitive, and alert. They are very versatile horses, and naturally athletic.

The Irish Draft stands between 15 and 17 hh. They are usually bay, brown, gray, or chestnut.

History of the Irish Draft

The breed ancestors were the war horses of the 12th century, taken to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans during the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1172, and bred with the local stock. Spanish blood was added to the mix in the 16th century, Connemara blood was also added. The true Irish Draft type really started, however, in the 18th century, when Thoroughbreds were bred with local mares to produce a light work horse that could not only be used to plough, but also for riding. The original type was around 15 to 15.3 hh and had a more draft-like conformation than the present-day type. The Connemara is a hardy pony breed from Ireland, and is the ultimate pony sport horse, excelling at the top levels of most FEI disciplines. ... The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed in 18th century England when English mares were bred with imported Arabian stallions to create a distance racer. ...

The breed flourished for a while, but numbers subsequently dropped as a result of the famine of 1847 and later agricultural recession in the 1870s. After the economy improved, Clydesdales and Shire horses had to be imported from Britain to meet the demand for work horses. They were cross-bred with the remaining Irish Draft horses, producing an animal that was bigger and courser. However, the Clydesdale was blamed adding for lack of stamina and poor lower leg conformation to the Irish Draft. Infusions of Thoroughbred blood helped to breed out these traits, and also added more refinement, greater endurance, and better shoulder conformation. Clydesdale (Dail Chluaidh in Scottish Gaelic) was formerly (1975-96) a local government district in the Strathclyde Region of Scotland. ... For information on the fictional Shire of J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings, see Shire (Middle-earth) A shire is an administrative area of Great Britain. ... Clydesdale (Dail Chluaidh in Scottish Gaelic) was formerly (1975-96) a local government district in the Strathclyde Region of Scotland. ... The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed in 18th century England when English mares were bred with imported Arabian stallions to create a distance racer. ...

The Irish government became involved with the breed at the beginning of the 20th century, trying to promote better horses by introducing registration and offering subsides for stallion (in 1907) and mares (1911). Inspections for registration also began. The stud book was opened by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1917, selecting 375 mares and 44 stallions to enter as the foundation stock.

As motorized vehicles became popular, and tractors took the place of the horse on farms, Irish Drafts became increasingly popular for crossbreeding. They were well-known for producing upper-level eventers and showjumpers, and were exported across the globe. Eventing, is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...

However, the pure-bred Irish Draft was in danger of dying out. To preserve the purity of the breed, the Irish Horse Board was formed in 1970 to organize the breeding of both pure- and part-breds.

Today, the Irish Draft is mainly used for crossing with other breeds to produce sport horses. The most popular cross is with the Thoroughbred, producing an Irish Horse. The Irish Draft gives bone and substance to lighter stock. The breed is also used for showing, being excellent jumpers themselves. The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed in 18th century England when English mares were bred with imported Arabian stallions to create a distance racer. ... The Irish Horse, or Irish Hunter, is the result of a cross between the Irish Draft and the Thoroughbred. ...

Famous Irish Drafts and Part-bred Irish Drafts

• King of Diamonds: Irish Draft stallion most famous for producing top show jumpers, including Special Envoy.
• Special Envoy: top show jumper for Brazil, ridden first by Nelson Pessoa, and then by his son Rodrigo
• Mill Pearl: was ridden by Joe Fargis in the United States