Draft horse

A draft horse (US), draught horse (UK and Commonwealth) or dray horse (from the Old English dragan meaning "to draw or haul"; compare Dutch dragen and German tragen meaning "to carry" and Danish drage meaning "to draw" or "to fare"), less often called a carthorse, work horse or heavy horse, is usually a large horse, however there are lighter varieties such as the Haflinger and the taller Irish Draught that is used especially in crosses as a sport horse. They are bred to be a working animal performing hard tasks such as plowing, transporting felled trees and a range of farm labor. There are a number of breeds, with varying characteristics, but all share common traits of strength, sturdy year round health ( in some cases with tough, relatively self maintaining hooves), good patience, and a docile temperament which made them indispensable to generations of pre-industrial farmers.

Draft horses and draft crossbreds are versatile breeds used today for a multitude of purposes, including farming, draft horse showing, logging, recreation, and other uses. They are also commonly used for crossbreeding, especially to light riding breeds such as the Thoroughbred, for the purpose of creating sport horses. This is seen most prominently with the Irish Draft which is so popular for crossbreeding to produce talented sport horses that it is often not bred sufficiently enough within it's own bloodlines, putting the pure breed slightly at risk. While most draft horses are used for driving, they can be ridden and some of the lighter draft breeds are capable performers under saddle.

Draft horses are recognizable by their tall stature and extremely muscular build. In general, they tend to have a more upright shoulder, producing more upright movement and conformation that is well-suited for pulling. They tend to have broad, short backs with powerful hindquarters, again best suited for the purpose of pulling. Additionally, the draft breeds usually have heavy bone, and a good deal of feathering on their lower legs. Many have a straight profile or "Roman nose" (a convex profile). Draft breeds range from approximately 16 to 19 hands (64 to 76 inches; 163 to 193 cm) high and from 1,400 to 2,000 lb (640 to 910 kg).

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