In the 21st-century draft horses seem to stand as a nostalgic symbol of times gone by, but it’s easy to forget these gentle giants once played crucial roles throughout warfare and agriculture.
While the most common place to spot a draft horse nowadays is at a show or competition, a large proportion of the Amish community still uses them in their regular workday. There are approximately 373,000 Amish living in the United States and of those that farm for a living, three-quarters use horses to do most or all of the heavy work.
1. Belgian Draft
Big Jake, the Belgian gelding, was the last tallest recorded horse in the world. He stood at just over 20 hands (almost 6 feet 11 inches) and got through a full bucket of grain twice a day, plus a full bale of hay. The much-beloved horse passed away at his home, Smokey Hollow Farm in Wisconsin, in 2021.Before Big Jake, a stallion named Brooklyn Supreme, also a Belgian Draft, was the largest horse of his time. Born in 1928, “Brookie” was a hand shorter than Big Jake but he weighed 3,200 pounds.
Extremely dense in bone and muscle, Belgian Drafts are considered the strongest horse breed in the world.
2. Shire
While Big Jake and Brooklyn Supreme astonished all with their colossal sizes, one record holder was even larger. Sampson—also known as Mammoth—a Shire gelding was the tallest and heaviest horse on record in 1850. Born in the mid-19th century, Sampson grew to 21 hands and weighed a staggering 3,359 pounds.Selectively bred in medieval England, Shires typically range between 17 to 19 hands, making this breed the tallest of all. Traditionally used in farming and industry, they are now limited mainly to showing and forestry work—though the beloved breed can also be spotted working in Royal Parks.
3. Percheron
A French breed descended from the war horses of the Middle Ages, Percherons were interbred with Arabs in the 19th century, giving them a sleeker, more athletic appearance.In 1913, a handsome Percheron gelding named King LeGear was owned by Dr. L.D. LeGear of St. Louis, who manufactured animal medicines. Billed as the Largest Horse in the World, he weighed at just under 3,000 pounds and stood at 21 hands tall.
Goliath, the 2005 Guinness World Record title holder for Tallest Living Horse, was a beautiful black Percheron. Goliath passed away in Texas in 2014, after living the life of a superstar at shows and events.
4. Clydesdale
Before the discovery of Big Jake, the tallest horse on record was Remington, a 20-hand Clydesdale from Frisco, Texas. Measuring 20 hands, he was taller than usual for a Clydesdale, which usually average 17 to 18 hands. Originating in Scotland, the breed was altered in the early eighteenth century when Flemish and Shire bloodlines were introduced.
5. Suffolk Punch
England’s oldest breed of heavy horse, the lineage of Suffolk Punch dates back over half a millennia, although all male lines even today can be traced to one stallion, Crisp’s Horse, born in 1768, according to the Suffolk Horse Society.The smallest of the British draft horse breeds with short, thick legs, necks, and backs, they played a vital role pulling heavy artillery during the First World War. By the 1960s though, their population had fallen drastically. Just nine Suffolk foals were registered in 1966 and today the UK has fewer than 500, meaning the Suffolk Punch is classed as a rare breed.
6. Friesian
Famed for its gleaming beauty, the Friesian horse is a centuries-old breed, native to the Netherlands, in the 15 to 17-hand height range. The majority are glossy black in color, and their high-stepping gait and luxuriant mane, tail, and feathering make them popular for use in upper-level dressage and carriage driving.
7. Dutch Draft
Smaller than other draft breeds but mighty, Dutch Drafts were created after the First World War for heavy work in farms and forests. A blend of Belgian Draft and Ardennes horses, they vary between 15 and 17 hands and are known for their stamina and calm but stubborn nature.
8. Australian Draft
This heavy horse breed stands at around 16 to 17 hands tall. A composition of the best qualities of other draft horse breeds used widely in Australia, it was developed with attributes making it suitable to the working conditions of Australia, such as less pink skin and fewer white markings, to guard against sun damage.Described as hardy, willing, even-tempered, and friendly, they are now mainly used for pleasure riding, showing, and plowing competitions.
9. Boulonnais
There are two types of Boulonnais: a small size known as the “fish-cart horse” owing to its use quickly transporting fish from the French city of Boulogne to Paris, and the large type, which is much smaller than the taller draft horse breeds at around 15 hands, yet still often weighs over a ton, according to the IMH.France’s rich history led to the emergence of the Boulonnais, a fast horse with an elegant gait and refined looks. Its roots are believed to come from horses imported to the country by Julius Caesar. Later invasions brought Oriental and Andalusian blood, followed by German horses to evolve the breed further.
10. American Cream Draft
Is there a more luxurious equine color than gold champagne? Such is the name for the cream coat of the American Cream Draft, a medium-heavy draft ranging from 15 to 16.3 hands. Truly American through and through, its roots date to the early 1900s and a broodmare in central Iowa known as “Old Granny,” reports American Cream Draft Horse Association.
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