Irish Draught Horse

The Irish Draught horse takes it roots from the Great Horsesof France and Flanders, which were importedafter the Anglo-Normans invaaded in AD 1172. These strong mares werecrossed and improved witheastern and Andalucian horses. Thiseventually resulted in the draught horses that were used on small Irish farms,both in harness and under saddle.

THE OLD TYPE
In 1850 the Irish Draught was described as a low-builtanimal, standing no more than 1.57-1.60 m (15.2-15.3 hh) with much bone andsubstance and short, strong, clean legs. The back was short and the loins strong, but thequarters tended to droop and goose-rumps were prevalent. The horse wasgenerally rather upright in the shoulders, but the neck was strong, and thehead small rather than coarse. The action, allowing for the slope of theshoulders, was straight and level, though not extravagant.

These animals could both trot in harness and canter andgallop under saddle. They were also said to jump very well; this quality aroseout of the Irish love of hunting, which encouraged the Irish horses to develop their innate talentfor going over the most fearsome of obstacles. The rich limestone pastures andthe wet, mild climate (which gave a long growing season) produced bone, size,and substance, while Thoroughbred blood (which was introduced to produce theIrish hunter) gave quality, scope, and more speed without detracting from theinherited hunting ability.

DETERIORATION OF STOCK
After the famine of 1847 the number of Irish Draughtsdeclined, and efforts were later made to improve the remaining stock withClydesdale and Shire crosses. These were not successful and had a coarseninginfluence. The Clydesdale is also held responsible for the breed becomingrather tied-in below the knee, a fault that has taken a long time to eradicate.In 1897 Thomas Meleady spoke bitterly of the effect of "the Scotch horses"on the Irish stock. He called them "heavy-legged horses, easilytired", and claimed that the Clydesdale had also destroyed the pony stockof Co. Mayo, Wicklow, and Wexford its horses as a national asset, and encouragetheir breeding and sale accordingly. In 1904 a Book for Horses of the IrishDraught Type was introduced, in which 375 mares and 44 stallions were entered.Until the Second World War there was a good trade in vanners, army remounts,draught horses, and the half-bred hunter. Inevitably the war brought about adecline in standards, but since then there has been a revival.

THE IRISH DRAUGHT SOCIETY
The Irish Draught Society was formed in 1976, followed in1979 by the Irish Draught Horse Society (GB), which soon became one of the mostprogressive British horse societies. It operates a grading system to produceanimals suitable for registration, and its influence on hunter breeding hasbeen remarkable. If the national mare band is not yet sufficiently large forcomfort, the choice of top-class stallions is wide. Used on Thoroughbred mares,the Draught stallions pass on bone, substance, size, and usually their jumpingability as well. Irish Draughts and their progeny are easily managed, have anequable temperament, are rarely sick, and thrive on smaller, plainer rationsthan other breeds of comparable size.

Irish Draughts are bigger than they were a century ago, mostof them standing 1.63 m(16 hh), while stallions often reach 1.73 m (17 hh). Thequarters and the set of the tail are much improved, and although they retainthe massive limb and bone, most of them are extraordinarily athletic ? many ofthe stallions standing in the UKare regularly ridden, hunted, and jumped.