The history of the creation of the Russian heavy horse breed. Workhorses

The Russian draft is a small animal that has a good working capacity and is often used to cultivate agricultural land. The peasants, whose labor was associated with work on the land, used them to help. In addition, the horses had excellent meat and dairy qualities. Thus, the Russian heavy draft horse breed can be attributed not only to workers, but also to productive animals.

History of origin

This breed began its creation 100 years ago. Horses from the mountains of Belgium became their progenitors. These animals had different type body structures and differed in appearance, which was a disadvantage compared to other horses. The orders were famous for their speed, had a dry constitution of the body and beautiful appearance... They are not picky about their diet, preferring large spaces for their lives. Therefore, the Russian people liked this horse. For the period of 1904, there were more than 370 farms that bred this breed.

It is noted that there was a small livestock on the horse farm from the Petrovskaya Agricultural Academy. They were kept in small farming areas where factories were located. Horse breeders wanted to increase the number of heads as soon as possible, and for this they crossed orders with different draft queens of other breeds, namely with Brabancons. After they took only the best manufacturers, every year and as a result, the offspring had a better appearance. In 1900, an exhibition of worldwide importance took place on the territory of Paris. On it, the orders were celebrated as a common breed for peasant work. A stallion named Karavai won this show and had a brown suit. He was awarded a gold medal.

After the end of the Revolution, breeding work began with those animals that survived. The main condition was to get a small horse with a well-built body to work on rural land. In addition, the animal must be unpretentious, and minimal care was needed for it, not fastidiously. There were enough animals for the tribe, among which the factory line was chosen. The livestock was different from the old representatives of the orders. In the 52nd of the 20th century, the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia decided to name the breed Russian heavy truck.

Exterior

The livestock had a well-developed physique and beautiful appearance. Their appearance had a significant difference among all, but the height at the withers was 135-143 centimeters. They began to select taller stallions and mares. Of all the heavy trucks, the Russian was the smallest. Over time, breeders managed to reach a height at the withers of 146-148 cm. The height at the withers in stallions is 153.4, oblique length is 166.8, 205.2 cm in girth. The average weight of stallions was 600-700 kg. Females had other parameters, the height at the withers was 150.9 cm. The length of the body was from 161.6 to 193.5. The girth of the pastern is 21.2. The mares' weight was 580-650 kg. As a result, the Russian heavy draft fixed the torsos of a more elongated type, the horses have a deep barrel-shaped chest, the limbs are dry, strong, but small.

The head is broad and has a strong forehead. Well marked in the neck area developed muscles... The neck is long and bent. The withers are rough. The back may have a slight deflection, long. The croup is wide. The tail and mane area of the Russian draft horse is long. The male has a small body size, but is distinguished by its activity and energy. People also note that the animal is calm, friendly. They are unpretentious in terms of keeping and feeding. Easy to maintain, even for novice horse breeders. Since the back area is wide, they can be used to move people with small stature and weight. The animal is kind, children get along well with it.

The Russian heavy truck has the following colors: red, roan, bay, black, gray. Animals of this breed work actively, have a good lifespan, bring strong young growth, and perfectly adapt to various weather conditions. The Russian heavy draft breed is excellently grown in areas with hot and cold climates. The hatching of young animals is 85% and can reach 95%. Many breeding animals take part in the reproduction of the herd up to 25 years.

Stallions and mares are used to help farmers in the countryside. Thanks to such physical activity, the animal keeps its shape and remains functional. The best and most promising animals are selected for further reproduction. Take into account endurance, strength, activity. The early maturity of the producers is noted. At one and a half years, they have a height at the withers, which is 97% of the height of adult animals. And 75% of live weight. At 3 years old, all indicators reach their maximum level, and the animals stop growing. On the territory of Russia, there are a sufficient number of Russian heavy trucks that are used in breeding.

Firms for the production of kumis are being created, so they keep mares of heavy trucks. Milk is used not only for kumiss, but also used in the manufacture of infant formula. It is believed that this dairy product has a more useful quality, and in terms of its composition it is the best substitute for maternal. Also, at stud farms, Russian heavy trucks are used to obtain meat and milk. Mares grow up quickly and, with a good diet, have a high fertility, as well as a developed maternal instinct. Very milky. In one season, you can get up to 3 tons of milk during lactation. Heavy trucks are, in principle, famous for their large milk yield.

In addition, they are used for tourist entertainment, since this breed is excellent for these purposes. They are sturdy, strong, hardy, not aggressive. They can be allowed near the children, whom they can ride throughout the day. A delicacy for this animal is juicy carrots, apples, beets. It is also important to have a balanced feed. A heavy truck can match the performance of a small tractor. Despite its low performance for these animals, this is only an advantage. Because less feed is needed. Of course, the endurance of this small breed is not so great, so it will be possible to take away a small amount of cargo for use in the household, but this is enough. The animal can carry loads by increasing its stride speed, as well as at a gallop and trot.

Of course, the Russian breed of heavy draft trucks is able-bodied, has many advantages in comparison with other breeds. Pedigree sheep are used to improve the quality of local horses on farms in Russia and Belarus. If you analyze the previous 10 years, many stud farms have experienced difficult times. The economic situation was stable, and heavy trucks have always been an inexpensive breed that is available to people with minimal income. During the USSR, stud farms were helped with state funds. Organized ways of marketing dairy products. In addition, genetic material was exchanged between farms.

And today the breed is widespread among ordinary people who decide on the development of an independent one. Unfortunately, the owners of heavy trucks are reducing the number of livestock, since a fairly large amount of feed is required, and the foals grow up small and weak. Mares give birth to fewer foals, they are accustomed to feeding with the use of feed additives. In the past, the Russian heavy draft breed raised over 1000 heads of good queens. And now there are three and a half times fewer producers of breeding animals. Owners cannot pay salaries and pay their bills. Therefore, along with the lack of finance, breeders also have a shortage of personnel.

But still there are people who attract sponsorship money, thereby helping the plant to hold on. As a result, better feed can be used to feed the animals. Groups of heavy trucks are perfectly used for private farms, as a labor force, in livestock breeding. In addition, they are perfectly grown for meat and milk, for obtaining kumis, cheese, baby food and other products.

Horses today in the world of technology are one of the most essential helpers in farming. Many people know how it is necessary to transport a sufficient amount of cargo from one place to another at any time of the year. And at the same time, not every time there is an opportunity to use the technique. Soviet is the best assistant, however, he has an excellent brother - the Russian heavy truck. What are the features of these horse breeds, let's find out together.

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Russian heavy truck

The Russian heavy draft horse belongs to the breed of heavy draft horses. Most often they are used to transport large cargo. And although it is not the largest horse in the world, it has sufficient strength and endurance. Differs in remarkable efficiency and longevity, as well as rather high fertility. Unlike many horses, they are absolutely not demanding on living conditions, Russian heavy trucks perfectly adapt to the conditions of the Russian climate.

Origin

The homeland of the Russian heavy horse is the Urals and the work on the breeding of the breed was rather difficult. During the breeding work, Belgian heavy trucks and Russian draft breeds were used. Also, the blood of the Percherons, Brabansons and even Arab thoroughbred horses was repeatedly rushed. The main goal was to bring out a horse with sufficient strength, unpretentious and agile, so that he could walk and trot freely.

Appearance

The height at the withers ranges from 146 to 150 cm. The body of the horse is very elongated, however, the legs are slightly short, but they are distinguished by their strength. The head is rather small, but wide, and the neck is muscular. The coat color of such a horse is mainly red or red - roan. Sometimes, very rarely, there is a black and bay suit.

Character

The horses of the Russian Heavy Draft breed are distinguished by their absolutely calm character and good nature. They are smart and level-headed. Thanks to this, they easily make contact with people and serve them well.

Features of the content

The Russian heavy truck is absolutely not whimsical to the conditions of detention. Horses easily adapt to living conditions and to the weather and climate conditions. In winter, they can spend time in the open air during the day until the most severe frosts. These horses are excellent at withstanding cold, rain and heat. However, in hot weather it is recommended to give your pet more liquid.

The main feature of Soviet heavy trucks is the ability to carry very heavy loads of several tons. They are the pride of Russia and are very popular in European countries. Despite the dryish hull structure, they have tremendous strength and can easily endure bad weather.

You can even safely call the Soviet heavy truck an absolutely unique pet. In addition to its strength, this horse has many valuable qualities. It is also a heavy-harness horse and is by far the largest and most resilient of the other species.

Origin

Soviet heavy trucks were withdrawn in the Soviet Union. They are direct descendants of the famous Bityugs. Selection work was carried out on the basis of horse breeds that were brought from abroad - Brabancons. Through lengthy selection work, horse breeders have bred a fairly smart and unpretentious horse. Unlike the Brabancon horses, the Soviet heavy draft does not require special conditions content and does not refuse simple food.

Appeared in Russia at the end of the 19th century. Around the thirties of the 20th century, this type began to be improved. The breed was fully established only in 1952.

Appearance

The average height at the withers is from 165 cm to 170 cm. The weight is from 700 to 1000 kg. The first thing that immediately attracts attention is the neck, head and chest, which are massive. And due to the fact that the back is quite soft, you can ride it. Like all heavy trucks, a feature is the loin, which has a forked croup, which allows the horse to carry a very heavy load behind him. The legs of Soviet heavy trucks are massive and strong.

Coat color can be varied. However, the most common colors are red and roan. The Soviet heavy truck has a rather lush mane and tail.

Character

The Soviet heavy truck is distinguished by a rather energetic character. They are very emotional, but their movements are proud and graceful. Easily make contact with people.

Features of the content

Just like the Russian heavy trucks, the Soviet heavy truck does not require huge apartments for life. It is enough to make an open-air aviary. However, this aviary is suitable for spending time during the day and during the warmer months. In any case, you need a stable with enough space. They are completely unpretentious to food and do not require expensive feed. They easily endure frost and rain.

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In this video you can see a Soviet heavy truck and its manners.

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Despite the total motorization and mechanization, horses still have not lost their economic importance. This is exactly the breed of horses, the representatives of which are usually called Russian draft horses. Although the areas of economic use of these horses have significantly narrowed, they still remain in demand, sometimes even in a new quality.

Historical reference

This breed began to form at the end of the 19th century. It is based on the Belgian Ardennes - one of the oldest draft breeds. They did not shine with their exterior, but they had excellent working qualities.

In the breeding work carried out in the Russian Empire to improve the qualities of the Belgian Ardennes, they used Brabancons, Orlov trotters and some other breeds. The first selection results were presented in 1900 at the Paris Exhibition.

It was the stallion Karavai, an improved breed of the Ardens, who received gold medal Exhibitions.

However, the breeding work did not end there. Efforts were made to create a relatively small, strong, hardy heavy truck, unpretentious to the conditions of detention. The new breed was created around 1937, but it turned out to be overly short - just over 140 cm at the withers.

Therefore, its revision continued. Finally, in 1952, this work was crowned with success, which was reflected in the official registration of a new breed, which was named the "Russian heavy truck" (previously it was called the Russian Arden).

Did you know? It is known that in the United States there are many so-called crazy laws. Some of them also apply to horses. For example, in the state of Utah there is a law according to which an unmarried woman can be imprisoned for riding a horse on Sunday. In a number of other states, a man, upon marriage, is not allowed to ride a mare alone until he has been married for more than a year.

general characteristics

This breed belongs to the group of low heavy trucks, which determines its exterior and character, formed in the process of selection. Let's consider in more detail outward signs and behavioral features of representatives of this breed.

Exterior

Among Russian draft horses, red and brown colors prevail; bay, red-roan and black horses are less common. Their height at the withers is on average 150 cm. These animals have a muscular and somewhat elongated body.

Their external characteristics are as follows:

body length - 162-205 cm;
metacarpus coverage - 21-22 cm;
weight reaches 700 kg in stallions and 500 kg in mares;
broad-forehead, dry;
ears are small, erect;
the neck is powerful, with a smooth bend;
wide withers;
the back is wide, straight or with a slight deflection;
bifurcated croup, slightly sagging;
the chest is wide, barrel-shaped;
limbs are short, overgrown, strong and bony;
the mane and tail are thick.

Character

These horses are balanced and docile, quite mobile, quickly get used to changing owners, places and conditions of keeping (of course, within reasonable limits). They work both in harness and under saddle. Buck up rarely, usually in response to obvious rudeness.

Advantages and disadvantages

Of the advantages of Russian heavy trucks, the following are noted:

high adaptability to various conditions of keeping and climate (this breed is used both in warm and in northern regions);
balanced character;
undemanding to feed (they are able to eat exclusively pasture for a long time; for some time they can consume one straw; they are able to gain weight well in the absence of concentrated feed);
rapid development of foals (at the age of one and a half years they gain three quarters of the mass of an adult horse, and by the age of three they reach their maximum development and stop growing);
universalism of use;
productive longevity (foal-producing mares and breeding stallions are used up to 25 years);
high milk production of mares;
excellent performance, which lasts for a long time (up to 25 years).

Russian heavy trucks do not have pronounced shortcomings, however, the breed is still being improved. Currently, in breeding work, the emphasis is on breeding an enlarged line with a height higher than 155 cm at the withers.

Scope of application

These horses are primarily used for transporting goods and performing agricultural work (for example, in the process of mowing grass with a horse mower), but this is not limited to their use. Russian heavy trucks are harnessed to carriages, used as sled ones - all this is in great demand in the tourism business.

Under the saddle, these animals behave calmly, which allows inexperienced riders to ride them.

In addition, this breed is often used to improve the quality of the local non-pedigree equine population. In some regions, crossbreeding of "strands" with local horses is practiced to obtain highly productive meat hybrids. Another area of using Russian heavy trucks is milk production.

Mares of this breed give an average of 2700 liters of milk per year. There are also record-breaking mares that produce over 4,000 liters of milk throughout the year.

Did you know? The very first horse, the remains of which were found by archaeologists, was named by the poetic name Eogippus, which translated from Greek means "horse of dawn". This type of horse appeared on Earth about 60 million years ago. The growth of representatives of this species was about 35 cm. Such a horse weighed about 5 kg. She had four toes on her front feet and three on her hind legs.

As noted above, one of the positive qualities of Russian heavy trucks is their simplicity. But, like other horse breeds, they need comfortable conditions in stables, full care and diet. Let us consider in more detail the features of the content of this breed.

Stable

Russian heavy trucks are kept in equipped stables.

In this case, the following conditions of detention must be provided:

stall size - 3.5 x 3.5 m with a ceiling height of 3 m;
drafts are unacceptable, but in mandatory it is necessary to equip ventilation (the most common is supply and exhaust);
as a drinker, you can use a drinking bucket or an autodrinker (it is preferable), but these devices must be made of non-toxic materials (high-quality plastic, aluminum, stainless steel);
the same requirements are imposed on the material of the feeders as for the drinkers;
drinking bowls and feeders are mounted at a certain height (usually 70-80 cm from the floor level), the bucket is placed on the floor of the stall;
the floor is usually equipped with adobe, expanded clay concrete or cement with wooden flooring (a board of 50 mm thickness is used);
as bedding in stalls, a layer of sawdust, straw or a mixture of sawdust and peat is used;
lighting should be 16-hour intensity 160-200 lux;
Horses endure winter frosts without problems, they can also be in an unheated stable, only drafts and high humidity can harm them. Extreme heat is less tolerated. Therefore, at this time, regular washing or dousing with a hose with slightly warmed water is necessary, bathing is also practiced. Excessive exposure to direct sunlight in heat can lead to overheating and thermal shock.

Cleaning and hygiene

In order to prevent diseases, it is necessary to carry out visual examinations of the horse and perform the following actions:

daily clean the stall, feeder, drinker;
every day to clean the horse's fur, as well as comb its mane, and if there are several horses, then each must be provided with an individual scraper, comb and brush;
after a walk or a working day, it is necessary to examine the horse's hooves for pebbles, knots, etc. stuck there;
you need to regularly examine the teeth of the animal, and in the presence of mechanical damage to the teeth or an unpleasant odor, contact a veterinarian.

Feeding and drinking

As mentioned above, this breed is characterized by unpretentiousness to feed. She can manage for a long time with coarse (hay and straw) or pasture. However, it is recommended to regularly feed Russian heavy trucks with concentrated feed.

The best such feeds are oats and barley. They can also be supplemented with corn grain, but not more than a third of the concentrated feed volume.

Grain feed can be replaced with bran moistened to a porridge state. In addition, root crops are very useful, namely carrots and beets, which must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and finely chopped before falling asleep in the feeder.
Their daily intake should not exceed 10 kg. The best option for feeding Russian heavy trucks in the summer is walking them in the pasture in combination with feeding with concentrated feed. In addition, salt should be included in the diet.

The feeding schedule is usually adjusted according to the horse's economic use. They are fed up to 5 times a day.

Important! Russian heavy draft horses should not be overfed - this can lead to rheumatic inflammation of the hooves and make the horse inoperative. Even a cured animal may experience further discomfort while moving.

Horses are usually watered twice a day. However, with the proliferation of auto drinkers, this practice has evolved. Nowadays, many horse owners leave the drinker on at all times.

Pets very quickly get used to having a constant source of water in the stable and drink water as needed in small portions. The water temperature in the drinker should be approximately +20 ° C.
Summing up, it can be noted that Russian heavy trucks are very good as an unpretentious and hardy draft animal. But their use is not limited to this: they can walk under a saddle, improve other breeds, be milk producers.

All these qualities have deservedly ensured the popularity of this breed among farmers, in the tourism business and in other industries.

In Russia, the breeds of heavy draft horses are relatively young and cannot boast of a long history. In world history, heavy trucks have been known for a long time and were used for field work, delivery of goods, clearing forests, as transport animals and riding. To this day, heavy trucks carry out part of the work, are actively used in rural areas and are a national treasure in some countries.

Any breed of heavy draft horse is distinguished by its large and muscular constitution, high growth (up to two meters) and great strength and endurance. These giants of the equestrian world have a deep chest, stocky, strong legs with wide hooves, powerful shoulder girdle, strong back and croup. With their size, horses have a calm and good-natured disposition, lively temperament and curiosity. They are unpretentious and adapt well to a wide variety of feeds and living conditions.

The use of heavy draft horses today is not limited to agricultural work.

Wheelers take part in many disciplines of equestrian sports, including children's, various shows, national monobreed exhibitions, competitions among heavy trucks, parades.

Russian breeds of heavy trucks

Vladimirsky heavy truck

History of the breed

The history of the Vladimir heavy truck begins in 1886, when several dozen were purchased for the Gavrilo-Posad stud farm. Scottish Clydesdals for breeding a new draft heavy draft breed. Scottish stallions were crossed with local strong, stocky and small mares. The breeders were faced with the task of consolidating strength and conformation, high adaptability and endurance. The first results were obtained at the beginning of the 20th century - horses of a new breed began to be acquired for work on local farms. Ten years later, the tribal nucleus of the stud farm was formed. And the residents of Vladimir received official recognition in 1946.

Exterior

Average horse measurements are:

at the withers from 162 cm to 171 cm,
chest girth up to 200 cm,
pastern - up to 24 cm.

The head is large, with a slightly humped profile, the neck is long, with a pronounced occiput, strong, oblique scapula. The shoulders are well muscled. The back is long, the croup is slightly lowered. The feet are correct, the hooves are wide, with a strong and firm horn. Color - often bay, black, red. Densely overgrown tail with mane.

Features of the breed

The Vladimir horses are active and energetic, intelligent and friendly horses, with a balanced psyche and lively temperament. Free movement with good grasp of space. Today, the Gavrilovo-Posad stud farm, the Monastyrskoye Compound and several private breeding farms are engaged in the breeding of Vladimir heavy trucks. The livestock numbers about 200 queens. Vladimir heavy trucks have good health, are hardy and unpretentious to the conditions of detention. The breed is used not only in national heavyweight competitions, but also in driving, equestrian tourism and for ladies' riding.

Heavy truck of the Vladimir breed Lazurite

Russian heavy truck

History of the breed

The breed began to take shape at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. For breeding, heavy trucks of the Ardennes breed, Percherons, Russian draft horses were used. They received an official registration and a national herd book only in 1952.

Exterior

Russian heavy draft horses are medium-sized, muscular, stocky horses. Average measurements:

at the withers up to 154 cm,
pastern in girth - 21 - 23 cm,
the average weight for mares is 620 kg, for stallions - 655 kg.

Animals have long body lines, deep muscular chest, long back, which often seems soft. The croup is drooping. The neck is long, with a nice curvature, a well-defined ridge. The color is most often red of all apprentices, roan, there are bay and black individuals with an admixture of roan or gray hair.

Features of the breed

Russian heavy trucks are unpretentious to the conditions of detention and can only get by with meager roughage. They perfectly tolerate both severe frosts and hot summer temperatures. They are used in various horse shows, take part in exhibitions, driving, competitions among heavy trucks.

Russian heavy truck - champion Etalon

The mares are distinguished by high milk yield, which allows them to be used for the production of kumis. During the lactation period, the mare gives up to 3500 liters of milk. The second use of milk is in the manufacture of infant formula, since its composition is very close to breast milk.

Soviet heavy trucks - the result of crossing French Brabancons and local large horses... The blood of the Suffolks, Ardens and Percherons was also added to the breed to increase endurance and better adaptability to the conditions of the Russian climate and life. The breed was officially registered in 1952.

Exterior

Soviet heavy trucks among Russian breeds are champions. Their height can reach 175 cm with a weight of 950 - 1000 kg.

Horses have strong, short backs short neck with a pronounced crest, developed chest and powerful shoulder girdle... The loin is wide. The croup is slightly saggy. Legs are strong, dry, of medium length with flat, wide hooves. The head is not large, with well-defined ganaches, the profile is more often straight or slightly humped. Large sizes and heavy weight sometimes lead to defects in the exterior - clubfoot, saber fence. The color is more often red of all apprentices.

Features of the breed

Horses of this breed are distinguished by their calm disposition and kindness. They are quite strong and can move loads of several tons over long distances. Absolute record belongs to the stallion Force, who dragged a load of 23 tons several tens of meters behind him. Horses are actively used in agriculture. You can also find them in sledding equestrian sports, at all kinds of horse shows and exhibitions, as well as under the saddle.

Foreign breeds

Persheronskaya

History of the breed

There is no consensus among hippologists about where and when this breed was created. According to some data, the breed has ancient roots and was bred many centuries ago, according to others, the breed was formed in the middle of the last century. One thing is known for sure - during the breeding, not only heavy draft and thick-boned horses were used, but also Arab purebreds.

Exterior

Modern French Percherons inherited an elegant gray suit from their eastern ancestors, beautiful shape heads, correct movements. The height at the withers ranges between 155 cm and 177 cm. The chest circumference can reach 205 cm, and the metacarpus up to 25 cm. The average weight is about 800 kg. A beautiful and graceful head, a long and expressive neck with a curvature and a well-defined crest. The chest is very broad, the back is short and wide enough. Legs strong and dry, wide hooves.

Features of the breed

Percherons are distinguished by their endurance, harmonious constitution, soft and comfortable movement and calm character. It is these qualities that made the Percherons so widespread - the broodstock numbers more than 5,000 individuals. In France, the state helps farmers who use Percherons on their lands with financial subsidies and feed, stimulating the popularization of the breed. Several times a year, various monobreed exhibitions and shows are organized, where horses appear in national harness and ornaments, and take part in various competitions.

Big Jake of the Perchenon breed - the largest horse in the world

Ardenne heavy trucks

History of the breed

The Belgian heavy draft breed has a long history and originates from strong local horses - the Belgians. At the beginning of the 18th century, several Arab stallions were brought to the monastery of St. Hubert, where the Ardennes were bred. This was done with the aim of lightening the horse type, improving the performance of the movements and making the appearance more elegant.

The Ardens took part in several wars, not only as transport animals, but also as riding horses. They did not differ in agility, but their endurance allowed them to cover long distances.

Exterior

Ardennes are not large and reach a maximum of 163 cm at the withers. The average body weight is about 700 kg. The color is often red and gray, with a roan. Black and dark bay animals are not considered purebred. The head of the Ardennes horse is small, with a straight profile, the eyes are large and expressive, the ears are pointed. Neck with pronounced muscle relief, short, but with a beautiful curve. Developed shoulder girdle, short and broad back well muscled, wide, slightly drooping croup. Legs are relatively short, well overgrown. The hooves are wide, with an even and strong horn.

Features of the breed

Despite their small size, ardens are distinguished by mobility, endurance, calm disposition, intelligence and strength. With a load, they are able to travel up to 50 km in 4 hours without stopping for rest, and in a day they can transport up to two tons of cargo along broken and impassable roads at a distance of up to 30 km. This trait made horses so popular not only in agriculture but also in logging. They are not particularly demanding on food and can do with scarce pasture for a long time. The Ardens took part in the creation of such breeds as Russian heavy draft, Comtois, Baltic Arden, Sokolskaya, du Nord, Tori, Boulogne.

Ardennes horses are very popular in Russia - they are bred in several stud farms and many private breeding farms.

Cleydesdal

History of the breed

Today the Clydesdale is a national treasure in Scotland, and just a few decades ago, the breed was on the verge of extinction. The first horses were obtained more than three centuries ago, by crossing large heavy draft horses exported from England and Belgium with local aboriginal breeds. The result of long selection work has become tall, strong horses, with their bones more reminiscent of riding breeds, but differing more power and efficiency. In the era of agricultural development, horses were widely used in the fields, but with the advent of technology, the breed was not in demand. Since 1975, these beautiful and powerful animals have been actively restored and at the moment the livestock numbers several thousand individuals.

Exterior

The Kleydesdale are real giants of the equestrian world - at the withers, the height often exceeds 180 cm, and the weight is more than a ton.

The animals have long strong legs, thick friezes, and hooves in diameter are twice that of a riding horse. The head of a heavy truck is large, with a hump-nosed profile, expressive eyes, long ears. The neck is also often short, with a pronounced cervical crest. The back is short with a well-defined withers. Strong and muscular. The color is most often roan, black, red and bay of all apprentices. Distinctive feature- Marking of the head, abdomen and legs.

Features of the breed

This breed is known to everyone who has ever seen an advertisement for the Budweiser company. It was this company that made a great contribution to the development and popularization of the heavy draft breed, making the bay beauties its recognizable business card... Animals are bred not only for work in the field, shows and exhibitions, which are especially popular in England, Scotland and the USA. Many private ecotourism farms purchase these horses - they are hardy, have a comfortable ride and delight tourists. Another feature of the breed is all-permeability. Horses are able to overcome long distances over rough terrain, pass water obstacles well, and easily navigate mountainous terrain. They are able to cover long distances at a trot - the horse's movements are comfortable and soft, not tiring for the rider.

The breeding of the Russian heavy draft breed began in Russia about 100 years ago, when small heavy draft horses, the Ardens, were brought in from the mountainous part of Belgium. For the most part, they were of a disharmonious constitution and with many exterior flaws. At the same time, ardens possessed a number of valuable qualities: good mobility, dry constitution, unpretentiousness to the conditions of feeding and keeping. They began to spread rapidly in Russia, and by 1904 the Ardens were already bred by 376 farms, including the Khrenovskaya and Derkul state stud farms, the farm of the Petrovsky Agricultural Academy and many small private stud farms. In order to quickly increase the livestock, the Ardens were not only bred clean, but also purebred Ardens were crossed with harness-type mares of various other breeds, mainly Brabancons.

Ardens, under the influence of selection, acquired a harmonious constitution and good exterior forms. In 1900, at the World Exhibition in Paris, Russian ardens attracted general attention as a completely original breed of workhorses. One of the best was the brown stallion of the Khrenovsky stud farm Karavay, 1887, which received a gold medal.

By this time, the old Ardennes breed in its homeland, Belgium, had ceased to exist, absorbed by the large Belgian workhorse.
After the revolution, only part of the horses of the Ardennes breed survived, with which systematic breeding work began to create a medium-sized, but "economical" agricultural horse, combining good performance and harmony of constitution with unpretentiousness in keeping and feeding conditions. A large array of pedigree horses of this type was created and the factory lines were bred - Karaul, Casket, Podeshchik, Rubikon.

Due to the significant differences from the old Ardennes, a proposal arose to name this newly created group of horses the Russian heavy draft breed, which was officially adopted by the USSR Ministry of Agriculture in 1952.
Stallion measurements: 153,4 - 166,8 - 205,2 - 22,4;
measurements of mares:
live weight of stallions 600-700 kg., Mares - 580-650 kg

The head of Russian heavy trucks is dry, light, broad-forehead, with a lively eye; the neck is muscular, beautifully arched and long enough; wide withers; the back is wide, long, sometimes soft; the loin is straight, broad and muscular, the groin is short; the croup is wide, bifurcated, of normal inclination; rib cage barrel-shaped structure; legs are short, dry, strong, hind legs are often a little saber; the overgrowth of the legs is small, and the mane and tail are thick, long. The color is dominated by red and red-roan, less often bay and bay-roan, brown, sometimes black horses are found.

The temperament of Russian heavy trucks is energetic, balanced, good-natured character, strong and dry constitution. Their especially valuable quality is their unpretentiousness to feed, keeping conditions and the ability to "hold the body" well.
Russian heavy trucks have great durability and high fertility. The yield of foals per 100 mares in stud farms is 80-85%, and in the most favorable years it rises to 90-95%. The breeding service of many stallions and mares lasts up to 20-25 years of age.
Mares and stallions of stud farms are widely used in household work, which contributes to the development of the best working qualities and the selection of the most efficient horses. Goodness, mobility, endurance are valued in the Russian heavy draft. Russian heavy trucks are rather early maturing. By the age of 1.5 years, they reach 96-97% in height at the withers, in live weight - 75% of an adult horse, and by 3 years in all measurements and live weight they almost completely finish their growth.
With a low height at the withers, Russian heavy trucks have well-defined draft forms and a significant live weight. Possessing the above qualities, Russian heavy draft horses serve not only as a good agricultural horse, but also as valuable enhancers of the livestock of small local horses of the northern forest type.

The Russian heavy draft breed is also promising for developing productive horse breeding. Nice results gave the experience of using Russian heavy trucks in the steppes of Buryatia and Kazakhstan in crosses with local steppe horses to obtain a larger meat horse. Crossbreeds of the 1st generation develop normally in normal herd conditions and, in terms of their live weight, surpass local horses by 60-70 kg. Mares of the Russian heavy draft breed are distinguished by high milk production. So, on the kumis farm of the All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding, their milk productivity was 2782 liters of milk for full lactation (236 days). The maximum productivity was obtained from the mare Lukoshka - 4870 liters for 305 days of lactation.
The main method of pedigree work with the Russian heavy draft breed is pure-bred breeding along the lines.
The original genealogical structure of the breed was formed under the predominant influence of the two ancestors of the lines - Karaul, red, 1909 and Larchik, red. in gray hair, 1918, and the leading role for many years was played by Karaul and his descendants.

The genealogical complex Karaul x Larchik was a "golden cross" and formed the basis for the formation of the new most progressive and numerous lines - the Scout, withdrawn from the Guard line, Degree, withdrawn from the Scout line, and Insidious, withdrawn from the Casket line.
With the advent of increased demand for the enlarged Russian heavy truck, a new Svist line (from the Kapitan line) has been withdrawn in the breed. Its representatives are distinguished by their large stature, massive build and high carrying capacity. In the Russian heavy-draft breed, the lines of the Podyshchik, Rubin, Rubicon are also cultivated.
In addition to male lines, a number of mother families have been bred in the Russian Heavy Draft breed.
Russian heavy trucks are quite widespread: the Urals, the North and North-West of the European part of Russia, as well as some regions of Siberia and the Caucasus, Belarus and Ukraine.

Stallion measurements: 153,4 - 166,8 - 205,2 - 22,4;
measurements of mares: 150,9 - 161,6 - 193,5 - 21,2,
live weight stallions 600-700 kg., mares - 580-650 kg
The Russian heavy draft breed belongs to the group of small draft horses and is intended for use in agriculture as a working and breeding horse. It also possesses good meat qualities and high milk productivity, which opens up the prospect of using animals of this breed in productive horse breeding.