A draft horse, also known as a draught horse or dray horse, is a large horse bred to be a working animal doing hard tasks such as plowing and other farm labor. They are characterized by their tall stature, heavy muscular build, and large body size, weighing over 1400 pounds. Draft horses 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 of warmblood type.
Draft horses are recognizable by their tall stature, large heads, and extremely muscular build. 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.
There are many types of draft horses, including the American Cream Draft, the North American Spotted Draft, the Dutch Draft, and the Soviet Heavy Draft, among others. Though most draft horses are used for and excel at driving, they can also be ridden. People use them for trail riding and dressage. Some of the lighter draft breeds are capable performers under saddle.
