main page | archive | artist & staff search | customs | breedings | store | Q+A | discord
The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland, which was developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horse, which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping. The Irish Draught was the ultimate utility animal on the small Irish farm. The Irish Draught had to be able to plough a field, be ridden under saddle, hunt with the hounds and more. The stamina, docility, size, and good sense of the Irish Draught made it ideally suitable to all of these disciplines.
The breed originated from the Irish Hobby, a small ambling horse, with many similarities to the primitive Garrano and Sorraia horses of Northern Spain and Portugal. War horses brought to Ireland during the Anglo-Norman invasions were bred with this local stock and later, additional Iberian blood was incorporated as Spanish horses from the shipwrecked Armada found their way ashore near Cork and the South West of Ireland. Clydesdale, Thoroughbred and half-bred sires were used on the local Draught mares in the 19th century and early 20th century, and a sprinkling of native Connemara pony blood added to form the breed known as the Irish Draught today.
Since the evolution of showjumping in Ireland, Irish Draughts have been popular for crossbreeding. They are well-known for producing upper-level eventers and show jumpers, and are exported across the globe. Today's Irish Draught is used mainly as a foundation animal for crossing with other breeds to produce sport horses. The most popular cross is the Thoroughbred or Continental Warmblood stallion used on the purebred or partbred Irish Draught mare to produce the Irish Sport Horse (or Irish Draught Sport Horse). The Irish Draught dam passes on bone, substance, and a more sensible temperament to her crossbred offspring. The breed is also used for hunting and showing, being excellent jumpers themselves. Due to its calm good sense and strength, Irish Draught geldings are popular mounts for police forces in Britain and Ireland. The upsurge in leisure riding as a passtime in recent years has given the Irish Draught, particularly the Irish Draught gelding, a great new outlet. The docile temperament and good sens of the Irish Draught make it the ideal mount for the leisure or casual rider.
[/center]
