→ Russian Horse Breeds → Soviet Heavy Draft Horse

Soviet Heavy Draft Horse

Purpose:

The Soviet Heavy Draft is a breed of draft horse, originating in Russia at the end of the 19th century. Soviet Heavy Draft sare now the most common draft horse used in the nations that make up the former Soviet Union, and they are also used in the improvement of other heavy breeds. Today they are mostly used for meat.

Characteristics:

The selective breeding that created the Soviet Heavy Draft resulted in a massively-built horse with free-moving gaits. The breed generally stands around 152 cm high. They may be chestnut, bay, or roan. The breed has a well-proportioned head with a straight profile, although with a pronounce djaw. The neck is usually short and muscular, the chest wide and deep, the shoulders straight and powerful, the back wide and strong, the croup muscular and sloping. The legs are short and sturdy with solid joints and hooves that are broad and rounded.They is prone topige on toes in their frontlegs and sickle hocks in the rear.
The breed tends to mature quickly, but is also less resistant to disease than some other heavy breeds.

Breeding area:

Anextensive breeding zone is Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Gorki, Penza, Ryazan, Tula, Tambov, Voronezh and Oryol regions and Mordovia.