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Know the breed.
Understand the horse.

From a pony’s first steps to the power of a draft horse. Explore the breeds, learn the foundations, and find a little more confidence in the saddle.

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breed guides
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The breed library

Every horse has a story.

Origins, conformation, temperament, uses and care — with a consistent reference illustration for every breed.

Draft horses

Clydesdale

Scottish draft-horse substance with characteristic feather and action.

Origin
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Height
Usually 17–18 hands in the society’s current breed description; some individuals differ
Read the breed guide
Draft horses

Shire

An English heavy horse with scale, feather and cart-horse heritage.

Origin
England
Height
ASHA stallion standard: minimum 16.2 hands, average 17.1; mares may be smaller
Read the breed guide
Draft horses

Percheron

A French draft horse shaped by changing transport and farm work.

Origin
Le Perche, France
Height
Most are 16.2–17.3 hands in PHAOA’s description; the wider range is 15–19 hands
Read the breed guide
Draft horses

Belgian Draft

Belgian roots and a distinct modern North American working type.

Origin
Belgium; modern North American Belgian breeding developed its own type
Height
Usually 16–18 hands in the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation description
Read the breed guide

Our breed plates are AI-generated illustrative references, not measured conformation diagrams or registry-approved depictions. Individual horses vary; breed descriptions are a starting point, not a promise about any horse’s temperament or suitability.