THE DRAFT HORSE
IN AMERICA
Reprinted with permission from the International Museum of the Horse
Kentucky Horse Park
Power For An Emerging Nation
THE ORIGIN OF THE DRAFT
HORSE
The Ice Age Leads to the Heavy Type Horse
Over millions of years, the early horse migrated across the Bering land
bridge from North America into what is now Siberia. From there, they spread
across Asia into Europe and south to the Middle East and Northern Africa. With
the coming of the Pleistocene, (the last ice age), many of the horses were
isolated for long periods of time by massive glaciers. These groups eventually
developed distinct characteristics in order to survive their particular
environments. One type was a large heavy horse which developed in North Central
Europe. Their domain was the moors and heaths of the Northern Tundra where they
had an abundant, although poor quality food source. After the glaciers receded,
the heavy horse spread throughout Europe. By the early Medieval period (500 to
1,000 A.D.), a particular type of heavy horse known as the "Black Horse of
Flanders" had settled in the European low country, in what is presently
Belgium and Northern France. This would be the father of all modern draft
horses.
DRAFT ANIMALS IN EARLY
AMERICA
Oxen Provide Power for 18th Century American Farms
Throughout the 18th andearly 19th centuries, horses in America were used
primarily for riding and pulling light vehicles. Although two draft type horses,
the Conestoga Horse and the Vermont Drafter, were developed in the new nation,
both were absorbed into the general horse population by 1800. Oxen were the
preferred draft animal on most American Farms. They cost half as much as horses,
required half the feed and could be eaten when they died or were no longer
useful. Oxen, however, worked only half as fast as horses, their hooves left
them virtually useless on frozen winter fields and roads, and physiologically
they were unsuitable for pulling the new farm equipment developed in the 19th
century. The revolution in agricultural technology, westward expansion, and the
growth of American cities during the nineteenth century, led to the emergence of
the draft horse as America's principal work animal.
America Becomes the World's Breadbasket
The Revolution of Agriculture Technology
The revolution in agricultural technology between 1820 and 1870, created a
demand for a larger and stronger horse to power the new equipment. In 1862,
Congress passed the Morril Land Grant Act which led to the establishment of
state agricultural colleges. The first of the nation's veterinary colleges
opened at Cornell University in 1868. As farmers became more educated, there was
a corresponding improvement in the care, feeding and breeding of horses.
The new and improved farm equipment greatly increased the productivity of the
American farmer. With the McCormick reaper, which both cut and tied grains into
stocks, one man could do the work of thirty. New steel plows, double-width
harrows and seed drills, mowers, binders, combines and thresher's decreased the
need for manpower, but increased the demand for horsepower. Toward the end of
the century, the typical Midwestern wheat farm had ten horses, which each worked
an average of 600 hours per year. During harvest, it was not unusual to see
giant combines pulled by teams of over forty draft horses.
With the use of new equipment and fertilizers, wheat yields increased seven
times between 1850 and 1900. Better rail and steamship transportation opened new
markets in America's growing cities and in Europe. America was coming of age as
a world agricultural power.
Larger Farms Need Greater Horsepower
The Acreage One Family Could Cultivate Increased As Technology And
Equipment Improved
The average American farm in 1790 was 100 acres. This figure more than doubled
over the next 60 years. By 1910, 500 acre wheat farms were not uncommon. While
oxen and light horses had been adequate for tilling the long-worked fields of
Europe and the eastern United States, a stronger power source was needed to work
the sticky, virgin soil of the American prairie. As a result, the first European
Draft Horses were imported to America in the late 1830's. Farm labor became
scarce due to westward migration and casualties from the Civil War. This created
a greater demand for the new farm equipment and draft horses to power them. By
1900, there were over 27,000 purebred Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons, Shires,
and Suffolk Punches in the United States. Although the purebred draft stock was
seldom used in the field, the infusion of their blood resulted in a increase of
the average horse size to between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds by 1900.
THE HEAVY HORSE
HELPS OPEN THE AMERICAN
WEST
Millions of Americans moved westward during the 19th century lured first by
the promise of inexpensive or free land, and later by gold, silver and mineral
strikes. By 1830 there were 4,500,000 people living west of the Allegheny
mountains and the National Road stretched from Baltimore to Vandalia, Illinois.
The offspring of the heavy horse imported for the farms of the Midwest soon
found additional uses as the nation moved toward the pacific. The railroads
employed thousands of draft crosses, working side by side with mules and oxen,
to carry ties, rails and supplies to the rail heads, and to haul dirt and rock
from the excavation of mountain tunnels. Many of the western stagecoach lines
used up to six draft crosses to haul mail and passengers over dangerous, rough
roads. By century's end, large grain farms, comparable to those in the Midwest,
had been established on the western prairies. These farms, like their
predecessors, relied on draft horses to power their plows, threshers and
combines.
Horsepower Was Essential For Remote Mining Camps
After the discovery at Sutter's Mill, California in 1849, gold fever swept
through the eastern United States. As other valuable minerals were found
throughout the West, mining was established as a major new industry. Surface or
placer deposits of gold were seldom located on navigable streams, and rich lodes
of silver ore were usually found on steep ridges where they had been uncovered
by erosion.
As a result, horses were needed to carry supplies to the camps and haul the
ore to the railheads. At first, the many mining camps relied on local Indian
ponies. In time, these were often replaced by larger and stronger draft crosses.
As ore was extracted from the "hard rock" mines, smelters were needed
to separate the rich minerals from the impurities. The vast quantities of
charcoal required for the smelting process were procured from local forests.
This required strong horses to haul logs from the forest to where they were
processed into the needed fuel. Before a mine was played out, the mountains
would be stripped bare of trees for miles in all directions.
Horse Powered Mass Transportation Opens The Suburbs
The Draft Horse played a significant role in the growth of urban America. From
the end of the Civil War to the beginning of World War I, the United States was
in transition from an agrarian to an urban society. As cities, grew, so did the
need for mass transportation. The luxury of a private carriage or the regular
use of cabs was beyond the means of the average city dweller. Therefore, prior
to reasonably priced and effective horse powered mass transit systems, most
people were forced to live within walking distance of their work. This severely
restricted the ability of the cities to grow.
The development of draft horse powered mass transit systems allowed the
cities to expand into the new suburbs. In 1880, horse-car lines were operating
in every city in America with a population of 50,000. By 1886, over 100,000
horses and mules were in use on more than 500 street railways in more than 300
American cities.
As Cities Grew, So Did The Demand For Powerful Horses
Heavy horses conveyed the mountains of cargo unloaded at city terminals by
railroads, steamships, and canal boats; and distributed the goods produced in
urban factories. The vans used for cartage were fifteen to twenty feet long and
often carried loads of over ten tons. For the most part, strength and endurance
were the prime considerations in selecting the horses used to haul the goods.
Some businesses, on the other hand, used brightly painted delivery wagons pulled
by handsomely matched teams, to advertise their products. Breweries, meat
packers, and dairies were particularly fond of this practice, assembling
elaborate wagons, powered by four or six regally harnessed draft horses which,
by 1890, averaged 2,000 pounds apiece.
These show hitches soon began to compete in the show ring, especially at the
annual International Livestock Show held at the Chicago Stock Yards. Their
legacy can be seen today with the famous Budweiser Clydesdales and countless
other show hitches performing in American show rings.
The Horse Became an Essential Part of Urban Fire Protection During the
1850's
Since the total destruction of Jamestown in 1608, one of the greatest dangers
faced by urban Americans has been fire. As cities grew, the magnitude of
destruction from urban fires became even greater. With the introduction of
heavier and more efficient steam pumpers and ladder trucks in the 1850's, horses
became an integral part of urban fire departments. Then as now, speed was
essential in fire fighting. Intricate systems were developed to hasten the
harnessing of the fire horse teams. When an alarm sounded, stall doors were
automatically opened and the horses were moved below their suspended harness.
The harness, complete with hinged collars, was then dropped onto their backs and
quickly secured by the driver. With a good crew, the entire operation could be
completed in around two or three minutes. Fire horses were most always draft
crosses selected for speed and strength. In New York City, the first fire horse
was purchased in 1832. By 1906, their number had grown to nearly 1500.
THE DECLINE OF THE DRAFT
HORSE
The Urban Horse Faced New Competition With The Coming of the 20th Century
By the turn of the century, at least half of the 13,500,000 horses in the United
States carried between 10% and 50% draft horse blood. More than 3 million of
these were in use in non-farm capacities by 1910. With the continued growth of
heavy industry, and increased European immigration, American cities were
experiencing unprecedented growth. New interest in public health, rising real
estate values, and improvements in electric and gasoline powered alternatives to
horse power combined to mark the rapid decline of the horse's significance in
the city.
Within a decade, the horse was replaced in public transportation by motorized
taxies, electric streetcars, and subways. Large new gasoline powered trucks had
a similar impact on transportation of goods. The new trucks were three times
faster (ten miles an hour) than the horse powered drays, took less room to
store, and eliminated the problem of manure disposal. One of the last urban uses
of the horse to succumb to mechanization was the horse-drawn hearse, which
continued to be utilized into the 1930's.
World War I
The Horse in Trench Warfare
World War I provided a tragic chapter in the history of the draft horse. In
1913, the year prior to the war, less than one thousand horses were exported to
France and England from America. Over the next five years, total exportation
rose to more than one million. As the conflict was essentially one of trench
warfare, light cavalry horses, which numbered over one million, were virtually
useless. The primary demand was for heavier horses, which could pack supplies
and ammunition, and haul artillery to the front.
When the American Expeditionary Force entered the war in 1917, they took with
them an additional 182,000 horses, Of these, over 60,000 were killed, and many
thousands were wounded. Only 200 returned to America after the war. From 1914 to
1918, British veterinary hospitals in France treated 2,564,549 horses and mules
for war inflicted injuries.
New Machines Replace The Work Horse
Farmers Look For Smaller, More Economical Horses
The market for heavy horses went into a steady decline after World War I. The
reduction in the number of domestic draft horses, an increased demand for
American grain exports, and the improvements in the gasoline powered tractors
combined to hasten the replacement of the draft horse by machines. This was
especially true of pure-bred draft stock. In 1920, there were 95,000 registered
draft horses in America. By 1945, this figure dropped to under 2,000.
Particularly hard hit were the Clydesdale and the Shire. Both breeds had been
used primarily in the city, and were affected earlier than other draft breeds.
The heavy feathering on the feet of the Shire and Clydesdale was considered a
maintenance problem on the farm, therefore diminishing their popularity. What
remained of the draft horse market was centered primarily on the farms of the
Midwest. The American farmer looked for a smaller, more economical animal.
Belgian breeders responded by breeding a more compact horse, resulting in the
Belgian becoming the most numerous draft breed in the U.S. by 1937.
By the early 1950s, registrations for all draft breeds dropped dramatically,
with many breeders going out of business. The numbers of Shires and Suffolks
dropped so low that in 1985 they were listed as "rare" by the American
Minor Breeds Conservancy.
THE DRAFT HORSE
TODAY
Heavy Horses Compete In Show Ring
The modern draft horse is making a strong comeback as a pleasure animal.
Registration figures have risen steadily for all draft breeds over the past two
decades. Today, they are found in show rings throughout the country in halter,
conformation, and hitch classes. 1988 marked the inauguration of the North
American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series. The best of U.S. and Canadian show
hitches compete in 33 qualifying shows leading to four final competitions.
Hundreds of horse pulls are held across the country each year. The best
horses from local competitions meet each year in Michigan at the Hilldale County
Fair, home of the world championship horse pull, competing in light and
heavyweight categories.
Still A Willing Worker
The Draft Horse Continues To Play A Role In Modern Agriculture
The draft horse has again found a limited place in American agriculture,
especially since the oil shortages of the 1970's. While not competitive with a
tractor in large scale farming, the draft horse can be a practical alternative
in small scale and specialty operations.
Grade draft horses can be purchased more reasonably than mechanized
equipment, have the distinct advantages of reproducing themselves, and of
providing a ready source of fertilizer.
Draft horses continue to play a role in logging. In selective tree harvesting,
horses are much more practical than tractors or other heavy equipment for
removing the downed trees. Ecologically, they do considerably less damage to
forest floors, work quietly, and don't pollute the air.
Above and beyond practical considerations, working with draft horses, either
for pleasure or profit, offers men and women the intangible experience of
working with a thinking, breathing animal who has served them faithfully for
hundreds of years.
THE MAJOR
AMERICAN HORSE BREEDS
Shire
The Elegant Urban Work Horse
The Shire originated in the east central English counties of Lincolnshire and
Cambridgeshire. Although the first Shire was imported to America in 1853,
substantial importation did not begin until after the 1880's.
As the new century began, the Shire seemed poised to challenge the Percheron
as the nation's most popular draft horse. From 1990 through 1911 around 6,700
Shires were registered, with approximately 80% being native bred.
Because of their large size and flashy action, the Shire had been
particularly popular in the urban America. By the end of World War I however,
the draft horse had virtually been replaced by the truck, subway, and electric
streetcar in the city. At the same time, farmers were looking for a smaller,
more economical horse to work the fields.
As the Belgian and Percheron came to dominate the midwest draft horse market,
the center of Shire breeding moved to the West. Still, their numbers continued
to drop throughout the 1940s and 50s, with only twenty-five horses registered
from 1950 through 1959.
Today the Shire, like most draft breeds, is making a comeback. By 1985 there
were 121 Shires registered in America.
Percheron
The First Important American Work Horse
The Percheron is thought to have descended from the "Black Horse of
Flanders", with additional influence coming from the Andalusian and the
Arabian after the Moorish invasion of France in 732 A.D.. The Percheron derives
from his name from the small French district of La Perche, southeast of
Normandy. They were the first of the draft breeds to come to America, and
remained the most numerous until surpassed by the Belgian in 1937. Edward Harris
imported the first four Percherons to America in 1839. In 1876, the breed's
leading importers and breeders established the "National Association of
Importers and Breeders of Norman Horses." Two years later the term "Percheron"
replaced "Norman" in the Association's name.
By 1910, the 5,338 American Percheron breeders had registered 31,900 horses
over the previous decade. Although the internal combustion engine was rapidly
replacing the horse on city streets, horses still remained the primary
agricultural power source through the 1930s.
After the second World War, the tractor virtually destroyed the American
market for draft horses. As a result, only 58 Percherons were registered in
1954. With the renewed interest in draft horses in the 1960's, registrations
rose to 1,253 by 1982.
Belgian
The Most Numerous Draft Breed
The Belgian originated in the west European lowlands of Belgium. They are
direct descendants of the "Black Horse of Flanders", which existed
prior to the time of Julius Caesar around 200 B.C.. In 1866, the first Belgians
were imported to the United States by Dr. A.G. Van Hoorebeke. Twenty-one years
later, a group of prominent breeders and importers formed what would later
become "The Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America." After World
War I, Belgian breeders were among the first to respond to the American farmer's
desire for a more compact and therefore more economical draft horse. This,
combined with the fact that the Belgian was an "easy keeper," (because
of the lack of feathering or long hair on their lower legs) and the preference
for their predominant chestnut coloring, resulted in the Belgian surpassing the
Percheron as the most numerous of American draft horses in 1937.
As with light horses, modern draft horses are used more and more as pleasure
animals. In addition to their limited resurgence in agriculture, today's Belgian
can be found in show rings throughout the country in halter, confirmation and
hitch classes, and have also had great success in pulling competitions.
Clydesdale
Best Known Draft Breed In America
The Clydesdale originated in the Clyde River Valley of the Scottish county of
Lanark when, around 1750, Flemish stallions were crossed with native mares. The
most influential of these sires was Blaze, who was foaled in 1779. He is
generally considered the founding sire of the breed.
The Clydesdale was first brought to North America by Scottish immigrants to
Canada around 1850. Although a few of the breed undoubtedly crossed the northern
border into the United States, no major importation of Clydesdales to America
would occur until after the Civil War.
Alex Galbraith and Sons of Janestown, Wisconsin were among the first major
importers of Clydesdales to America. Galbraith, a Scottish immigrant, helped
establish Wisconsin and Michigan as traditional strongholds for Clydesdale
breeding.
In 1879, the Clydesdale Breeder's Association of the United States was
established in Illinois. The first volume of their studbook was published three
years later. By the end of the 19th century, the Clydesdale was the third most
numerous draft breed in America, and was well established in both rural and
urban America.
Following the European tradition, many companies, especially breweries, put
together colorful four and six horse hitches to help advertise their products.
Since the repeal of prohibition, the Budweiser Clydesdales have carried on this
tradition, helping to make the Clydesdale one of the most recognizable breeds in
America.
Suffolk
The Heavy Horse Bred To Work The Farm
The Suffolk or Suffolk Punch originated in the eastern English countries of
Norfolk and Suffolk around 1770. They are the only draft horse bred exclusively
for farming. Suffolks stand about 16 hands and are known for their tremendous
pulling power, hence the name Suffolk Punch.
Suffolks were first imported to America around 1880. The American Suffolk
Horse Association was formed in 1911. The Suffolk never gained wide popularity
in this country during the 19th century, partially due to the limited number
available from England. During the 1930's, English breeders exported some of
their better horses and the Suffolk's popularity increased rapidly in the United
States and Canada.
By 1953, the drop in demand for draft horses forced the Suffolk Association
to legally dissolve with the consent of all members. During the 1950's the
number of American Suffolk breeders dropped to three. In 1961, the Association
was revived to represent the eighteen Suffolk breeders in America.
The American Minor Breeds Conservancy designated the Suffolk as a rare breed
in 1985. Between then and 1990, the number of Suffolks in the United States
increased from 150 to slightly over 500. Today's Suffolk closely resembles its
English ancestors, and is still primarily bred to be an efficient and economical
farm animal.
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