Italian Heavy Draft

This willing and hardy Italian breed is fast for its size, and it is of regional importance within Italy. The Italian Heavy Draft is a horse of the brachymorphic type, and the breed dates back to 1860. One-third of the stallions standing at stud in Italy are of this popular heavy horse, which is sometimes called the Italian Agricultural Horse. Today it is bred throughout northern and central Italy, but the chief center of breeding is in the area around Venice. The Italian Heavy Draft matures early, a feature which is a distinct advantage in a horse which is now produced for its meat potential in Europe as well as for its working qualities.

At one time Italy imported massive Brabants to improve their own native strains, then the more active Boulonnais and Percheron were tried. None of these really fulfilled the Italian requirement for a quick-moving horse of smaller proportions. Eventually outcrossing to the lighter, clean-legged Breton Postier provided an answer. Due to the Breton's connection to the Norfolk Roadster or Trotter, it had been known for its trotting speed. This proved the ideal type for light draft and farm work required in Italian agriculture. These horses, when crossed with the more common Italian Drafts mares, produce powerful animals with kind, docile temperaments. The resulting speed and action of these offspring led to the title, "Tiro Pesante Rapido," or Quick heavy Draft. While the overall conformation clearly shows Breton influence, there is more than a suggestion of the influence of the smaller, lighter Avelignese or Haflinger. The Haflinger may have had contributions to the original nondescript base stock.

Then the stud farm at Ferrara, the Deposito Cavalli Stalloni first began breeding native stallions from the Po Delta, later introducing English Thoroughbreds, Hackneys, and purebred Arabian blood. About 1900, there were efforts to increase the weight of the breed by using the Boulonnais, Ardennais and Norfolk-Breton. During World War I, horse breeding suffered badly in Italy, and rigorous steps needed to be taken in order to remedy the situation as soon as the hostilities were over. Ardennais and Percheron stallions were introduced as a result, but it is the Breton and careful cross-breeding to which the Italian Heavy Draft owes its distinctive characteristics.

The mares in this breed stand 14.2 to 15.2 hands high at the withers, and the males at 15 to 15.3 hands. Weight of both sexes varies from 1,320 and 1,540 pounds. The coat color may be chestnut, which has a lighter mane and tail, or it may be red roan or bay. Most Italian Drafts are a dark liver chestnut with the lighter manes and tails which are reminiscent of the Haflinger. Other colors are not permitted within the breed, but there may be white markings on the legs and other distinctive coat markings. Its head is quite light, square and lean with a straight or convex profile, fairly long and tapering - quite fine in proportion to the horse's overall bulk. The forehead is broad, and there is an abundant forelock. The jaw is well-defined and the nostrils are flared. It has large, lively eyes and quite small ears, which give it an alert expression. The short, strong and muscular neck is very broad at the base and has a full mane and a notable crest.

The moderately pronounced withers are well-defined and muscular. It has a short, flat and straight back, powerful loins, and short, rounded flanks. There is a lot of depth to the girth. The rounded, sloping croup is preferably double, and the quarters are well made, rounded and obviously powerful. The tail is well set-on, carried higher than might be expected. It has a broad, deep and muscular chest and well-rounded ribs, and the abdomen well tucked up. The shoulder is of good length and fairly sloping, and it is set close to the body. Its short legs are spaced well apart and have some feather on the lower parts, which is unlike the Avelignese or the Breton. The forearm is rather long, which is unlike its cannons, which are short. Although the cannons tend to be long, there is probably less bone than what might be considered desirable. particularly in the hind limbs. There is some coarseness in the horse's conformation, which is apparent to the legacy of the lesser quality of the Italian mares of the original base stock. The limb joints tend to be round, which is a characteristic of the original poor-quality breeding stock, but the limbs are fairly muscular. The short pasterns are moderately sloping, and the joints are broad and generally rounded. The smallish hoof tends to be boxy, but it is well-proportioned and well-formed.

The Italian Heavy Draft has a correct natural stance. This good-natured active horse is fairly high strung, but it has an aptitude for heavy draft and farm work. Purebred Italian Heavy Draft horses are branded with a shield containing a 5-runged ladder, which is applied both to the left thigh and to the left side of the neck. this brand indicates the horse's origin. While the Italian Heavy Draft is not as attractive as its Breton relatives, it is a compact, symmetrical horse which retains some of the Breton's good conformational features. This breed has the ability to work at a good speed, and its long walk and energetic trot make it an attractive proposition. It is known for its kind and willing disposition, as well as its lively action.

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This article was not published in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter, however it was published to the NorthWest Breyer Horse Club website in 1998. (em)
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Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 1/27/2019