Irish Draught Horse Breed Standard

Irish Draught Horse Breed Standard

Height: 
Ideally, Irish Draughts should stand between 158cms (15.2hh) and a maximum of 170cms (16.3hh) at maturity.

Bone: 
Approximately (22.5cm) 9 inches of good, strong, clean, flat bone. The amount of bone should be in proportion to the build of the horse.

Head: 
Should be pleasant, not coarse or hatchet-like. Wide forehead and kind eyes set well apart with large, long quality ears and plenty of room between the jawbones.

Neck: 
Good length of rein with head well set on, neck should be correctly muscled and well-shaped.

Front legs: 
Long muscular forearms, short cannon bones with plenty of strong, clean, flat bone, not back at the knee or tied in below the knee. Pasterns should be in proportion with good hoof pastern access. Hooves should not be boxy or large and flat, but hard and sound with plenty of room at the heel. 

Shoulders: 
A nice sloping shoulder, neither loaded, nor too heavy, nor too short, with well-defined withers well set back.

Body, back and hindquarters: 
Deep girth with a good spring of rib, strong back, loins and quarters. The croup and buttocks should be long and gently sloping. Hips should not be too wide.

Hind legs: 
Clean hocks below strong gaskins set into good short shins. Should not be cow-hocked or wide apart at the hocks.

Action: 
Should be straight and free, not being heavy or ponderous. Movement should be active and strong from behind, showing good flexion and freedom of the shoulders. Colour: Any strong whole colour, including bay, grey, chestnut, black, brown and dun. Excessive white markings not desirable.