Strongest Horse Breeds In The World
South German Coldbloods The South German Coldblood, called the Suddeutsches Kaltblut in its native Germany, is one of the smaller draft horses. At only about 16 to 17 hands tall and a weight of up to 1,500 pounds, this breed still packs a lot of power into its frame.
Suffolks Overall, the Suffolk is a competitor when it comes to being one of the biggest and tallest horse breeds. But stature means little unless it is backed by power. The Suffolk brings that power at 16 to 17 hands high and up to 2,200 pounds.
Shires At 16 to 18 hands tall and up to 2,400 pounds, the Shire of England has long been an agricultural and cart-pulling champion. But these horses were also popular among the armies of the world that used them as warhorses, starting with King Henry VIII.
Percherons The French Percheron is a 15 to 19 hands tall breed that weighs between 1,800 and a whopping 2,600 pounds. This size certainly translates to strength, just as much as the breed is known for its intelligence and trainability.
Friesians Hailing from the Netherlands, the Friesian is one of the smallest types of draft horses. Although they are not as big as their Scottish, American, French and Belgian counterparts, the Friesian packs a lot of strength into its smaller frame.
Dutch Drafts Originating from Holland after World War I, the Dutch Draft typically stands at 15 to 17 hands tall and 1,800 pounds. But they are well-muscled, making them both massive in size and powerful in strength. The breed also features short legs that lower their center of gravity for pulling power.
Clydesdales Scottish farmers and coal haulers knew what they were doing when they enlisted the powerful Clydesdales as their everyday workhorses. The same is true of armies that used the breed in wars. These heavily muscled animals are strong today but were stronger in the past.
American Cream Draft The American Cream Draft is the only United States-developed draft horse still in existence. They only date back to the early 1900s, when their lineage began in the midwestern state of Iowa. Like other draft horses, the American Cream was bred to pull farm equipment and cut through hard soil and clay to help farmers sow their fields.
Ardennes The Belgian Ardennes is another super muscular specimen in the draft horse category. In fact, they are the eldest of all of the remaining draft breeds. At only 15.3 to 16 hands, they compact intense power and strength into a broad body of up to 2,200 pounds.
Belgian Drafts Taller than many of the strongest horses in the world, the Belgian Draft stands at up to 18 hands and an impressive 2000 pounds. Although they are not the heaviest or stoutest breed on this list, Belgian horses are highly muscular and powerful.