Irish horse. Irish heavy truck. Tinkers in the modern world

The name "Irish Draft" can be misleading, and many people are surprised to discover that these horses are light, free-moving animals that do not fit the traditional idea of a draft horse. However, the origins of the breed begin on small Irish farms, where the workhorse performed two roles: both as a hunting horse and as a carriage horse for the city.
Origin: Ireland.
Height: 1.6 - 1.7 m.
Color: bay, dark brown and gray are the most common.
Temperament: The Irish draft horse is hardworking, reliable, and is a good basis for Irish gunters.
Exterior: The Irish draft horse is large, muscular, has a long back, strong legs with prominent brushes, showing the influence of draft breeds.

Use: when crossing Irish draft horses with half-bred breeds, universal sports horses are obtained. Irish draft blood flows in the veins of many gunters.
Movement: All gaits of horses of this breed are wide and energetic, they have amazing jumping abilities.
Notes: The Irish Draft Horse is an Irish half-bred with clearly visible draft characteristics. Perhaps, at first, the Irish draft had an admixture of blood from Connemara ponies, Spanish horses and English half-breds. Crossbreeding with draft breeds began in the nineteenth century.

Additional information: The name "Irish Draft" can be misleading, and many people are surprised to discover that these horses are light, free-moving animals that do not fit the traditional idea of a draft horse. However, the origins of the breed begin on small Irish farms, where the workhorse performed two roles: both as a hunting horse and as a carriage horse for the city.

The history of the Irish draft breed includes both battle and agricultural work. Written in the 1st century. BC. The Saga of Cuchulain describes powerful chariot horses of the Irish draft type. In the twelfth century, the Anglo-Normans arrived in Ireland with their strong war horses. Later, in the sixteenth century, trade links between southern Ireland and Spain brought a strong admixture of Spanish blood to the local horses. Irish harnesses were exported in huge quantities to many European armies from the Middle Ages onwards. During the First World War, Irish draft troops served in the thousands on the front lines.

For a hundred years from 1850 to 1950. basically the Irish draft breed that we know now was formed. There was limited demand in Irish agriculture for the heavy draft breeds popular in the rest of Europe. In return, Irish farmers needed horses that could work the land, as well as pull a buggy to church at a leisurely trot and ride on fox hunts. Farmers who loved to hunt wanted horses that could work under saddle all day and jump over anything that came their way. They pulled carts, tilled the fields, and trotted at a leisurely pace in a gig. They had to be obedient, strong and economical to keep. Their traditional winter food was young gorse put through a straw cutter, boiled turnips and some bran or flour left over from the cows. Gradually they developed into animals about 156 - 166 cm at the withers and any solid color, the number of which could well speak of them as a breed.

Over a century of selective breeding, the result was a strong, intelligent animal with good bones and a strong constitution, excellent endurance and an uncanny ability to jump. All these qualities, when crossed with a purebred English dog, produce the world-famous Irish Gunters. This cross is now known as the Irish Sporting Breed, and is associated with winning gold medals and big prizes around the world.

Unfortunately, the production of gunters through crossbreeding led the Irish draft dog to almost complete extinction. Farm mechanization and global demand for hunting and sporting horses brought the breed to the brink of extinction. It was more profitable for an Irish farmer to supplement his financial position by crossing his good draft mare with a thoroughbred stallion than to breed her with an Irish thoroughbred. Even despite concerted efforts by the Irish Draft Horse Society, founded in 1976, to restore the breed to its former popularity, it is now considered endangered, with only 2,000 purebred horses available in the world.

The Irish Draft Horse is an energetic, short-legged, rather massive horse of strong constitution. It is not as massive as one might think based on its name. These horses have a graceful carriage of the head and neck, large, kind eyes, and strong limbs, usually with short shin bones. They have a proud posture, a deep chest, and a strong back and hips. They have an understanding and kind character. Although strong, horses must move freely and not be bulky. The legs should be like those of a gunter, and not like those of a draft horse. Legs are one of the most important conformation features and the reason why Irish draft horses are essential to producing showjumping horses that can withstand the shock of jumping, often on hard ground.

The movement of Irish draft horses is soft and free, not heavy or cumbersome. They can be of any single color, including gray. White markings on the legs above the joints are undesirable. The backbone must be good and strong. In England, an Irish broodmare is recognized as the best uterus for producing a gunter if mated to a thoroughbred stallion. Nowadays the Irish draft stallion is used more and more to produce excellent bone and thick type in the offspring of a light type mare.
Nowadays there are different types of Irish horses: draft, hunting, sports and pony.

All horses in Ireland may have an Irish registration number: Irish draft horses have an additional identification number on their documents to pass inspection. Imported animals are registered with the English Society and those bred in their home country are given a sequence of letters and numbers. The first letter is the rating, the next three to four digits are the breeder's number, followed by "M" or "F" is the gender designation. The documents are stamped and signed on the back page when the horse has been inspected and passed certification.

Famous Irish draft horses

King of Diamonds
While each line of Irish draft horses has produced famous showjumping and eventing horses, perhaps none has produced as many as King of Diamonds. This red stallion was by Errigal by Ruby. He was ranked seventh in the world rankings as a sire of show jumping horses from 1990 to 1995. The world famous show jumping horses Special Envoy, Mill Pearl and Millstreet Ruby were from King of Diamonds. Even though King of Diamonds has sadly retired, he leaves behind a large number of sons who have consistently produced world class champions. His influence will be felt for many years to come.

Clover Hill
This bay stallion by Golden Baker was ranked sixteenth in the world rankings as a show jumper sire from 1990 to 1995. some of his descendants have reached world class status, including Cagney, Skyview and Flo Jo. He continues to produce show jumping horses today and will undoubtedly influence the sport horse industry for many years to come.

Tinkers are a breed of horse that received official status only two decades ago. Today the Irish cob is famous all over the world. This squat, powerful and tightly built horse is prized among horse breeders. The breed is especially popular in the USA and Canada. One Irish stallion costs 20 times more than a regular stallion.

Historical data about the breed

Tinker is a hybrid of Gypsy and Irish breeds. Officially, the breed is called the Gypsy Harness. But in Germany and Holland these small horses are called tinkers. And in Great Britain this is what they call gypsies, but this word sounds with a tinge of disdain. In Ireland they are called "cobs". In English, “cob” means a small, strong horse.

Literally from English “tinker” is translated as “tinker”. This craft was common among Romanian gypsies who moved to England.

In Great Britain, the Gypsies are well-known horse experts; they have lived for about 600 years. Since then, a new breed was born - it was formed from local and Roma horses.

The blood of hardy gypsy horses flows in the veins of Irish Cobs, which have never been pampered by their owners. Gypsies have always valued horses, but have never been able to provide them with adequate nutrition, veterinary care and proper care. Even horseshoes were a luxury for most gypsy horses. The difficulties that these horses experienced ultimately had a positive impact on the breed that was bred later - Irish cobs turned out to be hardy, unpretentious and not prone to disease.

The Roma did not engage in any special selection, and nothing was documented, so there is no exact information about the ancestors of the breeds. The blood that Tinkers are supposed to have in their blood is:

Highland;
Clydesdales;
shires;
Welsh Cobs and others.

The final formation of the breed took place in the late 40s of the last century, but it received official status only in 1996. The stallion Cushti Bok is recognized as the founder of the breed. Gypsy draft horses - this is the official name. Today the breed has several stud books and is extremely popular among horse lovers.

Height and weight

The Irish Cob is not tall, its height is 1.35-1.6 m. There are no strict standards for the height of Tinkers. Due to such a wide range in height, tinkers are divided into 3 groups (according to the American classification):

classic Gypsy - 1.43-1.55 m;
mini Gypsy - below 1.43 m;
Grand Gypsy - above 1.55 m.

The mass of individuals can also be in a wide range - from 240 to 700 kg.

Exterior and other characteristics

All Tinkers, regardless of color, size and weight, have a strong build. They have a massive body, strong, wide and muscular. The back is straight.

Other appearance details:

The head is a little rough, the profile is hook-nosed, the ears are large.
The neck is thick and beautifully curved.
There is a beard under the lower jaw.
The withers are low, the shoulders are strong and steep.
The legs are decorated with friezes. The hooves are powerful and durable. An X-shaped stance of the hind legs is possible. This type of leg placement is considered a disadvantage in other breeds, but not among Tinkers.
The mane, bangs and tail are luxurious and thick.

Friezes are thick hair on the legs of a horse. The name arose thanks to the breed of horses of the same name. These brushes decorate the horse and protect its legs during the cold season.

Suit

The breed is distinguished by its piebald coat - a dark background with white spots. There are also speckled, roan, and black individuals. There are three types of piebald in the Irish Cob:

Overo. The second name is “calico”. Characterized by the presence of asymmetrical white spots scattered throughout the body. But usually these areas do not go beyond the line conventionally drawn along the back - from the tail to the withers. At least one limb is dark. It happens that all four limbs are dark in color. The tail is not variegated.
Tobiano. The legs are usually white. One side or both are dark in color. On the front of the body there are oval and round spots; they cover the body from the chest to the neck. The tail is of two colors. The head is dark, but there are white spots - for example, a “star” on the forehead.
Tovero. A combination of overo and tobiano. Tovero appears after crossing different individuals, when no trait of the parents has become dominant.

Gypsy harnesses have not only multi-colored pile, but also their skin - they are gray under the dark pile, and pink under the light one.

Character and disposition

Gypsy horses have a very calm disposition. These horses remain calm under any irritants. Phlegmatic cobs, even if desired, are difficult to rouse. Because of their super calm disposition, Tinkers are ideal horses for novice riders.

Lifestyle and habitat

Tinkers are unpretentious and undemanding - thanks to their gypsy blood. The ancestors of the Irish Cobs, hardened by the nomadic gypsy life, passed on to their descendants extraordinary abilities for survival.

Without stables, a proper diet or veterinary care, Roma horses acquired rare endurance and the ability to survive under any circumstances. Tinkers, having borrowed the “endurance” gene from their ancestors, have become universal horses - they can adapt to almost any living conditions and any climate.

Since tinkers are not demanding about their living conditions - due to the unpretentiousness inherited from horses owned by gypsies, the owners themselves determine the living conditions. It’s up to everyone to determine how comfortable the conditions are to create for their pets. Typically, tinkers are kept in conditions standard for thoroughbred horses:

well ventilated stable;
clean and bright room;
No heating is required in the stables.

The hardest part about keeping Irish Cobs is keeping them looking great. The owner has to constantly take care of the horse's mane, tail and friezes - they are very thick, sometimes even curly. To make the animal look presentable, the hair needs to be washed and carefully combed. More tips for caring for tinkers:

Special attention should be paid to the hooves and nostrils - they need to be washed and cleaned after each walk. After a walk, the hooves are cleaned with a special hook. Washed hooves must be dried well to prevent germs from appearing.
Humidity in the stall is at least 80%.
The stall must be perfectly clean. Before cleaning, you need to take your horse outside. The floor is washed with water and cleaning products. When the floor is dry, add hay. The hay bedding is changed every day.
Tinkers need to be brushed and brushed every day. For combing, use two combs - hard and soft. Clean the horse starting from the head and gradually moving to the back.
When walking, it is better to braid your mane and let it loose at night. Hairstyles can be changed, but each time you need to comb your hair thoroughly.
2-3 times a week it is necessary to wash the mane, tail and luxurious friezes, using special shampoo and conditioners that give shine and softness to coarse hair.
Every six months the horse must be examined by a veterinarian for preventative purposes.
Every day - training, physical activity or just a walk.

Diet

Gypsy horses ate pasture, suffered from heat and cold, and their descendants are worth fabulous money. Therefore, their owners take the nutrition of these horses seriously. When compiling a menu for bobs, they are guided by the general norms of feeding and activity of the animals. To maintain the strength and energy of horses, in the summer they must be walked on pastures, where they can eat green grass.

The appearance and health of the animal depends on the balance of the diet. Horses must receive vitamins B, C, D, as well as calcium along with the feed.

In addition to hay, the diet of Irish Cobs should include:

grain crops - oats, barley, corn, etc.;
carrots and beets;
potato;
meadow grasses;
concentrates.

Horses sweat actively, which leads to disruption of the water-salt balance. To restore it, the horse must consume table salt daily - 30 g.

What else you need to know about tinker nutrition:

As a treat, horses can be given a few pieces of sugar or bread crumbs.
It is prohibited to feed horses spoiled, moldy feed or poisonous herbs.
The horses are watered three times a day. In hot weather, the number of watering increases up to 5-6 times.
Horses should not be given water immediately after a walk or training. You need to wait an hour or two.
Horses need to be gradually transferred from one feeding system to another.
Tinkers are fed 5 times a day. The number of feedings depends on the horse’s lifestyle and activity.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

Although the gypsy draft breed is only two decades old, it has already gained popularity in Europe and the USA. This is one of the most expensive breeds in the world. Irish Cobs have a lot of advantages, for which they are loved and appreciated by breeders, horse breeders and just horse fans:

Outer beauty. It is enough to look at photographs of Tinkers to appreciate their magnificent exterior. In their appearance, horse experts can easily distinguish the features of Shires and Clydesdales. Kobs are extremely elegant, they look like plush toys. Such horses evoke positive emotions, they are pleasant to ride, and they look great in harness.
Exclusive. The number of Irish Cobs is limited. The owners of these horses are the happy owners of a rare horse that they can be proud of.
Softness of gaits. Tinker gaits make them ideal for horseback riding.
Calm. It is extremely difficult to piss off tinkers. The horse is ideal for learning to ride in the saddle.
Undemanding content– stables, climate, feeding. It is difficult to find a breed that would cost so much and at the same time be as unpretentious as Irish Cobs. These horses need only the simplest food and a shelter instead of a stable.

The Gypsy draft breed has its disadvantages, but compared to its many advantages, they all seem insignificant:

Not suitable for speed sports. Tinkers perform quite well in dressage, but they cannot show good results in horse racing.
High price. The breed is very popular. And this popularity is growing. The livestock is small. Under such conditions, the cost of tinkers is very high. Not everyone can afford such a horse.

Areas of use of horses

Tinkers are a versatile breed. Areas of application:

Like draft power. Kobs look great in harness.
Horseback riding. Suitable for training. Favorable circumstances – soft gaits and calm disposition. You can easily teach a child to ride on such horses - they will never create dangerous situations, they will not buck or run away.
Hippotherapy. Good-natured Tinkers are great for treating various ailments. This technique is gaining popularity today, and Tinkers, with their good nature, are ideal for this purpose. Hippotherapy is recommended, in particular, for autists, people with impaired motor functions, and patients with neuroses.
Moral support for horses. At hippodromes they are brought out to accompany horses heading to the start. The calmness of tinkers has a calming effect on nervous horses.
Nurses. Because of their calm disposition, Tinker mares are often trusted to raise foals from purebred horses.

Tinkers in the modern world

Tinkers have a lot in common with Friesians. They look similar, they are also expensive, and most importantly, they are used approximately the same. Both breeds are so beautiful that they are more decorative, although they also have good driving qualities. For the beauty of these horses you have to pay not only with tens of thousands of dollars, but also with time - these handsome horses need regular care for their mane, tail, and friezes.

Tinkers, like Frisians, are used to entertain tourists - they are invited to ride in a carriage or saddle. True, tinkers should not be allowed into the natural environment - after walks, the hair of these horses is clogged with plants, thorns and other debris. After going out into nature, tinkers have to be combed out for a long time and thoroughly.

Average cost of a gypsy harness

Tinkers are especially in demand in the USA. And even the high cost cannot shake their popularity. The minimum cost of a stallion is $10,000, the maximum is $25,000. For comparison, the cost of an ordinary thoroughbred horse is $1,000. In Europe, they ask for tinkers from 6 to 9 thousand euros, about the same amount they ask for them in Russia.

This genus of horses originates from Ireland and is most common in Europe and the United States, respectively. The Irish Gunter horse is more considered a subspecies rather than a separate breed, however, its popularity throughout the world makes it possible to distinguish it as a separate breed.

Most often, the horse is involved in hunting, since his character is very brave and pliable. The horse is easy to train and trains well.

Horse of the Irish Gunter breed, bay color

Characteristic

The color in which the Irish Gunter breed is found is dark bay, red, and very often there are white spots in the color. It is characteristic - in the shape of an arc, long, the profile is called “mutton” because of the external similarity, the ears are small, pointed, the eyes are set wide. The back is quite powerful, allowing you to easily gallop and jump.

Irish Gunter horse with rider

The history of the origin of the gunter somewhat intersects with the history of horse hunting. The Irish Gunter's blood contains a mixture of genes from two types of Irish horses - horse and draft. Thanks to these two types, the horse has a strong body and at the same time, high speed, stature and class.

The horse was then well used in fox hunting, and after the end of the hunting season, it participated in sports competitions, in particular, show jumping, and other sports. The horse began to take part in such events at the age of 3-4 years. To preserve the breed as it is, it was forbidden to export draft mares.

Origin: Ireland.

Height: 150-160 cm.

Suits: bay, dark bay, gray, red and sometimes black; White spots are common.

Exterior: the head is small with a straight profile, the chest is wide and muscular, the forearm is well set, the legs are strong.

Usage: a magnificent horse, a “jack of all trades.”

Ireland became the breed's stepfather home. The Irish Draft later spread throughout England and Ireland.

Irish draft horses are used as horses and for agricultural work. The character of this breed is hardworking and courageous.

These breeds of horses, Irish draft horses, have long been famous for their abilities for a wide variety of types of work. Local peasants especially appreciated their labor abilities. These horses are not only beautiful, but also versatile. They can work on arable land, transport various loads, and participate in hunting without any problems.

The Irish draft horse is incredibly active, and its light and agile movements make it possible to move over any terrain and easily overcome any obstacles.

The ancestors of the Irish draft horse were English horses that crossed with Irish wild mares. It was from their English ancestors that these heavy trucks inherited the ability not just to overcome, but to jump over obstacles.

Exterior

The Irish draft dog's coat is always monochromatic and only occasionally there are light markings, which in no way spoil the thoroughbred nature of the animal. The small one has a neat muzzle with a powerful forehead, kind and intelligent eyes, large nostrils and long, straight ears. The neck is not too long and strong. The back of these horses is without bends and is long with a sloping rear. When the animal is active, the tail rises. The Irish have a muscular, wide and strong chest. The front ones are strong and massive with wide, not very hard, but sensitive hooves.

Irish draft horse

There is no consensus on the origin of this breed. According to one version, it is believed that these heavy horses appeared by crossing Celtic ponies and Berber-Spanish horses. However, the docile nature and endurance give the right to the existence of the version of crossing local horses with English or French breeds.

The first official mention of this breed appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, when, after crossing with thoroughbred riding horses, the first Irish draft horse appeared. She was described as a short individual, with a powerful body and short, powerful legs with prominent protrusions.

Although the first draft horses from Ireland had a back without a bend, and therefore not adapted for riding, the locals were so passionate about raising their own breed that they used these draft horses everywhere.

Having survived a crop failure and crisis, the Irish draft dog began to die out, but then the interest of the peasants gave a second chance to this breed. After such a difficult period, in order to increase the number of livestock, local heavy draft horses began to be crossed with Shire and, which had a negative impact on the quality of the breed.

At the beginning of the last century, restoration work was carried out, with the help of which the Irish draft breed was brought back to normal.

Irish heavy trucks are so unpretentious that even a poor peasant could keep them. Purebred Irish are excellent athletes, which gave them the right to participate in various competitions.

Irish draft

History of the breed

The history of the Irish Warmblood horse is associated with military battles as much as with agriculture. They can be classified not only as “warm-blooded”, but also “harness breeds”, which is reflected in their name “Irish Draft”. Sometimes they are called “Irish dredges”. Written in the first century BC, the Saga of Cuchulain describes strong Irish-type war horses harnessed to a chariot. In the twelfth century, the Anglo-Normans came to Ireland. The latter used their own strong horses to form a cavalry army. Later in the 16th century, trade between Southern Ireland and Spain introduced Spanish blood into the local breed. Irish Warmblood horses were exported in large numbers to many European armies in the Middle Ages. Not so long ago - in the First World War, these horses were used on the fronts by the thousands.

Over the course of a hundred years from 1850 to 1950, this breed was most likely to be shaped and presented as we see it today. Irish agriculture developed without the special need for heavy draft breeds, which was typical for the rest of Europe. In contrast, Irish farmers needed horses that were capable of not only cultivating the land, but also trotting small carts and being suitable for hunting. What was needed was a hunting horse that could withstand daily work and be ready to jump whatever came its way.
As a result of centuries of breeding work, a horse was obtained with excellent sensory organs, excellent bones and muscles, and excellent jumping abilities. Crossed with English Thoroughbreds, this breed produces the world famous Irish Hunthorses. Nowadays, these hybrids are better known as "Irish Sport" horses and have become winners in sporting competitions around the world.

Unfortunately, this successful breed, the founder of excellent sport horses, is close to decline. The mechanization of agriculture and the growing global demand for hunting and sporting horses is leading to the extinction of the Irish Dredge breed. It is becoming more profitable for local farmers to cross the best Irish Warmblood mares with English thoroughbreds to produce an Irish sport horse, rather than breed purebred Irish Warmblood stallions. Even despite the concerted efforts of the Irish Warmblood Association, founded in 1976, the breed's existence is under threat, and its purebred population does not exceed two thousand worldwide.

Breed characteristics

Irish drags are active, muscular horses with short legs. Despite the fact that by their name they can be classified as sled dogs, they are never very massive. They have good drafting power, a deep chest, strong croup and hind legs. Working on a wide variety of soils, they obtained an exceptionally strong and healthy constitution. Irish warmbloods have a pleasant character and are quite intelligent, which determines their great receptivity and sensitivity.

The movements of these horses are smooth and free, but without excessive breadth and heaviness, which is typical of draft breeds. They can be of any base color, including grey. However, “socks” above the wrist joint are undesirable. The backbone must be sufficiently developed and strong. The average height of a stallion is from 155 to 166 cm, the average height of mares is from 152 to 162 cm at the withers.

Famous representatives of the Irish draft

King of Diamonds
Almost every Irish Warmblood line has produced famous showjumping and eventing horses, but King of Diamonds has been the most successful. This bay stallion was sired by Errigal and Rabi. Ranked seventh in the world classification of show jumping horse sires from 1990 to 1995. He produced such future famous show jumping horses as Special Envoy, Mill Pearl and Millstreet Rabie. Even though he has already died, he left behind many successful world-class sons. Therefore, the influence of his blood will be felt for many years to come.

Clover Hill
This bay stallion by Golden Beaker was ranked sixteenth in the world standings for jumping horses from 1990 to 1995. Some of his world-class descendants are Kanei, SkyView and Flo Jo. He continues to produce horses to this day and, like King, will continue to influence the modern show jumping world for many years to come.