The Soviet Heavy Draft is a Russian breed of heavy draft horse.[4] It derives from the Belgian Brabant heavy draft breed. It was developed in the former Soviet Union for agricultural draft work, and was recognized as a breed in 1952.[3]: 324 It is one of several heavy draft breeds developed in the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, others being the Russian Heavy Draft – which derived mainly from the Ardennais – and the Vladimir Heavy Draft, which was derived principally from the Clydesdale.
The breeding range covered a broad area in central-southern Russia. In 1885 there were three Brabant stallions in that area; in 1895 there were fifty-eight, by 1950 almost four hundred, and nearly nine hundred in 1945. There was strong demand for powerful agricultural horses, and the area of influence of the Brabant stallions spread. They were used in the creation of the Estonian and Lithuanian Heavy Draft breeds.[3]: 325
The Soviet Heavy Draft was named and officially recognized in 1952.[3]: 325 In 1980 the total population was about 35,000, of which almost 4,000 were pure-bred.[3]: 272
Characteristics
The selective breeding that created the Soviet Heavy Draft resulted in a massively-built horse with free-moving gaits.
It has a straight or convex profile, and a short neck. The torso is wide and muscular, with a wide strong back and a muscular sloping croup. The abdomen is rounded. The legs are short and sturdy with solid joints and broad rounded hooves.[6]: 111
Use
The Soviet Heavy Draft was created for draft work in agriculture and industry. It is also used in the production of meat and milk. Mares are moderately fertile (65–75%), and foals are fast-growing, reaching 350–400 kg when weaned. The highest recorded milk yield per lactation is 6,320 kg.[3]: 325
It was among the breeds used in the development of the Bulgarian Heavy Draft in the later twentieth century.[7]: 448
^ abcdefghN.G. Dmitriev, L.K. Ernst (1989). Animal genetic resources of the USSR. FAO animal production and health paper 65. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN9251025827. Archived 13 November 2009. Also available here, archived 29 September 2017.
^Советский тяжеловоз // Большой энциклопедический словарь (в 2-х тт.). / редколл., гл. ред. А. М. Прохоров. том 2. М., "Советская энциклопедия", 1991. стр.374
^Elwyn Hartley Edwards (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Horse. London; New York; Stuttgart; Moscow: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN0751301159.
Книга о лошади / сост. С. М. Буденный. том 1. М., 1952.
Советская тяжеловозная порода // Большая Советская Энциклопедия. / редколл., гл. ред. Б. А. Введенский. 2-е изд. том 39. М., Государственное научное издательство «Большая Советская энциклопедия», 1956. стр.484
These are the horse breeds considered in the Russian Federation to be wholly or partly of Russian origin. Inclusion here does not necessarily imply that a breed originates predominantly or exclusively within the Russian Federation.