In the big world of the biggest horses. Interesting facts about the tallest horse in the world

“You, oh you, my good big horse!” Ernest Hemingway. "For whom the Bell Tolls"

Horses are very beautiful and unique animals. For thousands of years they have been close to people, used for work and movement, and some peoples used meat for food. There is no time in the history of a conscious person when these wonderful creatures would not be next to him. There are so many horses in the world! They differ in color and physical characteristics, they have grace, speed, and power. The number of different species is approaching three hundred. Some of them are small and some are big horses. There are about twenty breeds of large horses - heavy draft horses. With their power and stature they stand out from the rest. All are stocky, with a massive chest, big-boned legs and huge hooves, two meters high, they involuntarily command respect. Among these giants is the largest horse in the world. But it also appeared in the process of development and improvement of breeds.

Draft horses reach two meters in height

Back to the past

Let's fast forward for a moment to the Middle Ages. Townspeople transport goods and ride horses, rural residents use them to cultivate arable land, there are internecine wars and wars for the redistribution of territories everywhere, knight riders in heavy armor and with massive weapons... So how hardy was the horse supposed to be?

The first information about heavy trucks came from this era. The war horses of that time were called “destrie”; their weight could reach one ton and their height could reach two meters. It’s not easy to move and jump quickly with such a build, but it’s easy to carry heavy loads. It is assumed that the known breeds of draft horses are:

• Percherons (France);
• barbançons (Belgium);
• shires (England) - descendants of these medieval horses.

Percherons

In France, the breed of Percherons, graceful and huge horses, is quite famous. Some hippologists consider them to be the ancestors of ancient French horses, but everyone recognizes that Arabian stallions have been used in breeding for a long time. In 1830, one of them, the handsome Gallipolo, became the father of the first known Percheron, Jean de Blanc. Distinctive features: height at withers about 162 cm, great endurance, massiveness, lean build, agility, soft movement regardless of gait, good disposition, unpretentious maintenance.

The Percheron horse is one of the heavy-duty breeds

Barbançons have been known since the Middle Ages as the "Flanders Horse". They were crossed with Shires and Ardens. This is a famous Belgian horse used for heavy work. Over the years, breeders have made it perfect for physical labor. Characteristics: height reaches 173 cm, color red, gray, bay.

In the mid-19th century in Russia they began to mix draft horses (crosses of Bityugs with Ardennes and Percherons) with thoroughbred Barbançons. The foundations were laid by stallions born in the early 20s of the last century: Boje, Endijen de Laval, Clairon Remy and Paulin de Vere. Distinctive characteristics: height up to 170 cm, weight from 700 to 1000 kg, dryness, harmony, great mobility. Officially, the “Soviet heavyweight” was marked in 1952. The record holder is the stallion Force, who pulled a load of 22991 kg. at 35 meters.

Brabançons are record holders among heavy trucks

Shire and Vladimir heavy truck

Shires are leisurely, powerful, confident, large horses from England.

There is an assumption that even before their use for military purposes in the Middle Ages, they originated from a cross between Friesian and Flemish stallions. The main distinguishing feature is proportionality, strength and endurance. Used as draft horses. Main features: height from 165 to 180 cm, stockings on the hind legs, bald spot on the head, color red, black, gray, bay.

The Vladimir draft horse was obtained by breeding English Shires and Scottish Clydesdales with local horses.

The ancestors were born at the beginning of the second decade of the 19th century, these are the famous Lord James, Border Brand, Glen Albin. Characteristics: height 165 cm, weight up to 760 kg, develops greater speed than Soviet heavy trucks, agile, durable in motion with a weight of several tons. The record holder is the Vladimir mare Hungarian, who covered 420 meters with a load of 9 tons.

Shire horses were originally bred as war horses.

Ardennes and Russian draft

The Ardennes horse has been known for many centuries and originates from ancient forest horses, was known in the times of Julius Caesar, Nero, and has always been widely used in military affairs. Napoleon's army fought on these horses. These are the lightest of the heavy draft horses, but very hardy horses. About the breed: height up to 165 cm, weight up to 600 kg, massive and muscular, color roan, bay or steel gray. Used for physical heavy work. Unfortunately, in the middle of the 18th century this breed was diluted and in its pure form Ardennes are quite rare.

The Russian draft horse was created by selection of Belgian and domestic draft dogs. Its beauty and harmony were recognized in 1900 in Paris - the stallion Karavai (born in 1887), bred at the Khrenovsky stud farm, received recognition and a gold medal at the exhibition. The breed was recognized in 1952. The ancestors are the stallions Karaul (born 1909) and Larchik (born 1918). Characteristics: height only up to 150 cm, harmoniously built, hardy, good disposition, quite playful.

Arden horses are quite short.

Large size horses

Officially, the largest of all known is the Shire stallion from England, Samson (born 1846), who lived in the 19th century. His height at the withers was 220 cm, and his weight reached 1520 kg. Already at four years old he stood out among all the horses and was renamed Mammoth. The record has still not been surpassed.

The American Brabançon Big Jake came very close to him. He took the place of the largest horse in the Guinness Book of Records. His height is 217 cm, which is only three centimeters less than Samson, and his weight is 2600 kg.

The unique horse is featured in charity shows and is popular among visitors to the stable. An ordinary person feels like a small child next to him.

The biggest horse next to a man is simply a giant. Powerful, large and good-natured, she surprises with her size, pleases with her stature and nobility.

There are a large number of amazing things in the world that capture the human imagination. Nature hides its mysteries everywhere; in any corner of the planet it will always find something to surprise. If we turn to the topic of animal husbandry, in particular horse breeding, a number of different questions arise: what is the largest horse in the world?

The most impressive horses on the planet

Is there such a thing as the biggest horse in the world? Certainly! This is the stallion Sampson, a representative of the Shire breed, whose height at the withers was two meters and twenty centimeters and his weight was 1,520 kilograms. Existing in the nineteenth century, this English gelding was renamed Mammoth due to its enormous size at the age of four.

Do such impressive giants exist today, and what is the largest horse in the modern world? Nobody has yet caught up with Sampson in height, but in weight he has been surpassed by Big Jack, a gelding of Belgian origin. With an impressive height of two meters seventeen centimeters, he weighs 2600 kilograms.

The English stallion Digger weighs 1200 kilograms and is two meters two centimeters tall. His daily diet consists of 75 liters of water and 25 kilograms of hay. And this is assuming that he is only five years old.

Another Englishman, nicknamed Duke, is overtaking his rivals in height - two hundred and one centimeters.

Poe is the nickname of a horse no less impressive in its size, named after the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe. The total height is three meters with a weight of 1360 kilograms. Such a giant consumes two bales of hay, five kilograms of grain and 70 liters of water per day.

Draft horses are the largest breed of horses

The largest breed of horse in the world is the draft horse. The most common are shires (which include Sampson, a giant stallion); Percherons and Brabançons are also known. Massive and strong, they have long been bred to move heavy loads. Take, for example, a knight, fully dressed in armor and equipped with full weapons. Not every horse can handle this. By the way, the horses that were intended for knights were called “destrie”. With a height of two meters, they weighed about a ton. Heavy trucks are designed for work in agriculture; in England they often appear in parades, where they festively and imposingly pull advertising vans of breweries.

Shire - English heavy truck

Shire draft horses (English draft horses) were bred in Central England and are descendants of the huge horses on which medieval knights rode on their campaigns.

At the age of three, they are able to move a load that is five times their own weight. Very strong and large, Shires weigh about a ton with a height that varies from 1.70 to 1.90 meters at the withers. The breed is characterized by extreme slowness. Such horses are very popular because they compete with modern tractors and trucks. They are also often used to participate in shows and European horse shows. The modern Shire, characterized by its outstanding size, the largest horse in the world, is the 16-year-old stallion Cracker, a resident of Lincolnshire in England. Its height at the withers is slightly more than 198 centimeters, and its weight is 1200 kg.

Brabançon - Belgian representative

Belgian heavy trucks - Brabançons - are extremely popular in America, weighing from 700 kg to a ton with a height of almost a meter. These are some of the most powerful “living tractors”. The Ardennes are also a very large breed (representatives of the Ardennes mountainous regions located on the border of France and Belgium), used by the French army of Napoleon and during the First World War.

The most graceful and beautiful among the heavy trucks are the Percherons - French heavyweights. The breed contains a considerable amount of Arabian blood, which has been instilled in them for quite a long time. Such horses became very popular and were used both for military purposes and for agricultural work. The famous representative of his breed was the stallion Jean de Blanc, who amazed the inhabitants of the 19th century with his size.

The largest horse in the world (1928-1948), about which reliable data has been preserved, is Brookie, a Belgian Percheron. Its height at the withers reached 198 centimeters, and its weight was 1.5 tons.

The Russian draft horse is the most impressive breed in Russia

The Russian representative of heavy trucks is the Russian heavy truck breed, the formation of which began in the century before last. It was the result of crossing Belgian Ardennes and draft horses. At 1.5 meters tall, he has incredible strength. In 1900, one of the representatives of the Russian Ardennes - the largest horse in the world named Karavai - took part in the Paris exhibition, where he won the highest award. The Russian Heavy Truck breed was officially registered in 1952.

The ancestors of all existing horses are representatives of heavy draft breeds. These horses were used in ancient times to work in the meadows and fields. Among them there are record holders - the largest horses, whose photos can be found on the pages of the Guinness Book of Records.

Brabançon

Brabançon is one of the largest horse breeds. It was bred through the efforts of Belgian breeders. Currently, it is considered the strongest of all existing breeds. It is capable of transporting heavy loads over long distances. Belgian Brabançons are often used instead of tractors in agriculture. Its representatives weigh about 700-1000 kg with a height of 180 cm. The color of these animals is bay, gray or red.

Percheron

Horses that belong to this breed may be gray or black. Their height at the withers is 175 cm, which means that Percherons are one of the most durable and tall in the world. Brought out in the 19th century in France, this breed is now used in all corners of the world for breeding work. Descendants of Percherons are used in the United States as farm and carriage horses.

Percherons were highly valued by the knights, since even with the great weight of their equipment, their tread remained quiet. They are graceful, smart, and unpretentious in food. Thanks to their peaceful and patient nature, they quickly acquire new skills.

Russian heavy truck

Since ancient times, Rus' has been famous for its strong and hardy horse breeds. These include the Russian heavy truck, which has gained fame outside of Russia. Their ancestry dates back to the 19th century. The breed was developed by crossing Percherons and Ardennes. Because of this, the horses were called Russian Ardennes. Representatives of one of the largest horse breeds are slightly inferior in size to their record-breaking relatives. However, Russian heavy trucks have a number of features that make them popular. Firstly, these horses live quite a long time. Secondly, they are economical to feed. Thirdly, they feel comfortable in harness. Fourthly, they produce high offspring.

This breed was developed by crossing Brabançons with draft mares. These horses are smaller than their ancestors, they are more mobile and active. Their height is on average 175 cm, and their weight does not exceed 1 ton.

This is another large breed, whose representatives are considered record holders for weight or height. It was developed by crossing English Shires and Scottish Clydesdales with Russian horses.

The Vladimir Heavy Truck is a unique breed, representatives of which are able to easily transport the heaviest loads over long distances. They hold the absolute record: they can trot 2 kilometers in 5 minutes! And this despite the fact that the largest weight of horses is 1600 kg. The heavy truck got its name due to the fact that it was bred in the Vladimir region. These horses can be used for riding or harnessed to carts.

Scottish Clydesdale

These horses laid the foundation for a new breed - the Scottish draft horses. They were crossed with Flemish stallions and got graceful, but incredibly strong animals that are capable of charming everyone at ceremonies or performing agricultural work. They were first presented at an international exhibition that took place in 1826.

Irish draft horse

Horses that are representatives of this breed are famous for their hard work. They can pull a plow and transport large loads over long distances. In the past, hunters used them while traveling.

After interest in Irish draft horses was lost, their population declined significantly. Subsequently, the situation was brought under control by crossing them with Shires. As a result, the race was improved. Modern draft horses are unpretentious horses that have gained popularity all over the world.

Shires

The breed of the largest horses in the world is the English draft horse, or shire. Their history began in the era of Antiquity. In modern shires flows the blood of war horses that existed during the times of the Roman legions, and medieval horses that accompanied knights everywhere. Among the shires, the horse Samson stands out, whose height was 2 meters 20 cm. We will talk about him a little later. English draft horses have a proportional, graceful build. “Stockings” are located on the hind legs. The color can be black, gray, bay or red.

English draft horses are very hardy horses, since their ancestors were forced to transport knightly armor and equipment over vast distances. Subsequently, one of the monarchs issued a decree that foals whose height was not too tall were not raised. All efforts were devoted to caring for the largest horses. Shires have found application in military affairs, as riding horses, they can be harnessed to carts. All English draft horses grow long hair on their legs. The weight of horses often exceeds 1 ton.

Record breakers

Above you got acquainted with the breeds of the largest horses, now it’s time to find out which 10 horses were included in the Guinness Book of Records due to their dimensions.

• The English draft horse Digger is part of the Royal Horse Guards. Currently, his height is almost 2 meters, or more precisely, 196 cm. His body weight is 1.2 tons. Despite the fact that the horse is 12 years old, his growth process has not yet stopped. This is explained by the fact that the horse's skeleton develops abnormally.
• A British stallion nicknamed Cracker eats 2 bundles of dry grass every day, drinks more than 100 liters of clean water and feasts on grain. It’s not surprising, because he weighs 1.2 tons, and his height is only 2 cm less than 2 meters.
• Brooklyn Supreme is a very powerful animal. His body weight is approximately 1451 kg, and at the withers he reaches a height of 198 cm, like the British Cracker.
• Shire, named Nordram Lascombe, will be difficult for even an experienced rider to ride, as he weighs 1.3 tons and is over 2 meters tall. At the withers his height is 205 cm.
• The bay British gelding Duke has grown to 207 cm. His body weight is 1310 kg. Instead of a thick mane, the horse has long bangs.
• The purebred Percheron, whose name sounds like Doctor Le Ger, was born in France. At the withers, its height reaches 213 cm, while its weight exceeds 1.4 tons. This Percheron is the largest representative of the breed, it is the largest horse in France since the birth of horse breeding in this country.

• The Moroccan racehorse was once considered the largest animal in the world. His height is 215 cm. His body weight is approximately 1300 kg. However, no one can name the exact figure, since only one image of the horse has survived, and the quality of the photo is terrible.
• The gelding Big Jake, originally from Belgium, is considered the world standard of strength and endurance. With a height of 217 cm, he weighs 1600 kg. Hippologists from all over the world are ready to pay a lot of money to get the seed of this horse and improve the characteristics of their horses.
• The stallion nicknamed Po went down in history thanks to his height, which is 220 cm. The body weight of this animal reaches 1.5 tons. This horse is inferior to Big Jake in weight due to its different exterior. For example, his torso is much shorter.
• Purebred Shire Samson was named the absolute record holder among horses from all over the world. Indeed, at the withers the height of the animal reaches 220 cm, body weight - 1520 kg.

These were the 10 largest horses that have ever existed on our planet. As you may have noticed, the title of “Largest Horse” in the Guinness Book of Records is held not by one animal, but by several.

Large breeds of horses include massive and strong draft horses. The most common are shires, Brabançons and Percherons have long been known, younger breeds were bred in Russia.

Large horse breeds

Medieval war horses are the progenitors of such modern heavy horses as the French Percherons, powerful English Shires and the widespread Belgian Brabançons. Today, heavy trucks are used in agriculture. They help in transporting goods and plowing land. In England they can be seen at parades, where they ceremoniously pull brewery promotional vans.

Belgian Draft and Arden

Arden is a very ancient breed. Height usually does not exceed one meter and sixty centimeters. Representatives of the breed come from the mountainous regions of the Ardennes (border between Belgium and France). To improve the breeds, an influx of Brabançon blood was introduced in the nineteenth century. It is known that the Ardennes were used by Napoleon's troops in the First World War.

Shire

Nothing is known for certain about the appearance of the breed, except that these horses are clearly descendants of the “big horses” on which medieval knights made campaigns. Already at the age of three years, they are able to pull a load that is five times their weight. Despite the fact that tractors and trucks have now replaced heavy trucks, shires are still popular. Representatives of the breed can often be seen at shows and horse shows in Europe.

Percheron

There is a lot of Arabian blood in this breed, as it has been grafted for a long time. The resulting horse became popular and was used for both military purposes and agricultural work. Breeding work was carried out with Percherons in several countries.

The height of a modern representative of this breed is no more than one hundred and seventy-two centimeters, but on average the height at the withers is about one hundred and sixty-two centimeters.

Heavy Russian horse breeds

Another Russian breed of heavy trucks is the “Soviet heavy truck.” It was obtained by crossing Brabançon stallions imported from Belgium with draft horses of different origins (crosses of Bityugi, Percherons and Ardennes). The resulting breed differed from Brabançons in that it was much drier, more agile and smaller. The height of the representative of the “Soviet heavy truck” is up to one hundred and seventy centimeters, and the weight does not exceed a thousand kilograms.

The Vladimir heavy truck was also bred in Russia. He was obtained by crossing representatives of English Shires and Scottish Clydesdales with his local horses. With a height of one hundred and sixty-five centimeters, the weight is on average seven hundred and sixty kilograms.

The largest horse in the world The record holder among all the horses known in the world is considered to be a heavy draft horse of the Shire breed, which was born in 1846 in England. His name is Sampson. At the age of four they began to call him “Mammoth.” The champion's height reached two meters and twenty centimeters; he weighed one thousand five hundred and twenty kilograms. Unfortunately, there is not a single photograph of this giant. Cricket Cracker is the biggest horse in the world today

The modern record horse is a heavy draft horse of the Shire breed, living in England in the county of Lincolnshire. The stallion is sixteen years old. His nickname is Cracker. The stallion's head is above the ground at a height of more than two meters, the height at the withers is a little more than one hundred and ninety-eight centimeters. Cracker's weight is one ton two hundred kilograms.

Meanwhile, another breed - the Przewalski's horse is considered one of the rarest species on Earth. .
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen