Lithuanian Heavy Draught

The Lithuanian Heavy Draft, also known as Lithuanian heavy draft horse, a draft horse breed from Lithuania who was bred on the basis of the local landrace of Žemaitukas. The Lithuanian Heavy Draft is grown in almost all parts of Lithuania.

Background information on the evaluation and breeding horses can be found at: exterior, interior and horse breeding.

Exterior

The Lithuanian Heavy Draft has a rather coarse head sitting on a short, muscular neck. The body is solid, the foundation strong. The long torso and muscular chest are wide and deep. The broad, sloping croup is clearly divided due to the pronounced glutes. The hind legs are sometimes found cow-hocked or bow-legged. The coarse long hair is thick and wavy, at coat colors are found foxes and brown, but also rapping and mold. The Height of the Lithuanian cold blood is 152-162 cm.

Interior

The Lithuanian Heavy Draft has a friendly disposition and a high level of performance. It is very well suited as a driving force in agriculture and on the road. Unlike other heavy draft horse breeds, it is characterized by a very moving passage. Furthermore, there is a robust and easy-care horse that reached a high age, and is very fertile.

Breeding history

The original landrace Lithuania is the Žemaitukas ( the Zhmud - horse). It is in Klepper type, a form of house horse that was located in the entire Baltic Sea region. The breeding of the Lithuanian cold blood started based on this horse, as in the second half of the 19th century due to the introduction of heavier agricultural machinery, the need for larger and more powerful workhorses. First you had the goal herauszuzüchten alone from the domestic Zhmud horse a stronger horse, but this soon turned out to be too tedious task. Thus, the intersection of Zhmud mares began stallions Western European breeds, with English Thoroughbreds and Arabs, Africans, and Arden and of Brabant. 1923-1927 157 stallions and 388 mares of the breed Swedish Ardennes were also introduced. 1931-1937 18 Sweden - Ardennes and Brabant eight were imported again. The intersection with the Swedish horses proved to be crucial for the present form of the Lithuanian cold blood. Very quickly the desired breed products have been achieved here, up to 27,000 horses were exported every year abroad.

In 1951 - during the Soviet rule - a test for the prospective sire was mandatory, so now the work performance could be systematically tested. In addition, the breed has been attached more importance with sire lines. In 1963, the race in Lithuania was recognized as its own.

In the Soviet Union, the Lithuanian Heavy Draft crossed with various native races, especially the race of the Altai was very positively influenced. The Lithuanian Heavy Draft was recognized by the Soviet Ministry of Agriculture in 1961 as a separate breed. In Lithuania itself the breed over the years became more popular: in 1964 there were 62,000 Lithuanian cold-blooded in Lithuania.

As everywhere, the need for heavy horses in agriculture with the engine was the same in the second half of the 20th century is less, so that the Lithuanian Heavy Draft was used less and less. The main objective of the new breed was the supply of slaughter foals.