The Strongest Horses in the World

What are the strongest horses in the world? This is a question man has asked for thousands of years. Humans have long relied on horses to perform work that requires power, endurance, and stamina. We have worked horses to pull carts, plow fields, and even partner with modern machinery. We have even ridden them into battle. In fact, today’s automobile engines are described in terms of “horsepower,” providing a clear indication of just how hard and fast a vehicle can drive.

To harness the power of horses and use their incredible strength, people have selectively bred these large mammals for generations. The breeding goal has been focused on developing the strongest workhorses to help mankind farm, build, transport heavy loads, fight wars, and perform other tough jobs. This breeding led to the development of draft breeds, the biggest and strongest types of horses on Earth. So, just which are the strongest horses in the world? Let’s find out!

South German Coldblood

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. It is also a distinctive horse in its appearance due to its leopard-spotted coat. The Coldbloods are always willing to work on the farm. But they are more widely used to pull carts and carriages.

Suffolk Punch

Overall, the Suffolk Punch is a competitor when it comes to being one of the biggest and tallest horse breeds. However, stature means little unless it is backed by power. The Suffolk Punch brings that power at 16 to 17 hands high and up to 2,200 pounds. Originally developed in the Suffolk region of England for agricultural work, these muscular animals mature into stunning animals that are both beautiful as well as powerful.

Shire Horse

At 16 to 18 hands tall and up to 2,400 pounds, the Shire horse 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. The Shire has a strong, muscular body that makes them excel in their daily work and on the event fields. In fact, Shires are often credited as being able to pull significant weights, more than some of the other horses on this list.

Percherons

The French Percheron is 15 to 19 hands high and weighs between 1,800 and 2,600 pounds. This size certainly translates to strength, just as much as the breed is known for its intelligence and trainability. Like the Shire, the Percheron was once a favorite warhorse. However, after the 1800s, this draft breed became popular in the United States for its work ethic and strength for plowing fields and performing other agricultural work. Today, the Percheron is still widely used on farms and also maintains popularity as a driving and riding horse because of its long-distance stamina and physical strength.

Friesian

Hailing from the Netherlands, the Friesian is one of the smallest types of draft horses. Standing 15 to 17 hands, they are not as big as their Scottish, American, French, and Belgian counterparts, but the Friesian packs a lot of strength into its smaller frame. Once used on farms, today’s members of this breed pull ceremonial carts and carriages. They also perform well for leisure riders. As their coat is typically solid black, they have earned the nickname “Belgian Black,” despite their Dutch roots.

Dutch Drafts

Originating from Holland after World War I, the Dutch Draft typically stands at 15 to 17 hands tall and weighs 1,800 pounds. 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. These draft horses have incredible stamina despite their calm nature. Although they were developed to perform farm labor like pulling a plow through hard clay terrain, the Dutch Draft is a popular riding horse today.

Clydesdale

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. Known for their white legs and white face markings, these horses are stunning. They stand at 17 to 19 hands high and can weigh up to a whopping 2,200 pounds, but are known for their gentle disposition.

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. They also used their incredible strength to pull carts and carriages throughout the harsh weather conditions of all seasons. As far as draft horses go, these are mid-range in size at only 15 to 16.3 hands and up to 2,000 pounds; however, they are still incredibly strong and are perfectly suited to undertaking farming tasks.

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. There are taller drafts, certainly, but few have the pulling power and stamina of these gentle beauties.

Although the Ardennes were once warhorses in Ancient Rome and for Napoleon, it is difficult to find friendlier breeds. During peacetime, they historically earned their prestige as agricultural workers in regions with rough terrain. They still fulfill their farm role today, along with providing riders with a powerfully reliable and steady mount.

Belgian Drafts

Taller than many other draft breeds, the Belgian Draft stands at up to 18 hands and weighs an impressive 2000 pounds. Although they are not the heaviest or stoutest breed on this list, Belgian horses are highly muscular and powerful. They were first developed in the Brabant region of Belgium and were known for their strong backs. Modern horses from this line have a lighter frame than in the past, but are also taller and have longer legs.

Like other types of giant drafts, the Belgian horse was originally used as a warhorse and then transitioned to working farms. This heritage is obvious to anyone who watches a dedicated Belgian horse break pulling records as they still do, today. These records and their everyday capabilities prove their status as one of the strongest horses in the world.

Honorable Mention

Here are a few more draft horses of interest; they just didn’t quite make our original list:

Russian Draft

The Russian Draft or Russian Heavy Draft was bred in Imperial Russia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Until after the Russian Revolution, it was known as the Russian Ardennes. The current name has been used since 1952. Originally bred for draft work in agriculture, it is now kept for its high milk yield and for meat. Its coat is chestnut or strawberry roan, but sometimes bay. In terms of size, the average weight is 1268-1433 pounds.

Australian Draft

The Australian Draft was bred from horses brought by colonists: the Clydesdale, Percheron, Shire, Suffolk Punch, and others. These horses are admired not only for their strength but also for their good temperament. They are 16 to 17 hands high, and their coat can be any solid color, but breeders discourage much white on the face or body. Today this draft horse is seen often in competitions but is still used for agricultural purposes.