The Irish Draught was bred to be an all-round working horse, suitable for draft work, under harness and under saddle. There was also a need for Irish Draughts to be economical to keep, and this was achieved by grazing throughout the summer and supplementing their feed with chopped foraged gorse, boiled turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. The word turnip is a compound of tur- as in turned/rounded on a lathe and neep, derived from Latin napus, the word for the plant. Small, tender varieties are grown for hu…
Full Answer
What do Irish Draught Horses eat?
The Irish Draught is a large breed with equally large nutritional requirements, including plenty of grains, grass, and legumes. Added fat is often recommended to assist with the maintenance of their muscular build, though a balance is essential since excess body weight could lead to stress on a draught horse’s bones and joints.
How much to feed an Irish cob horse?
What to Feed Your Irish Cob Horse To keep your Irish Cob healthy, a well-balanced diet is essential. A full-grown horse should eat roughly 12 to 15 pounds of fresh hay per day. They should be permitted to graze if possible to get nutrients from the pasture, as they get up to 2% of their body weight in roughage a day.
What is an Irish Draught?
The Irish Draught (pronounced “draft”) is the national horse breed of Ireland and was originally bred primarily for farm use.
What colors do Irish Draught Horses come in?
Most of the solid equine colors are accepted when it comes to the Irish Draught Horse, so you will see these animals sporting coats that could be dun, black, chestnut, gray, brown, or bay. However, excessive white markings aren’t a desirable feature in terms of color for these horses.
What Should I feed My Irish sports horse?
A general horse diet that includes hay, grass, grains, fruits, and veggies is right for Irish sport horses. Because they are an energetic breed, they might need a high-energy feed.
Is an Irish Draught a good first horse?
Irish Sport Horses are typically good beginner horses. A traditional Irish Sport Horse is an offspring from a Thoroughbred and Irish Draught Horse cross. But be aware that sometimes Thoroughbreds produce high spirited horses. Warmbloods typically have the characteristics you want in a horse for the beginner rider.
How much hay does a draft horse eat in a day?
Like other breeds, mature draft horses should be fed a minimum of 1.5% of their body weight in forage daily, with a total intake between 1.5% and 3% of their body weight daily. Good-quality grass hay or grass-legume mixes usually suffice for horses, as does various pasture grasses during the growing season.
What should I feed my cob?
HoneyChop Calm and Shine is a blend of high fibre oat straw, dried grass, marigold, nettle, mint, camomile and oil which can help towards a shiny coat and added condition. It is a low sugar dressed short chopped oat straw with added dried grass.
Is Irish Draught a rare breed?
The Irish Draught is considered an “endangered maintained” breed by the Food and Agriculture Committee of the United Nations. In 2009, the breed was upgraded to the “Watch” category on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy's Rare Breed Conservation Priority List.
What age do Irish Draught horses stop growing?
8 years oldLarge horse breeds like draft horses don't stop growing until they are 8 years old. The final size of a horse can be impacted by a variety of factors, like genetics and breed.
What should I feed my draft horse?
Common feed grains provided to draft horses included oats, corn and rolled barley. These may have been fed with protein and mineral supplements to avoid obvious nutrient deficiencies. Harvested forage that was traditionally fed to draft horses included timothy, alfalfa, grass or alfalfa-grass mixture hay.
How long does a bale of hay last for one horse?
In general, a standard 40 lb. square bale of hay lasts one horse for about 3.5 days. But many factors such as age, workload, type of hay, and access to pasture grass affect how much they eat. I find most horses eat between 10-15 pounds of hay each day.
Do horses need hay if they have grass?
We know horses need to eat either grass or hay. When horses eat grass, you will need to keep an eye on their condition and make sure that they are neither eating too much nor too little. Horses can overeat grass, especially if the pasture is lush, but it is also easy to let a horse get too fat from eating hay.
What do you feed your cob in the winter?
Soakable combinations of beet pulp and alfalfa are also good for providing additional digestible fibre and can be more conditioning than beet pulp alone. High fibre cubes or nuggets may also be offered as a fibre source and are ideal fed in ball-type anti-boredom toys.
Do cobs need a rug?
Heavier breeds, such as cobs, are much tougher than thoroughbreds and may not need rugging. Again, if you have clipped them you need to compensate with a rug – no matter what their breed. Rugging at this time of year is particularly difficult as the weather changes from day to day – and often hour to hour!
How long do Irish cobs live?
Quick Facts about Irish Cob HorseSpecies Name:Equus ferus caballusColor Form:Piebald, skewbaldLifespan:Up to 30 yearsSize:Up to 16.7 handsDiet:Herbivore5 more rows•6 days ago
Are Irish Draughts good doers?
The unique qualities of temperament, soundness and ability have been bred into the Irish Draught over hundreds of years of galloping across the Irish countryside. This makes them capable of doing anything you want them to do, from dressage to jumping, from hunting to eventing, and even everyday leisure riding.
Do Irish Draughts make good eventers?
Irish Draughts have achieved top marks as hunters, event horses, jumpers, and dressage mounts in international competition, and crossing them with Thoroughbreds has produced performance horses with exceptional strength, soundness, and temperament.
What are Irish Draughts like riding?
The breed boasts a height of 15-16.5 hands with well conformed legs, a strong head and solid constitution, and a thick mane and tail that is glossy like the coat. Generally speaking, the temperament of the Irish Draught is gentle, sensible and confident, making for a mount that is easily handled and trained.
Are Irish Draughts fast?
They are mostly all good jumpers to at least 3'6”, but they don't possess much speed.
What is Irish Draught best known for?
Of course, what the Irish Draught is perhaps best known for today is their breeding uses —most notably for the development of the highly competitive Irish Sport Horse.
What are the traits of Irish Draught?
Other notable traits of the Irish Draught include a profound strength (a lingering offshoot of their farm days, no doubt), as well as sound temperament and gentle nature that suggests that , for all of their size and strength, these horses are really just big softies at heart.
What is Irish draft horse?
Irish Draught Horse for You. How to Adopt or Buy. More Horse Breeds. Back to Top. The Irish Draught (pronounced “draft”) is the national horse breed of Ireland and was originally bred primarily for farm use. Today, the breed is known for its athleticism and fortitude and is often crossed with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods to produce ...
How big is an Irish Draught horse?
Irish Draught Size. Irish Draught horses range in size from 15.2 hands (62 inches) to 16.3 hands (67 inches), with an impressive weight of 1,300 to 1,500 pounds. Their weight is generally distributed proportionally throughout their body, with long legs and overall muscular stature.
Where did Irish Draught originate?
Irish Draught History and Origins. Irish Draughts have a long history in Ireland as trusted farm horses and family companions. The breed originated in the country in the 18 th century, at which time they served a dual purpose for cash-strapped Irish farmers and their families who needed a horse that was strong enough to engage in farm work ...
What are the coat colors of Irish draughts?
Other coat colors include white, black, brown, dun, champagne, cremello, palomino, perlino, grullo, and roan. Despite the range of colors, Irish Draughts are preferred not to have excessive white markings, particularly above the knees.
Do Irish draught horses need grooming?
That being said, the Irish Draught doesn’t require any special type of grooming care, and basic—but consistent—grooming should be enough.
Why raw food is the best diet for my Irish Terrier
In this guide we will take you through all you need to know about the best food to feed your Irish Terrier for the healthiest diet:
Why raw food is the best diet for my Irish Terrier
When deciding on what is the best Irish Terrier food, it's important to consider the canine anatomy and digestive system. Dogs' digestive tracts have not significantly evolved from when they were undomesticated wolves, and are best suited to fresh, high-protein prey-based diets.
Canine Gut Health
It's no secret these days that gut health is at the centre of overall health for humans and our four-legged friends; your Irish Terrier companion is no exception. An unhealthy gut leads to poor nutrient absorption and imbalanced immune response, in turn leading to systemic inflammation in the body, and a whole host of health conditions.
Canine Immunity
The immune system is the body's natural protection mechanism; when functioning effectively will respond to toxins, pathogens and threats to your Irish Terrier health and happiness found in everyday life.
Dog Weight
Maintaining appropriate healthy weight is essential for your dog no matter what breed. Irish Terriers are known to piling on the pounds, so a diet that consists of biologically appropriate protein and healthy fats, ground bone and vegetables packed with the required vitamins and minerals is essential for optimum health and performance.
Overall Irish Terrier Well-Being
A species-specific diet is undoubtedly the best Irish Terrier food, fuel for overall health and happiness. You'll notice remarkably quickly that your four-legged friend will look, feel and even smell better.
Dog Supplements
Switching to a natural good quality raw food diet will be the single best thing you can do for your dog's well-being.
What is Irish Draught Horse?
The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland which developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses (also called Irish Draught Sport Horses) which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping.
When was Irish Draught first introduced?
References to the Irish Draught date back as far as the 18th century. It is believed that the breed was developed when the then-common Irish Hobby was successively bred with 12th century Anglo-Norman war horses, Iberian breeds from the 16th century Spanish Armada shipwrecks, Clydesdale and Thoroughbred stallions in the late 19th ...
Is Irish Draught endangered?
The Irish Draught is considered an "endangered maintained" breed by the Food and Agriculture Committee of the United Nations. In 2009, the breed was upgraded to the "Watch" category on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy's Rare Breed Conservation Priority List. The Irish Draught Horse Society of Ireland, with support from ...
Irish Setter Feeding Chart
Below is the typical feed chart for the Irish Setter. This chart provides you a rough guide on how much dry dog food (kibble) to feed your Irish Setter.
How to Measure the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Irish Setter
Research has shown that most owners over-measure a cup of dog food. As a result, most dogs owners overfeed their dogs. This is because dog owners do not level off the cup when measuring out the food they give to their dogs.
How Much Food to Feed the Irish Setter
You should feed your 16-week-old Irish Setter puppy 4.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Best Food for Irish Setter. Irish Setter Feeding Guide
The Irish Setter has different nutrient needs at different life stages. Therefore, the dog food that you feed your Irish Setter at different ages should be the type that is appropriate for its age.
Feeding Guide for the Irish Setter Puppy: 12 weeks to one year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Feeding Guide for the Young Adult Irish Setter: Ages 1 year to 6 years
The dog food that you feed a young adult Irish Setter should have the nutrients that will make a dog live longer.
Feeding Guide for Mature Adult Irish Setters: 6 years and older
You should feed the mature adult Irish Setter food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
How to keep Irish Draught Horse clean?
To help keep your Irish Draught Horse clean and healthy, regular grooming sessions will be necessary. You could bathe your horse with a gentle equine shampoo whenever he gets too dirty, but brushing your horse in between bathing sessions will help remove debris and keep the coat looking smooth and shiny.
What is an Irish Draught Horse?
When looking at an Irish Draught Horse, you will notice that this breed is distinct and bold, as well as powerful. This is an attractive equine breed that is known for its strength and stamina, and it has been bred to have a body that will allow it to ride over varied terrain with ease and with agility and speed.
Why did they breed Irish horses?
Basically, they sought to develop a horse that would be lighter and adaptable, so they bred horses in order to create one that would be able to go hunting, work on the farm, and also be easy to ride. The goal was to create a breed that would be strong, have stamina, and also have a great personality. And they succeeded when the Irish Draught Horse ...
When was the Irish Draught Horse Society established?
In 1917, the Irish Draught Horse breed was established, but instability during the early part of the 20 th century, in addition to the use of new machinery on farms, caused the number of Irish Draught Horses to decline. So, in 1976, the Irish Draught Horse Society was created to help preserve the breed. Although this breed is still considered ...
What breed of horse was created by the Anglo-Norman?
Experts believe that this breed was created when the Irish Hobby Horse was bred with the Anglo-Norman Horse. Other breeds that helped develop the Irish Draught Horse over time included Iberian breeds from Spanish Armada shipwrecks, Thoroughbreds and Clydesdales, and the Connemara Pony.
Who is the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture?
More than 100 hundred delegates heard the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Michelle O'Neill, calling for a more all-island approach to marketing the Irish horse industry in Enniskillen last week.
How much milk does a mare produce?
Mares produce up to 3pc of their body weight as milk per day. For example an Irish Draught mare can produce up to 24 litres of milk daily. This is very demanding nutritionally.
Do Irish draughts need special attention?
Most Irish Draughts are good doers in that they thrive well without special attention. However, when they are used for breeding they require careful feeding to achieve the best results.
What is an Irish cob horse?
Irish Cob horses are head-turners, to say the least. Robust, dignified, and magnificent, these creatures are the epitome of beauty and grace. Looks aren’t deceiving in this case—their incredible personalities match their outer splendor.
How much does an Irish cob weigh?
It is considered a small draught horse with muscular quarters and refined charm. They usually weigh between 1,000 and 1,700 pounds.
How old do Irish cob horses breed?
The ideal age to breed an Irish Cob horse is between 4 and 12 years. Mares are generally pregnant 330 days—just a few weeks short of a year! Irish Cob mares are seasonal breeders that typically go into heat cycles between May and October. Mares give birth to just one foal at a time.
Is an Irish Cob horse safe?
They tend to coexist peacefully with other farm life, too. These horses aren’t typically territorial or unpredictable, so they are safe for even the family dog to be around. Image Credit: JACLOU-DL, Pixabay.
Do Irish cobs need a buddy?
And don’t even think that a solo horse is a good idea because your Irish Cob will definitely need a buddy . Image Credit: JACLOU-DL, Pixabay.
Do horses use bedding?
Since horses don’t use bedding for cuddling up in, it’s not such an important factor. However, it is good to have some flooring of the stall semi-clean up a breeze. Many equestrians love sawdust or straw because it is easy to tidy up.
Is Irish cob good for you?
Are Irish Cob Horses Suitable For You? Irish Cobs are definitely rewarding horses to own—many owners can confirm. They have several attributes you might look for in a horse, such as an outstanding personality, impressive structure, and high trainability.
Irish Draught History and Origins
Irish Draught Size
Breeding and Uses
Color and Markings
Unique Characteristics of The Irish Draught
Diet and Nutrition
- The Irish Draught is a large breed with equally large nutritional requirements, including plenty of grains, grass, and legumes. Added fat is often recommended to assist with the maintenance of their muscular build, though a balance is essential since excess body weight could lead to stress on a draught horse’s bones and joints.
Common Health and Behavior Problems
Grooming
Is The Irish Draught Horse Right For You?
How to Adopt Or Buy An Irish Draught Horse