According to the official version, the formation of the Vladimir Draft breed began in the middle of the 19th century, at the same time when the other two Russian draft breeds began to form. The main breeds of horses that influenced the formation of the Vladimir breed of heavy trucks were Shires and Clydesdales. But deeper “excavations” show that the epic horses of the heroes were not such a legend and they arose in the same area where the Vladimir draft horses were later bred. By mixing the local heavy draft breeding stock of Russian horses with Western breeds.
Story
During the Great Migration of Peoples, tribes of Ugrians and Finns came from beyond the Urals to the north of the European continent, bringing with them ordinary Asian horses of the Mongolian type. But the phenotype of animals is largely determined by their environment. There is a pattern in the living world: the larger the animal, the easier it is for it to conserve heat. This is not a paradox. A large animal has a different percentage of body surface and volume than a small animal. Heat loss occurs through the surface of the body and in a large animal it is proportionally less than in a small one. For this reason, the same animal species becomes larger in cold regions.
A very good example of such adaptability is the wolf.The southernmost subspecies barely reach 15 kg, the northernmost weighs under 90 kg. This adaptive mechanism did not bypass the horses brought by the Finno-Ugric tribes. The horses began to grow larger.
The increase in the size of horses was also facilitated by an abundant food supply. Before the appearance of vast forest clearings - a consequence of slash-and-burn agriculture - Asian horses fed in moist river floodplains rich in grasses, switching to forest twig food in winter.
Although there is no need to talk about the quality of such foals.
The vegetation in the floodplains is poor in minerals, therefore, although horses grew much larger than their ancestors, the lack of minerals affected the strength of their joints. A quiet life without the need to walk 40 km a day in search of food contributed to the selection of calm and massive horses.
With the development of agriculture, sedentary peoples were able to feed their horses with grain. This energy feed also had a positive effect on the size of the horses. The nobility of the Russian principalities that had formed by that time preferred to select such locally bred horses. Foals from large northern mares, well fed in the boyar stables, grew about 10 cm taller.
The Battle of Kulikovo changed the balance of power between Russia and the Horde and showed that the Tatar-Mongols could be beaten.But for final liberation from the conquerors, a lighter and faster horse was required, capable of withstanding the steppe Mongols. And the army began to be transferred to nimble and light Spanish and Persian (in fact, Arab and Barbary) horses.
During the time of Peter the Great, horse draft power was required in the Ural developments of the Stroganov brothers, and the ancient Voronezh horses were driven there, taking out all the livestock without a trace. But Russian draft horses lasted only 2 centuries in the Urals. From there they were supplanted by scientific and technological progress. Horses were replaced by steam locomotives.
But the same scientific and technological progress helped Russian heavy horses survive. There were no tractors yet and plowing was done on horses, and the growth of cities required an increase in agricultural production. Cities needed products; new areas had to be plowed and sown. The small, weak horses remaining in the Vladimir Opolye were not able to cope with the heavy loamy soils. And powerful horses pulled from the Urals back to their historical homeland. To accelerate the restoration of the number of Russian draft horses, the returned mares were crossed with imported draft breeds.
But this time the Russian breed failed to gain a foothold in its homeland. The First World War also required powerful draft power to move the guns. During this war, the population of the original Vladimir horses was practically wiped out.
But the young Country of Soviets also needed someone to work for and feed the population. Therefore, livestock specialists were tasked with restoring the former breed of the Vladimir horse.The pitiful remains of the powerful boyar horses and Bityugs (the second Russian heavy horse breed) were collected in the Vladimir Opolye and divided into two groups. In one group, mares were crossed with Clydesdales and Shires, in the other - with Brabançons.
In 1946, a group with the infusion of Shire and Clydesdale blood was officially registered as the Vladimir Draft horse breed. From this moment the modern history of the Vladimir heavy truck begins.
Modernity
Work with Shires and Clydesdales, which were mixed with local heavy horses, was carried out on collective and state farms in the Ivanovo and Vladimir regions. Under Gavrilovo Posad, a state stable and a state breeding nursery were created, the breeding material of which was used on other breeding farms. In 1959, on the basis of the Gavrilovo-Posad breeding nursery, the elite Gavrilovo-Posad stud farm was formed for breeding the Vladimir breed of horses. A second similar stud farm was founded in Yuryev-Polsky.
The Yuryev-Polsky stud farm was created practically from scratch. It is difficult to consider simple wooden stables, which previously belonged to the Ivanovo Agricultural Institute, as a developed infrastructure of an elite stud farm. The number of horses for the plant was also selected from various farms in the Vladimir region.
In 2013, the Gavrilovo-Posad stud farm was liquidated, transferring the breeding core of the Vladimir breed to another farm. The Yuryev-Polsky plant continues to function, but has changed its status and name. Today it is the Monastic Compound PKZ. There are several more horse farms where the Vladimir draft horse continues to be bred today.
During the existence of the Soviet Union, Vladimir heavy trucks served as good improvers for the local state and collective farm stock of working horses.
Description
The greatest influence on the modern Vladimir breed of heavy trucks was the Clydesdales. Shires were used at the initial stage and mainly on the maternal side. The influence of the Clydesdales is visible today in the longer legs of the Vladimir Draft compared to other draft breeds. It is enough to compare the photo of the modern Vladimir heavy truck with the photo of the modern Clydesdale.
Vladimir heavy truck.
Clydesdale horse.
But in old photos of horses of the Vladimir Heavy Draft breed, the shorter-legged and more massive Shire is sometimes still visible.
These breeds of draft horses are so close to each other that previously some English breeders considered them to be one breed and did not hesitate to cross Shires with Clydesdales. Today the differences between these breeds are more obvious.
From the Clydesdales, the Vladimir heavy trucks inherited the bay color and some disadvantages:
- shallow chest;
- soft back;
- flat ribs.
Both English breeds of heavy draft horses are most likely “responsible” for the thick hair on the legs.
In addition to the bay, the Vladimir breed of heavy trucks also has black and red colors. The black suit is most likely the legacy of the Shires. And the red recessive color is present in all horse breeds of the world.
The Vladimir Heavy Draft horse inherited these markings from the Clydesdales.
The Vladimir breed received its advantages from the local population of heavy draft horses. Vladimir heavy trucks are distinguished by their high performance and good adaptability to northern climatic conditions.
Exterior
The height of Vladimir stallions is on average 165 at the withers, although there are also significantly taller horses. Oblique body length 173 cm, chest girth 207 cm. Pastern girth 24.5 cm. Weight 758 kg.
Vladimir mares have a height of 163 cm, oblique length - 170 cm, chest girth - 198 cm, pastern girth - 23.5 cm. Weight 685 kg.
The head is long, with a slightly convex profile, and large in size. The neck is well muscled, long, with a high outlet. High withers. The chest is wide, but may not be deep enough. The blade has a good slope. Long, slightly straight shoulder. The back is wide and can sometimes be a little soft. The loin is short. The croup is long, slightly drooping. Can also be with a normal slope. In working condition, the croup should be forked. This is achieved not by excessive feeding, but by pumping up muscles during work. Legs are long and dry. Due to the thick brushes, there may be a tendency to midges (a fungal disease under the fetlock joint).
Horses are energetic, but with a stable nervous system. Movements are free and sweeping.
Application
Thanks to its versatility, the Vladimir heavy truck is suitable for almost all areas of activity for an amateur. And the calm nature allows the same horse to be used both under saddle and in harness. They are even able to portray real knightly horses at reenactment games. In the photo, a horse of the Vladimir heavy draft breed is jumping a low obstacle.
Having previously harrowed the soil.
And he also depicts a medieval war horse.
And in the video, the result of the owner of a three-year-old Vladimir heavy truck being driven independently into a sleigh. The video clearly shows how flexible these giants are.
Reviews
Conclusion
In Russia today, perhaps, this is the only breed of draft horse that is not on the verge of extinction. Vladimir horses are especially popular in the northern regions of the country, where people have long loved powerful draft horses. Vladimir residents are also eagerly purchased by lovers of horseback riding through the fields. Thanks to its calm character and strong nervous system, the Vladimir Heavy Truck is a reliable horse for traveling into forests and fields.
