Buyer question
How long does a Draft horse live?
Our Animal Library gives the Draft horse a lifespan of 20–25 years.
Source: the Draft horse page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Draft horse in the Animal Library
The detail
The heavy horses of farming and freight: Percheron, Belgian, Clydesdale and Shire. They are gentle giants, calm and patient, but everything about them is bigger: feed, tack, trailers, farrier work and vet bills.
- Origin
- France, Belgium, UK
- Best fit
- Driving, farm work, trail
- Upkeep
- 5 out of 5 (Big feed, big feet)
- Temperament
- Calm, patient, gentle
What to weigh
Drafts need oversized tack, trailers and stalls, and not every farrier will shoe them. PSSM1 is common in Belgians and Percherons, and feathered breeds are prone to chronic lymphedema.