Italian Heavy Draft

It closely resembles the Breton breed, which was used heavily in the creation of the Italian Heavy Draft.

In 1976, a breed association was formed in Italy to preserve and promote the Italian Heavy Draft.

In the 1970s, selective breeding goals were changed to produce a horse suitable for meat production, which today remains the primary use of the Italian Heavy Draft.

The Italian Heavy Draft, or Rapid Heavy Draft, is a breed of draft horse from Italy.

Selection for what eventually became the Italian Heavy Draft was begun in 1860 at the Deposito Cavalli Stalloni (military stud) of Ferrara, Italy.

The main breeding areas for the Italian Heavy Draft are in the plains and hills around Verona, Padova, Vicenza, Venice, Treviso and Udine.

Despite the Italian Heavy Draft's early popularity as a strong but fast draft horse, increasing mechanization in the farming and military sectors reduced the need for all draft horses, and population numbers declined.

The Italian Heavy Draft was originally bred to be a versatile horse used in agriculture, urban settings, and military capacities, as well as for the production of large mules for the military.

True or classic roan is common in European draft breeds such as the Brabant, Ardennes, Trait Du Nord, Italian Heavy Draft, and Rhenish-German Cold-Blood.

The breeding programs suffered during World War II, but a careful crossbreeding program with Ardennes, Percheron and Breton horses after the war brought the Italian Heavy Draft to its current state.

It is thought that they were developed by crossing Barb and Arabian horses imported by the Count of Conversano with native horse, Neopolitan, Avelignese and Italian Heavy Draft blood.

It was also used in the creation and refinement of the Italian Heavy Draft, the post-World War II improvement of the Schleswig horse, and the creation of the early 19th century Ardennes.