Comparison · breed
Draught horse breeds: Clydesdale vs Percheron vs Shire
Compare heavy draught horse breeds.
| Dimension | Clydesdale | Percheron | Shire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse (Equus caballus) |
| Type | Draught | Draught | Draught |
| Origin | Scotland (Clyde valley, Lanarkshire), United Kingdom | Perche (Normandy), France | England (Midlands), United Kingdom |
| Primary uses | Showing and exhibition, Carriage and team driving; parades and promotion, Forestry, heritage draught work, and breeding | Carriage and team driving; showing, Forestry and some farm draught work, Crossbreeding for heavier sport and riding horses | Showing and exhibition, Carriage, dray, and team driving; promotion, Forestry, heritage draught work, and crossbreeding |
| Climate adaptation | Suited to cool, temperate climates of its origin; the dense feathering and large body require dry footing and management in wet or hot conditions. | Adaptable within temperate climates; the largely clean legs simplify wet-weather management compared with heavily feathered draught breeds. | Suited to the cool, temperate climate of its origin; the great size and heavy feathering call for dry footing and careful management in wet or hot conditions. |
| Conservation status | unknown | unknown | unknown |
Methodology
Attributes read from each entry.
Limitations
- Descriptive only.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12