Intro
The Voronezh Coach or Voronezh Draft was developed in the Voronezh District of Russia and useful as a light draft animal for the people who lived there. The breed is now listed as extinct in the DAD-IS
Origins
Horses have been raised by people in the area near the Bityug River since the 18th century. Based on the local steppe horses crossed with Frederiksborg, local draft breeds and later improved with Orlov blood. When new blood was required, more Frederiksborg animals were used.
Late in the 19th century their numbers dipped, pure blood diluted with local trotters. During this time the steppes were cleared, removing common grazing land and forcing locals to stable and feed their animals. In 1936 a study was conducted on the horses of the area and a decision was made to improve the local draft breeds by crossing them pure with only the addition of trotter blood. By 1938 a stud farm was established to breed a Bityug type horse that was re-named the Voronezh Coach Horse.
3 Voronezh Coach Types
There are three recognized types of the breed.
Massive – the smallest in numbers but larger, with more draft influence.
Light – more refined in confirmation & shows trotter influence.
Local – the offspring of local stallions with unknown bloodlines, tends to be coarser in confirmation.
Features
Average height 15.3 – 17.5 hands
Physique
Forehead is broad
Chest is wide
Back is straight and long
Legs are dry with well made joints and feathered
Hindquarters are long and wide
Hooves are hard
Traditional Colors
Bay | brown | roan | grey | black
Temperament
Calm and willing
Use
Harness
Draft
Transportation
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