At the end of the 19th century, Russian specialists began to remove local heavy trucks. One of the first and most successful breeds in this regard is the Vladimir heavy truck. Due to its unique qualities and beauty, the breed has gained immense popularity both among professional breeders and amateur farmers.
The history of the origin of the Vladimir heavy truck
Hardy and strong horses have always been famous for the Vladimir region, which delivered animals to large cities. And precisely in this area, in Gavrilov Posad, there was a stud farm, where breeders set out to create a heavy-duty breed of local production.
Since there were no individuals of this category, it was necessary to purchase future parents abroad. Percherons were brought from France, Suffol horses were brought from England, and Ardenes horses from Belgium. Later, in the work on selection, they began to use kledesdale and shire from England imported from Scotland.
The specialists had the task of breeding a powerful and beautiful breed, genes had to be transmitted from imported parents, but on the other hand, new representatives should be strong, hardy and easily adapt to different conditions.
Only in 1936, when they began to systematically study various crossbreeds, the Vladimir heavy truck was discovered. It took another 10 years to bring it to mind and register officially as a new breed. So, in 1946, the Vladimir heavy truck appeared in the register.
Characteristic
This is one of the largest heavy trucks in Russia. At the first acquaintance with him, its dimensions amaze. Horse height can reach 175 cm - this is the height at the withers, and the maximum weight reaches 1200 kg. Males are larger than females. The stallion weighs about 760 kg on average, and his chest circumference is 207 cm. The mare, respectively, weighs about 690 kg, and the chest circumference does not reach 2 meters and is 196 cm.
The metacarp for the heavy truck is quite long, it can reach 30 cm, in girth - 23.5 cm. Experienced horse breeders judge the development of the skeleton and the strength of the constitution by the thickness of the metacarpus.
If we talk about the suit, then the lion's share falls on bay and red, less often there are black and brown horses.
Appearance
This giant is difficult to confuse with other breeds. A tall, stocky handsome man with a thick mane and tail immediately catches his eye.
The head of the animal is large, the skull is massive, if you look at its profile, then there will be noticeable humpiness. A long, full neck with a pronounced nape, a strong and oblique shoulder blade. Wide chest. The shoulders of the animal are muscular, the back is long and wide, the croup is the back of the trunk, slightly lowered down. The hooves are wide, the horn is firm and durable.
The lower part of the legs is “dressed” in white “socks” with magnificent overgrowth. The coat is very thick, short, and gives the animal a resemblance to a huge plush toy. Often, white spots can be seen on the head and stomach of an animal.
Character
Despite their large size, the horses are very active and energetic. Most of the representatives are balanced, good-natured and friendly. Their movements are free, with a good capture of space. They feel great in the bustle of the city and in the countryside.
This is an unobtrusive animal. They have good contact with the guys, obey and obey the person, therefore they are often used for horseback riding, seating newcomers in the saddle, for tourism and hunting.
Advantages of the breed
Among the main advantages of the breed are:
- Versatility - horses are used not only for their intended purpose - drag and drop weights, work on the ground, but thanks to their grace, they are great for riding and sports.
- They are characterized by maximum endurance and strength.
- Work experience in horses is 20 years or more.
- The performance of animals does not depend on adverse weather conditions, and its rate is very high. She will work in the heat, and in heavy rain, and in the cold.
- An easygoing and calm disposition, quickly adapts to work and a new place of residence.
- Early puberty, great fecundity.
- This is a prestigious and valuable breed for breeding - it is suitable for breeders, since on its basis it is possible to breed new breeds that will be in demand among horse breeders.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of the Vladimir heavy truck are also there, but they are much smaller:
- The long and soft back, coupled with flat ribs, loses in physical condition to the Suffol representatives. It seemed that these “disadvantages” of the structure made the horse clumsy and prevent it from running away, but in practice it was proved the opposite, a horse with a load of 1,500 kg in 5 minutes covers a distance of 2 km.
- Low speed of movement due to the large weight, when compared with other heavy-duty rocks.
Content
One of the reasons why the Russian Empire required the removal of its own heavy trucks, rather than the purchase of imported horses, is the need to adapt the horses to minimal simple conditions and a low-quality forage base. Which was done. However, for the Vladimir heavy truck, it is still worthwhile to observe a balanced composition and nutritional standards and provide more or less comfortable maintenance so that the animal remains healthy and maintains a “working” form.
Horses can live in a stall - an isolated room or stall. When keeping the animal in the stall, it can suffer without communication with other brethren. As a result, the horse becomes aggressive, refuses to eat.
There are no problems with communication in the stall, but cleaning and winter maintenance are difficult in it. At low temperatures, the ventilation of the stall is limited, therefore, in cold weather, horses are often susceptible to diseases associated with stagnant air. In addition, a sick horse can become a source of the spread of the disease and infect other animals. In order to reduce the likelihood of diseases, the room must be disinfected weekly.
Whatever version of the content you stay at, the height of the ceilings should be 3 meters - this allows better air ventilation. Ventilation in the stable is necessary, but it should not create drafts. The best option is to install window leaves under the roof.
For most of the day, the stable should be illuminated by the sun's rays; darkness affects the horse’s vision. Windows make large so that light penetrates into the room in large quantities.
The floor is made of wood or concrete. The last option is more durable, for drainage of excess fluid in it make gutters. Sawdust or straw is used for flooring.
In winter, the stable maintains a temperature of + 8 ... + 11 ° C, the minimum - 3 ° C of heat. Raising above is impractical, since a sharp temperature drop in the street and in the stable leads to the incidence of animals. In the warm season, the room is ventilated and regularly cleaned of manure. In hot weather, the windows are curtained with a cloth to restrain the temperature rise, overheating is very dangerous for horses.
Care and Feeding
The appearance of the Vladimir heavy truck in the stable does not require any additional costs, both physically and financially. Like any horse, he needs regular daily care:
- The heavy truck is designed for hard work, so in the mode it must have physical activity. If the animal is used for its intended purpose, then the examination by the veterinarian should be permanent, at least 5 times a year. Walking in the fresh air is also a must for care.
- At the end of the day, in warm weather, a horse is bathed, doused with warm water from a bucket or hose. In the cold season, only dry cleaning is allowed, taboo is imposed on water procedures.
- The tail and mane are combed daily with a plastic comb, so that the hair is not much tangled, they are treated with special sprays.
- Hoof care is required. They must be cleaned, regularly checked for cracks, injuries and dermatitis. If any damage is found, they contact the veterinarian in a timely manner and begin treatment.
- Dental examination is an equally important procedure. Diseases of the oral cavity greatly affect the overall well-being of the animal.
- The horse's diet should be balanced, complete and varied. Feed them 3 times a day. A horse that runs all day is fed every 2 hours. Grass and hay are a matter of course, but a heavy truck needs a lot of energy for physical work. Its supplier is grain, but it is also impossible to feed them, as the animal will begin to have problems with the stomach.
The norm of vitamins is also increased in comparison with other breeds. To replenish vitamins and minerals in the body of the animal, he is given fresh vegetables and fruits. Salt is an important product that each individual is given daily. - The animal must have free access to hay and water. A horse drinks 80 liters of pure water per day. In winter, when the diet is mainly dry feed, the amount of fluid consumed increases.
- Since the animal constantly secretes gastric juice, it must constantly chew something. Hay must always be present in the feeder, otherwise serious digestive system problems can occur.
Breeding and offspring
For breeding, only healthy purebred animals that do not have problems with behavior are selected. Individuals must be at least 3 years old. It is better for the mare to have more stallions.
A case is carried out naturally or artificially. The optimal time for her mid-March is July. Then the foal will appear in the warm season, when there is no shortage of fresh grass. The mare is notable for its good milk production, as the calf needs a large amount of milk.
Prospects for breeding Vladimir breed
The time of the heavy trucks passed, the cars replaced horses, in the villages rarely anyone keeps this giant for work. To date, the number of breeds is significantly reduced and we can talk about the threat of the disappearance of this handsome man. Although breeders still work with him, the breeding stock does not even count hundreds of heads.
But the perspective of the Vladimir heavy truck still has a good one. Gorgeous appearance, calm and complaisant disposition is suitable for tourism, horse riding and sport hunting.
There is a supply and demand for this breed. The price for a stallion can reach up to 500 thousand rubles. On average, the cost ranges from 200 to 250 thousand rubles per year-old stallion. The price depends on the region of origin, pedigree, age, gender, vaccination of the animal. The stallion of the Vladimir heavy truck usually costs more than a mare.
Interesting facts about the horse
True connoisseurs of horses will be interested to know a few interesting facts about this breed:
- the ancestors of the heavy truck are knightly horses whose images can still be found in medieval paintings;
- the largest heavy truck was a horse named Mammoth, its height was more than 2 meters, and it weighed 1.5 tons;
- these large animals can take low obstacles and jump over small barriers;
- a stable nervous system allows the horse to work with any noise, roar and scream;
- the endurance of Vladimir heavy trucks has been proven, it was on them that they traveled from Vladivostok to Moscow.
So, Vladimir heavy truck is a unique breed that combines power and grace, energy and tranquility, and a colorful exterior conquers at first sight. It does not require any special care and becomes a true friend to the owner.