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draft horse

(Encyclopedia)draft horse or work horse, any breed of horse that is suited to or used for drawing heavy loads. Draft horses originated in central Europe, where their domestication preceded the Roman invasion. Popul...

dark horse

(Encyclopedia)dark horse, in U.S. politics, a person unexpectedly chosen by a major party as a candidate for public office, especially for the presidency. A presidential dark horse is usually chosen at a party nati...

Crazy Horse

(Encyclopedia)Crazy Horse, d. 1877, war chief of the Oglala Sioux. He was a prominent leader in the Sioux resistance to white encroachment in the mineral-rich Black Hills. When Crazy Horse and his people refused to...

Clydesdale horse

(Encyclopedia)Clydesdale horse, breed of draft horse developed in Scotland. It closely resembles the Shire horse, although it is not as heavy. The Clydesdale is characterized by its graceful, springy step. Initiall...

Shire horse

(Encyclopedia)Shire horse, a breed of draft horse native to central England. It is equal in weight to the Belgian horse and is usually slightly taller. Widely used as a war horse during the Middle Ages, it was well...

Percheron horse

(Encyclopedia)Percheron horse pûrˈchərŏnˌ [key], breed of draft horse developed in NW France, originally of Flemish origin, but also containing some Arabian blood (see Arabian horse). For a heavy horse, it has...

pinto horse

(Encyclopedia)pinto horse, American light horse, characterized by large, irregular color markings—most commonly black (or dark) and white. Horses of this pattern, known regionally as “paints” [Span. pinto=pai...

Belgian horse

(Encyclopedia)Belgian horse, one of the largest breeds of draft horses of pure European descent. It has a long history, antedating the Christian era, but became especially popular during the Middle Ages. In the 15t...

Przewalski's horse

(Encyclopedia)Przewalski's horse pshəvälˈskēz [key], wild horse of Asia, Equus przewalski, E. ferus przewalski, or E. caballus przewalski, the only extant wild horse that, in the purebred state, is not descende...

paint horse

(Encyclopedia)paint horse: see pinto horse.