The sport build of the Dorset Warmblood is typically characterized by a smaller head with large, intelligent eyes, alert, medium sized ears and powerful hindquarters, a long, well-muscled neck and well-muscled withers, which often makes them less pronounced. These horses range from 15.2hh to 16.3hh and are Heavily influenced from the following breeds:
Irish sport horse
Irish draught
English thoroughbred
Irish cob
Hackney horse
Cleveland bay
This type of build is commonly used in ridden disciplines such as Dressage, Showjumping, Cross Country, Endurance, Hunting, Driving and Polo. It has been known to be used in riding schools across Britain and Ireland. There are currently no stud farms for the Dorset Sporthorse in Ireland.
The Dorset Warmblood stands at 15.2 hands on average, to 16.3 hands high. The Dorset sporthorse has, however, seen horses standing at 15 hands, and on the more rarer side, 17hh.
The Dorset Draught
The heavy build of the Dorset Warmblood is more influenced by the following breeds:
Welsh cob (Sections C and D)
Cleveland Bay
Clydesdale
Irish Cob
Irish Draught
Suffolk punch
Shire
In 1930, the Clydesdale and Suffolk Punch were added to the stud books to increase the muscle mass and pulling power for the heavier type of the breed, making the Irish Sport Horse, Hackney and English Thoroughbred ineffective for the bloodlines of the heavier horses. This saw the introduction of the Welsh Cobs.
The new build, labelled the “Dorset Draught'' were used alongside the railroads to assist at the shunting yards with moving cargo between trains and to the docks on Portland as well as for agricultural purposes on farms and orchards. The heavy Dorset Warmblood, labelled Dorset Draught, features strong, powerful legs with clean joints, wide shoulders, sturdy withers, a well-muscled neck, broad forehead with large, alert, medium sized ears and almond shaped eyes which give a kind, wise, gentle and trusting appearance. The Dorset Draught stands at 16.3 to 18.3hh
The Dorset Draught horse has an absolute maximum height of 19hh which comes from the Shire and Clydesdale bloodlines.