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American Cream Draft: Discover why this endangered breed is worth preserving.

By Tracy Williams

  In its beginnings, America was a country that harbored adventurous men and women, eager to stake a claim on this mysterious, undeveloped land. Settlements were hewn by horse teams pulling pioneers across the length and breadth of the new country – teams that broke up the craggy soil so families could begin to live on the land. Draft horses became essential not only for their tireless strength but for their gentle, willing nature. But as they opened up the new country, they paved the road for mechanization to replace them. Efficient machinery began to sweep the nation, and soon the giant beasts began to fade into history. Fortunately, breeders and families across the country recognized the value of the draft breeds for more than just hard labor and began to strive to preserve these early American pioneers. Because of their foresight, rare breeds such as the American Cream Draft have not disappeared from our modern view.

The American Cream Draft is a rare jewel among other horse breeds. Not only do they bear the gentle personality and strong conformation of other drafts, but they also possess rare and beautiful coloring – ivory coats and brilliant amber eyes. Unfortunately because of its unique nature, the breed existed in small numbers even prior to the age of mechanization. Fortunately, there are many who are determined not only to preserve the breed but to keep it in its purest form.

A Native History
The American Cream Draft is the only draft breed that can claim to be native to the United States.

Cream Draft by Shawn Hamilton
The American Cream Draft is the only draft breed that is native to United States.

In the early 1900s in the thick of Iowa, a mare of draft-breeding named “Old Granny” captured the imaginations of breeders with her cream-colored coat, pink skin and amber eyes. Eager to duplicate her unique coloring, breeders mated her offspring with other draft breeds so as not to lose her draft personality and conformation. The early success of this project inspired a small group of people to begin line-breeding and inbreeding in 1935 to establish an actual breed with these characteristics.

With continued success of their project spurring them forth, a group of breeders met in Iowa Falls, Iowa in 1944 and began plans for the American Cream Horse Association of America. Directors and officers were elected, and negotiations to obtain a charter were begun, with the charter being officially granted by the state of Iowa in July. This gave the new association an umbrella for registrations and transfers of the brand new breed. In 1948 the new breed was recommended for recognition by the National Stallion Enrollment Board, which granted the Cream Draft all the privileges granted to older and more established breeds. Continued recognition came in 1950 when the breed was recognized as standard by the Iowa Department of Agriculture. This gave the Cream Draft the same status as other draft breeds around the world.
The breed continued making steps of success until things took a tumble in 1957 when the president of the association, CT Rierson, died. His advocacy and leadership were difficult to replace. In addition, the bylaws of the association at that time stated that all registered animals must have a registered sire and dam. Because of the small numbers, registrations and transfers declined – a fact compounded by the declining draft numbers across the country – and the breed became nearly extinct.

 American Cream Draft Courtesy of the ACDHA
The coloring of the American Cream Draft is from the dominant champagne gene, they are neither a palomino or a cremello.

The Rescue
In 1982 three member families and the association secretary rushed to the rescue and met to reorganize the breed in hopes of saving it. To encourage new registrations, they voted to allow females with dark skin into the registry as long as they had cream coloring and light eyes. They did maintain the rule that stallions must possess the classic pink skin in addition to cream coloring to be registered. Blood typing during this time proved that the American Cream Draft was a distinct genetic group, and in 1994 the association name changed to the American Cream Draft Association. The efforts of reorganization proved timely, and today numbers of this unique breed have increased to over 500 registered names. Nonetheless, numbers are still low, and association members are still determined that the breed begin flourishing.

Protecting the Standard

So what exactly is a Cream Draft? The American Cream Draft adheres strictly to draft breeding; despite having the cream color, no light horse breeds are admitted into the association. And they are no more a color breed than the Suffolk or the Cleveland Bay. They have their own distinct type and unique characteristics. According to the American Cream Draft Association, the breed is short-coupled with powerful hindquarters, wide chest, sloping shoulders, short and strong back, strong legs in proportion to the body and set wide-apart with strong, sure feet. Their heads are refined and well-proportioned to the body with small, expressive ears and wide-set, large and intelligent eyes.

American Cream Draft Courtesy of the ACDHA
Prior to mechanization American Cream Drafts were used for farming. Today, they are used for driving, draft horse competitions and even riding.


American Creams while powerful are a modest size draft in a thrifty package. Mature mares stand 15 to 16.3 hands tall and 1500-1800 pounds while mature stallions are usually 16 to 16.3 hands tall and 1800 pounds and heavier. Despite their size and girth, they are known for their smooth movement, and as is traditionally typical of the draft breeds, they are celebrated for their calm, willing manner and amiable attitude.
However, the most distinguishing characteristic of this breed is the stunning pale color palette. Cream drafts have light, medium or dark cream coat color on pink skin that tans to gray on their muzzles and around their eyes with long white manes and tails. Their eyes are amber or hazel, although occasionally foals are born with almost white eyes that don’t change to amber until about a year later. White markings on the face and legs are desirable but not a necessary decoration.

Today, association members are focused on maintaining the American Cream Draft’s winning individuality of conformation, character and color; they are confident that these breed virtues will be 		American Cream Draft by J.C. Hix
American Cream Draft foals can be born with blue or white eyes, but as they mature their eye color will change to amber, hazel or occasionally green.
enough to win the hearts of American horse-owners and save this icon of our history from extinction.The Equus Survival Trust, a conservation nonprofit for endangered historical breeds, lists the American Cream Draft horse at Critical! For more information on the breed contact the American Cream Draft Horse Association (ACDHA) or visit their website at www.acdha.org
Health and Wellness
As previously discussed, the American Cream Draft is a rare entity – so rare in fact that at least for now the only registered breeding pair of them in Florida is owned by Charmagne and Jim Fraser of De-Funiak Springs. “To start the story, we had just lost our draft cross…and we decided we wanted something special,” they said. After an Internet search, they discovered the American Cream Draft and began searching for information on this unique breed. They traveled to Tennessee to purchase Ivan, an American Cream Draft stallion. Unfortunately, Ivan began to colic every few weeks, and the Frasers were desperate to find a source and a cure before they lost the beautiful stallion. After speaking to a Seminole nutritionist, they decided to change his feed to Wellness Perform Safe. The decision proved to be a winning ticket. Ivan has not had a colic problem since, and Charmagne and Jim have purchased Vanilla, a Cream Draft mare to breed to Ivan. “With any luck and good feed from Seminole, we will have a new baby next spring to add to the endangered list of American Cream Draft horses,” they said.   

Appendix Tracking
American Cream Draft Courtesy of the ACDHA
 Today the American Cream Draft Association uses appendix tracking to increase breed numbers to prevent extinction. Foals from cream-colored matings that are too dark to register are put in an appendix registry along with foals resulting from Cream Draft to other draft breed matings (1/2 cream). Horses in this registry are mated to full Creams to strengthen genes and increase breed numbers. Great care must be taken in this selection process to be certain the characteristics that make the American Cream Draft unique are retained. It would be all too easy to lose them in selecting just for color.

Tracy Williams is a freelance writer and breeding farm manager who sometimes longs for a sweet, gentle Draft to come home to instead of her hyper racehorses!

 


Equus Caballus, the magazine of the domestic horse, has been dedicated to the proper care and feeding of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules for over seven years. This site is a compilation of over 400 archived articles and new features about nutrition, health and equine management.

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