Last Updated on March 9, 2023
Horses are capable of pulling incredible weights, but there is a significant difference between dead weight and how much weight can a horse pull on wheels. But just how much weight can a horse pull? The total weight a horse can pull will depend on several factors, including the horse breed, the type of vehicle or load, whether it has wheels, and the roughness of the surface it is pulling on.
How Much Does a Horse Carriage Weigh?
When you think of horses pulling a load, the first thing that springs to most people’s minds is the traditional horse and carriage.
In the past, carriages were the main way people traveled between locations. Horses pulled these carriages, which came in a variety of sizes. Today, the weight of the average large carriage is 1,800 pounds.
The design of the carriage will also influence how easy it is for the horse to pull. Two different carriages can weigh the same amount, but one may be easier to pull than the other. Most carriages were designed to be lightweight and comfortable for passengers, even when traveling at faster speeds.
One of the easiest types of carriages for horses to pull is the two-wheeled ‘buggy’ type, designed to travel at higher speeds for longer distances. Four-wheeled wagons are harder for horses to pull and tend not to travel so fast.
Several factors influence how easily the carriage moves, including axle friction, resistance to rolling, and the traction effort the horse needs to use to move the carriage. A study by Cornell University found that horses can consistently, without overexerting themselves physically, make a traction effort of 10 percent of their body weight.
However, traction effort is not quite the same as the total weight a horse can pull. Traction effort refers to the force the horse can exert consistently over a long distance. So, for a 1,000-pound horse, this is a traction effort of 100 pounds.
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How Much Does a Wagon Weigh?
A wagon is not quite as elegant or streamlined as a carriage, as they were used for hauling heavier loads at a slower pace. Wagons transported goods from farms to markets and distributed them in towns and cities. When people first traveled to the American West, they traveled in Prairie Schooner.
The Prairie Schooner was lighter than another type of wagon in use at the time to haul heavy loads, the Conestoga. Its smaller size made it more suitable to travel the long distance to the wild American West. When empty, the Prairie Schooner wagon weighed around 1,300 pounds.
The settlers were careful not to overload the wagon, but the total weight could still exceed two tons. In contrast, a Conestoga wagon could weigh up to six tons when full.
Today, heavy horses, like the draft breeds, still pull wagons for various events. The most famous wagon team is the Budweiser Clydesdales. Draft horses weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds. A fully loaded wagon these horses pull can weigh around 4,000 pounds.
Take a look at this fun video showing a collection of old images of horses pulling wagons from years ago!
How Much Weight Can a Horse Pull?
Before more interest in horse welfare came into mainstream equestrianism, many horse owners viewed their animals as another piece of machinery. The aim was to get the horse to carry the maximum possible load, but this sometimes came at the detriment of the health of the horse.
However, today horse owners can use a general guide to determine what weight a horse can comfortably pull. This weight will change depending on many factors, so it is important to weigh up each situation first.
When hitched to a wheeled vehicle or loaded on a flat, smooth surface, a single horse can pull three times its body weight. For example, if a horse weighs 1,000 pounds, it can pull 3,000 pounds. When you add hills into the equation, the maximum weight decreases to two times the horse’s body weight or less.
The two-times body weight rule also comes into play when the road condition worsens, such as on gravel or dirt tracks. When you are on very bad surfaces, such as sand or in the mountains, a horse should only pull a load that is equal to its body weight or lower.
You may come across different opinions on the maximum weight a horse can pull on wheels. Contradicting the above rule, some say horses can actually pull six times their body weight on a good road. This means that in reality, a 1,000-pound horse could pull 6,000 pounds, but this would only be feasible for a short period. The lighter the load, the further the horse will be able to travel.
How Much Can a Team Of Horses Pull On Wheels?
You will frequently see larger carriages or heavier wagons being pulled by a pair or team of horses. Increasing the number of horses significantly increases the weight they can pull, sharing the workload between the horses. When you add a second horse to make a team of two, they can pull three times as much on wheels as a single horse.
For example, if a single horse can pull 1,000 pounds, putting two horses together increases the total load to 3,000 pounds – a great way to improve the energy efficiency of these magnificent animals!
When you add even more horses, the weight they can pull on wheels increases to an impressive amount. For example, the Budweiser Clydesdales pull their famous wagon in a team of eight horses. When their wagon is fully loaded, it weighs 12 tons – that is 24,000 pounds!
Horse Weight Pulling Record Revealed!
Horses have been helping humans haul heavy loads for so long, it has actually turned into a competitive sport! There are various types of horse-pulling contests, with most focusing on discovering which horses can haul the heaviest load. This is typically a sled or ‘dead weight’ rather than a wheeled vehicle, and the rules vary from region to region as to the distance that must be covered.
Draft horses are the most common type of horse seen in pulling competitions. Draft horses are incredibly powerful and have always been used for the heaviest work such as pulling plows on farms and hauling wagons to transport goods. A lighter, more refined horse would pull a carriage or be used for riding, especially if it was for the upper classes.
A dead weight, that means without wheels, is much more difficult for a horse to pull. Several records have impressed people over the years for dead weight pulls by horses. At the 2012 Calgary Stampede, the draft horse pulling record was set by a team of two horses pulling incredible 13,400 pounds!
One report from 1924 says that a team of Shire horses pulled an incredible 100,000 pounds. This seems a little unbelievable, and it is hard to know for certain if this was exaggerated or not as it cannot be verified. Regardless of whether this record is correct or not, this horse team pulled a phenomenal weight!
How much can a mini horse pull?
The weight a mini horse can pull depends on their physical strength as well as their size. Some mini horse breeds such as the Falabella are fine-boned and not particularly physically strong, and cannot be used to haul heavy loads. Small pony breeds such as Shetlands are far stronger than mini horses and, weight for weight can pull much heavier loads.
How many pounds can a horse carry?
The rule of thumb when calculating how much weight a horse can carry is to estimate 20% of the horse’s body weight. So, if a horse weighs 1,000 pounds, 20% of its body weight would be 200 pounds – this is the maximum weight it can carry, including rider and tack.
It is important to bear in mind the physical strength and fitness levels of a horse before deciding how much weight it can carry. Younger horses are physically immature and should not be made to carry the same weight as a fit and healthy adult horse. As horses age their muscles may become weaker, reducing the total amount they can carry.
The other factor to bear in mind when deciding how much weight a horse can pull is how fit it is. Expecting an unfit horse to carry a heavy load or rider will greatly increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, and the horse will also become tired very quickly.
Summary – How Much Weight Can a Horse Pull
As we have learned, how much weight a horse can pull will depend on many factors. A horse can pull a far heavier load on wheels than a deadweight because the wheels provide momentum and reduce friction. Draft horses are the strongest horses of all, and have been known to pull up to six times their body weight on their own. The amount of weight a horse can pull increases as you add more horses to the team.
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Michael Dehaan is a passionate horse owner, horse rider, and lover of all things equine. He has been around horses since he was a child, and has grown to become an expert in the field. He has owned and ridden a variety of horses of different breeds, and has trained many to compete in shows and competitions. He is an experienced horseman, having worked with and competed many horses, including his own. He is an active member of the equestrian community, participating in events and teaching riding lessons.