American Cream & Spotted Draft Horses

American Cream

American Cream draft horses trace back to a cream-colored mare found in central Iowa in 1911. By crossing the offspring with other draft horses, primarily Belgians and Percherons, the distinct cream color was retained. Yet this color type has remained relatively rare. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists the American Cream status as "critical."

The Cream is a medium-sized horse with a compact build, powerful shoulders and hindquarters, strong legs and feet, muscular back, long powerful neck, and a medium-sized head. Due to its mid size, this horse appeals to people who need a powerful but not large draft animal.

The Cream is willing enough to be pleasant to handle and drive, but not so energetic and bold as to be intimidating to the novice horse handler. Drivers of restored antique vehicles looking for eye-catching team may choose Creams to help their vehicles stand out in a group of other rigs. A few brewery drays have appeared with teams of four or more perfectly matched American Creams.

Spotted Draft

Spotted draft horses have been around for at least 100 years, but first appeared in large numbers in the mid 1960s in Iowa, where a breeder had more than 20 of them. The Spotted draft may be any draft breed, most often Percheron, with the coloration of a pinto—either overo or tobiano. Depending on its breed, it may or may not have feathering on its legs. This is flashy brown-and-white or black-and-white horse is used for logging, plowing, and other farm and ranch work and is also popular for shows and parades, and for drawing wagons, carts and commercial carriages, as well as riding.

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