by Judy Evans

Created on: October 23, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

The Percheron is one of the most popular heavy horse breeds to be found today. It is always grey or black and, in contrast to the Shire and Clydesdale (but similar to the Suffolk Punch), is clean-legged.

Its true origins have been lost in antiquity but is known is that during the eight century and again during the Middle Ages there was an infusion of Arab blood.

Its popularity extends far beyond its native France where the farmers of the Le Perche area have been fine-tuning their beloved Percherons for centuries. The Percheron is believed to have been the warhorses of the knights, weight-carriers par excellence. When chargers went the way of the dodo, the new demand was for diligence horses' to pull the mail and passenger coaches (diligences). These horses needed to be able to trot at a good speed and have the endurance to complete their stages day after day. The lighter colours were preferred as they could be more easily seen at night.

Then rail began to oust the coaches and the new demand was for a slightly sturdier type to supply the omnibus trade. Then an even stronger horse was needed for moving heavy loads to and from docks and railheads. So over hundreds of years, the indigenous horse of the Le Perche area in the north west of France was bred to supply heavier or lighter animals according to demand.

All Percheron bloodlines trace directly to foundation stock originating in Le Perche.

The initial imports to the US were in 1839 and 1851 and came from Normandy. Then, in the 1870 and 80s, thousands of draught horses were imported from France and Great Britain. During the 1880s almost 5,000 stallions and over 2,500 mares were imported mostly from Le Perche. By 1930, Percherons outnumberd by three to one all other draft breeds combined.

Mechanisation meant the gradual decline of heavy horse numbers and in 1954 only 85 animals were recorded. A few dedicated breeders, including numbers of Amish farmers, continued to breed and nurture the Percheron. Eventually the wheel would turn maybe not full circle but certainly some way towards it. Registration in 1998 had grown to 2,257.

Their value as an advertising icon is being increasingly recognized. Hitches of four-, six-, or more horses thundering around an arena or prancing through a town give great pleasure to those watching. As a manoeuvrable, versatile, draught animal on small properties, woodlots or tourist resorts, the Percheron has few equals.

In Australia, it is believed that Percherons imported from Canada were

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