Percheron

Origin
France

History
The Percheron originated in the Perche region Normandy. Its principal bloodlines are dominated by Arabian blood. Some claim that the horse´s forebears carried the Frankish knights of Charles Martel at the battle of Poitiers in AD 732, when they defeated the invading Moors. As a result, Moorish Barbs and Arabians, with their qualities, were more available to French breeders. This influence continued when Robert, Count of Rotrou, imported eastern horses after the first Crusade in 1096-99. By 1760, the royal stud at Le Pin was making Arabian sires available to Percheron breeders. Two notable Arabian crosses were Godolphin and Gallipoly. Gallipoly sired the most famous Percheron stallion, Jean le Blanc, foaled in 1830.
Over the years, the Percheron has served as a warhorse, coach horse, farm horse, gun horse, and even riding horse. Throughout its history, Percheron breeders have tailored their animals to meet market requirements. The best years for breeders were between 1880 and 1920, when Percherons were being exported to North and South America, Australia and South Africa. The US became the the principal market.
The Percheron stud book was created in 1893. Since 1966 it has regrouped not only the original Percheron but also the other related branches - the Berrichon draft horse, Nivernais, Marne draft horse, Augeron, Bourbonnais, Loire and the Saône and Loire. This regrouping thus includes all of the breeds influenced by the Percheron.

Description

• Head:
  pleasing, with a broad, square forehead, straight profile, and large, mobile ears
• Conformation:
  -long neck, arched in the top line
  -withers, more prominent than in most heavy breeds, allowing for considerable slope in the shoulders
  -the length of the shoulders from point to withers is unusual in heavy horses as a result the stride is long and active
  -broad and deep-chested body
  -short and powerful legs
  -hooves of hard, blue horn, with little feathering on the lower limbs
• Average height:
  varies 14.3 to 16.1 h.h.
• Colour:
  usually dappled grey or black, but the occasional bay, chestnut, and roan are also accepted
• Today:
  the Percheron, with its eastern background, has an advantage over many other heavy breeds in that it adapts to different climates more easily and is an excellent base stock for crossing. Percherons are still bred extensively in the US and are popular in Australia where they are crossed to produce stock and competition horses. In the bleak Falkland Islands they are crossed with Criollo stock to produce „range" horses. Even Japan has its own Percheron society.