Breed Registries | History & Origin | Evolution | Uses | Conformation

Percheron History & Origin

The first known records for this breed do show that from the 8th century the Percheron came from an area called La Perche which is a district of Normandy, France. This area is actually known as one of the oldest horse breeding areas in the world.

Percherons were used primarily for their draft work such as pulling ploughs, carts and the like. It was in the 8th century however that Arabian and other oriental breeds were cross bred with the native heavy horse thus producing the first of the Percheron that was used for light draft work and riding.

In the Middle Ages Spanish blood was introduced to the Percheron horse breed by Comte de Perche and later the Comte de Rotrou used Andalusian stallions with the Percheron mares. This was done to improve the breed and efforts were made again in the 18th century when Arab and English thoroughbreds were also used. The Royal Stud at Le Pin was where Arabian stallions were made available to breeders of Percheron horses. It was in 1820 that two grey Arab stallions were imported and were used for breeding on the existing stock. It is from this that the present day grey colour for Percherons comes. In 1823 a horse called Jean Le Blanc was foaled and as a result all todays Percherons can have their ancestry traced back to this horse.

The Percheron, as with most heavy horse breeds, served primarily as a work horse. It was used on farms, pulling carts and was also used as a warhorse. During the first world war it was used to haul large guns and ammunition carts.

Countries as far afield as North and South America, Britain and other European countries imported the Percheron but they wanted it mainly as a workhorse and preferred the heavy draft version rather than the light draft then used in La Perche.

By the middle of the 19th century the older bloodlines of the Percheron had almost vanished and heavy mares from places like Brittany were used to mix with the last of the old breed. As the area around La Perche was mainly rural, breeding for the heavier Percheron started again and this is the type of Percheron we see today.

Percheron Evolution

The Percheron was first imported to the United States in 1839 by Edward Harris of Moorestown, New Jersey. Two particular stallions called Normandy and Louis Napoleon were imported to Ohio in 1851. Louis Napoleon was later sold to a family called the Dunhams in Illinois and they were to become instrumental in forming the Percheron Association of America.

Despite their French connections the first Percheron to be imported into Canada came via the United States, but did originally came from France, thus the Percheron remained, genetically speaking, pure. The registered horses in both Canada and the United States can be traced back through their ancestry directly to stock originating in La Perche.

As with most heavy horse breeds the Second World War saw a rapid decline in their commercial use as mechanization was regarded as being more efficient and quicker. This was even more pronounced in America where the Percheron was all but forgotten. It was the Amish people and a handful of farmers that were dedicated to the preservation of the Percheron.

Despite all the changes in breeding over the centuries the Percheron remains one of the favorite heavy horse breeds. There are still the two types, one heavy draft and the lighter draft. The horse is known for being amenable, energetic and elegant hence its popularity today. The total numbers are down from their heyday but concerted efforts by breeders have ensured the survival of the breed.

Percheron Uses

Although work is what the heavy horses do best, they are valued riding horses and are beginning to make their mark in dressage.

Percheron Conformation -
Courtesy of The British Percheron Horse Society

General: The British Percheron Horse is essentially a heavy draught horse possessing great muscular development combined with style and activity. It should possess ample bone of good quality, and give a general impression of balance and power.

Color: Grey or black, with a minimum of white. No other color is eligible for entry in the Stud Book. Skin and coat should be of fine quality. Color will tend to lighten in older horses.

Size: Stallions should not be less that 16 hands 3 inches in height and mares not less than 16 hands 1 inch, but width and depth must not be sacrificed to height at maturity.

Head: Wide across the eyes, which should be full and docile; ears medium in size and erect; deep cheek, curved on lower side, not long from eye to nose; intelligent expression.

Body: Strong neck, not short, full arched crest in case of Stallions; wide chest, deep well-laid shoulders; back strong and short; rib wide and deep, deep at flank; hind quarters of exceptional width and long from hips to tail, avoiding any suggestion of goose rump.

Limbs: Strong legs and full second thighs, big knees and broad hocks; heavy flat bone, short cannons, pasterns of medium length, feet of reasonable size, of good quality hard blue horn. Limbs as clean and free from hair as possible.

Action: Typical of the breed; straight, bold, with a long free stride rather than short snappy action. Hocks well flexed and kept close.

Temperament: One of the most docile and good-natured of any breed, yet in no way showing any sign of sluggishness or dullness. In stables, or out in the dense town traffic, nothing appears to upset them. This placid nature makes it possible to switch from the environment of the farm to that of the busy town, with the minimum of risk or delay, an often-troublesome period with some other breeds.

References:
- The Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. Tamsin Pickeral.