| ercheron is a very ancient breed of French draft | | | | including many Amish; along with fans abroad and in |
| horse that many people are familiar with, though | | | | France; all of whom were dedicated to the |
| perhaps not by name. These gigantic horses can't help | | | | preservation of the breed and managed to keep it |
| but be noticed, and are often used for novelty carriage | | | | alive through the next twenty years of the draft horse |
| rides, and there's usually a few in harness at state and | | | | depression. |
| county fairs. They have also appeared in | | | | The 1960's saw a resurgence in the draft horse |
| advertisements and company logos in the United | | | | business as Americans rediscovered its usefulness. |
| States many times. | | | | Percherons are now back on small farms and are also |
| The breed derives its name from the Perche Valley of | | | | working in forests as logging animals that can take out |
| the Le Perche province in northwest France, 50 miles | | | | a few trees without ruining the rest in the smaller |
| southwest of Paris; a region long famed for its horses. | | | | woodlots. They can work on terrain where even the |
| From the earliest known times the people of Le | | | | most modern tractors and four-wheel-drive vehicles |
| Perche have been producers of horses, but not often | | | | fail and can work in mud and snow better than |
| buyers of them, so in terms of breeding stock, they | | | | man-made machines. |
| are an isolated equine population. | | | | Today, Percherons are used primarily as show horses, |
| However, the mysterious origins of the Percheron | | | | and they are sometimes seen pulling carriages for big |
| have been lost over time because the breed | | | | city tourism and used for recreational driving such as |
| pre-dates documented pedigrees and organized | | | | hayrides, sleigh rides and parades, often in teams of |
| breeding in Europe by several centuries. Some believe | | | | dappled gray or black. They are still widely used for |
| the Percheron descends from the original horses that | | | | farm work in France and some parts of rural Europe. |
| were found in France during the Ice Age. Others say | | | | Old paintings and crude drawings from the Middle |
| that the breed is closely related to the French | | | | Ages traditionally show that the Percheron has been a |
| Boulonnais draft horses that were used in the Roman | | | | breed of mostly gray horses. The French knight is |
| invasion of Brittany. Another theory is that the breed is | | | | almost always shown on a grey or white horse of |
| from Abd el Rahman's Arab stallions or from some of | | | | considerable substance for that time. Nowadays, |
| the horses that were used by the invading Moors | | | | Percherons are generally black or gray, but there are |
| during the battle of Poitiers that were eventually | | | | also chestnut, sorrel, bay, roan, and other colors |
| divided among the victorious French forces. What is | | | | possible. Some registries only accept those black and |
| known is that twice in the history of the breed, native | | | | gray, though chestnut, and bay are acceptable for |
| mares of the Le Perche region were mated with Arab | | | | registration in the US if accompanied by a DNA test |
| stallions first during the 8th century and later during the | | | | confirming parentage. Some horses have white |
| Middle Ages, when historical records show that | | | | markings on the head and feet, but excessive white is |
| Percherons were used as military horses. By the time | | | | undesirable. |
| of the crusades, the Percheron was widely recognized | | | | Like other draft horses, the Percheron has a very |
| as outstanding for size and soundness, as well as for | | | | compact, muscular build which is designed to generate |
| beauty and style. | | | | a lot of power. These horses have very heavily |
| By the 17th century, these horses produced in Le | | | | muscled hindquarters and short backs which is the |
| Perche had a widespread reputation that put them in | | | | best combination for power. They also have long, thick |
| demand for a number of heavy duty uses. After the | | | | necks, and blocky heads with wide-set full prominent |
| invention of gunpowder, heavy warhorses were no | | | | eyes. The strong jaw and refined ears suggests |
| longer needed. The Percheron then became the | | | | Arabian ancestry. Their tails tend to be clipped for |
| choice for pulling heavy French stagecoaches called | | | | farm work, but when allowed to grow, they are long, |
| diligences and became known as diligence horses. | | | | wavy, and surprisingly silky. Stallions should have |
| With the invention of the railroad, Percherons switched | | | | ruggedness about the head and mares should have a |
| from stagecoach driving to farm duty and other heavy | | | | feminine look. |
| labor. | | | | Lately, modern show Percherons have been bred for |
| In the early 19th century, the government in France | | | | a longer, thinner neck, a longer back, and longer, |
| established a stud at Le Pin for developing mounts for | | | | smoother-looking muscles. However, these types of |
| the French army. In 1823, a horse named Jean Le | | | | Percherons are used mainly as show horses and not |
| Blanc was foaled in Le Perche and all of today's | | | | for the really heavy work of their predecessors. They |
| modern Percheron bloodlines trace directly to this | | | | are shown in competition hitching and halter classes at |
| stallion. | | | | many state and county fairs across the United States. |
| Percherons were first imported to the United States in | | | | Percherons can be ridden and some have even been |
| 1839 with thousands more imported during the last half | | | | trained into fine jumpers. |
| of the 19th century. The Percheron is especially well | | | | Percherons range in height from 15 to 19 hands high, |
| suited to the U.S. because it can handle a wide variety | | | | most are between 16-2 and 17-3 hands high. Weight |
| of weather conditions and it quickly became the most | | | | ranges from an average of 1,900 pounds up to 2,600 |
| popular horse of both the American farmer and the | | | | pounds. One of the tallest horses recorded was a |
| teamster who moved freight and cargo on the nation's | | | | Percheron named Dr Le Gear, born in 1902, that was |
| streets. The Percheron was such a popular horse that | | | | 21.1 hands high (7 feet) and weighed just over 3,000 |
| by 1930, the census showed that there were three | | | | pounds. In spite of their size, their life-span is over 25 |
| times as many registered Percherons as the other | | | | years. |
| draft breeds, Shire, Belgian, and Clydesdale, combined. | | | | Just as with other draft horse breeds, the Percheron |
| When horses were replaced by cars, this led to a | | | | has a very pleasing disposition; gentle, amiable, friendly |
| decline in demand for draft horses and then following | | | | and curious around young children. The breed is proud, |
| World War II, this ancient horse was almost lost when | | | | alert, intelligent, easily trained and willing to work. They |
| the invention of the modern farm tractor nearly made | | | | will stand patiently without being tethered and can |
| the breed extinct. The low point came in 1954 when | | | | tolerate boring conditions and inexperienced handlers |
| just 85 head were recorded. Fortunately the | | | | well. |
| Percheron was rescued by a handful of farmers, | | | | |