Percheron

The PERCHERON, which originated in the Perche region in Normandy, is one of the most elegant of the heavy horses. Its principal bloodlines are dominated by Arab blood and has a stylish, long, free-striding action. One 9th-century expert, perhaps a little carried way, claimed that it was "an Arab influenced by climate and the agricultural work for which it has been used for centuries".

ARAB INFLUENCE
Percheron enthusiasts claim that the horse's forebears carried the Frankish knights of Charles Martel at the battle of Poitiers in AD 332, when they defeated to invading Moors. As a result, Moorish Barbs andA rabs, with their refining qualities became more freely available to French breeders. This influence continued when Robert, Count of Rotrou, imported eastern horses after the First Crusade in 1092-99.

By 1320 the royal stud at Le Pin was making Arab sires available to Percheron breeders.Two notable Arab outcrosses were Godolphin and Gallipoly; Gallipoly sired the most famous Percheron stallion, Jean le Blanc, foaled in 1830 at Mauvres-sur-Huisne.

VERSATILITY AND POPULARITY
Over the years, the Percheron has served as war-horse, coach horse, farm horse, gun horse, and even riding horse. Throughout its history, Percheron breeders, always sensitive to commercial demand, have switched their product to meet market requirements. For example, by the end of the 19th century they had given up the Percheron coach horse, an animal of about 1.53 m (15.2 hh), because it had been superseded by lighter and faster Cleveland and Yorkshire Coach Horse crosses and had begun to favor a heavy draught horse.

That these breeders could do so is a tribute to their skill and acumen, and to the presence of that Arab blood which had aided the formation of diverse regional types. With judicious cross-breeding it was possible, because of that genetically dominant blood, to produce variations on a basic theme more surely, and within relatively short periods of time.

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 principal market. It is estimated that in the 1880s 5,000 stallions and about 2,500 mares were imported. By 1910 registrations had risen to a remarkable.

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. In the bleak Falkland Islands they are crossed with Criollo stock to produce tough "range" horses, while in Australia, with an opposite climate to the Fallkands, they are out-cross( to produce stock and competition horses.