AY Honors/Percheron

A pair of very typical dapple grey Percheron Horses

Percheron draft horse at the Maryland State Fair

The Percheron gets its name from the Perche valley in the north of France.

History

Like many old breeds, the Percheron's exact origins are unknown, but it is said that its ancestors were the Arabians that were brought to Europe by the Moors. Percherons probably owe their size and weight to their use as battle mounts during the middle ages. After the invention of gunpowder, heavy warhorses were no longer needed, so the Percheron took up its new job pulling heavy French stagecoaches. With the invention of the railroad, Percherons switched to farm duty and heavy labor.

It is probably because of this evolution that the modern Percheron is such a versatile and adaptable horse. Today, Percherons still serve as logging horses, but are also valued as pleasure driving horses, riding horses, and as competitors in both regular horse shows and in draft horse showing.

Conformation

The Percheron is characterized by a square forehead, long ears, and a straight profile. Some percherons have long, heavy necks, a broad chest, prominent withers, a short back, heavy muscles in the lower thigh, and a deep girth. A quality example of this breed should have a long croup and a round hip.

However in recent years, Percherons have become more modern, having a long thin neck, a long back, and slender muscles. These types of modern percherons are used mainly as show horses for competition. The Percheron's mane is generally very thick and the color is always grey or black.

Temperament

The Percheron has a very pleasing disposition, and is proud, alert, and intelligent. They are generally very gentle horses, well-suited for driving, and are strong and willing workers. The Percheron is readily adapted to varying climates and conditions. They have the strength to pull heavy loads and the graceful style to pull a fine carriage. Percherons can be ridden and some have been known to make fine jumpers.

Colour

Percherons are generally black or gray, though chestnut, sorrel, or bay are acceptable for registration in the US with a DNA test confirming their parentage. The red gene is recessive, and a red foal can result from the mating of two black horses providing that the red gene is present in both sire and dam. North American horses with a high percentage of Justamere Showtime breeding are more likely to carry the recessive gene.

Many Percherons have white markings on the head and feet, but excessive white is undesirable.

Height and weight

Percherons range in height from 15 to 19 hands high, most are between 16-2 and 17-3 hands high. They can weigh up to 2600 pounds with the average around 1900. One of the tallest horses on record was a Percheron named Dr Le Gear. Foaled in 1902, he stood 7 feet or 21 hands at the withers and weighed just under 1,370kg. However, there was once a Percheron on record that rose to a full 24 hands.

Life-span

The Percheron's average life span is between 27 and 39 years. Some live to 41.

External links

• Societe hippique Percheronne de France
• Percheron Horse Association of America
• Oklahoma State University's Percheron Page
• British Percheron Horse Society

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