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Percheron Overview

The Percheron is a breed of powerful rugged draft horses that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. The Percheron generally has good temperament and is an easy keeper. The breed is reputed to be proud, alert, and intelligent. They are generally quiet, gentle horses and well-suited for driving. Percherons are strong and willing workers. The Percheron readily adapt 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 even been trained to jump.

Percheron – History: Like many old breeds, the Percheron ancestors were crossbred. In the case of Percherons between the Chelsie blonde and Rene horse (Forest Horse). Rene was a combination of horses native to northern Europe and an Arabians; brought to Europe by the Moors. Rene no doubt owes his size and weight to his ancestors; who were used as a war horses during the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages war horses referred to as the Destrier had to bear the weight of the knight, his armor, weapons and in later middle ages the horse also wore armor. In North America the Percheron was used extensively for draft work and transportation in the French colonies of Florida and the Louisiana Territory. After the invention of gunpowder, heavy war horses 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.
Percheron – Musculature: Percherons are noted for heavy muscling and for an aspect of ruggedness and power. Another characteristic of the Percheron is clean action and quality conformation of the feet and legs. The breed is close coupled, wide and deep through the chest, with plenty of back rib. The muscles of the forearms, croup and gaskins are especially emphasized in a good drafter, and ease and balance of gait is essential.
Percheron – Breed Characteristics: The Percheron head and neck is typical of the correct draft horse. Good Percherons have a large and full prominent eye, a broad and full forehead, and straight face. A wide jaw and refined ears attractively set and carried with animation are visible evidence of the Percherons Arabian ancestry. Stallions should have ruggedness about the head and mares should have a feminine look. The neck is well-shaped and powerful. The mane is thick, though the tail is usually cut short. Percherons have withers well defined, a short back, a deep girth, long, somewhat level croup, big, well-rounded hip, and powerful muscling in the lower thigh.
Percheron – Colors: Percherons are generally black or gray. Some registries only accept those two colors, though chestnut, and bay colors are acceptable for registration in the US with a DNA test confirming their parentage. Some Percherons have white markings on the head and feet, but excessive white is undesirable.
Percheron – Size: 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 1,200 kg (2,600 pounds) with the average around 860 kg (1,900 pounds). One of the tallest horses on record was a Percheron named Dr. Le Gear. Foaled in 1902, he stood 21.1 hands (7 feet) at the withers and weighed slightly less than 1,370 kg. Percherons can be long-lived horses, living over 25 years.

Percheron – Today: In recent years, the modern show Percheron is being bred for a longer, thinner neck, a longer back, and longer, smoother-looking muscles. These types of modern Percherons are used mainly as show horses for competition. It is possibly because of their unique evolution that the modern Percheron is such a versatile and adaptable horse. Today, Percherons serve as logging horses but also are valued as pleasure driving horses, riding horses, and as competitors in both regular horse shows and in draft horse showing.

Contact: Percheron Horse Association of America - www.percheronhorse.org