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A History of How Work Horses Have Helped Humans Over the Ages

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A History of Horses Timeline 

For many animal lovers, work horses are revered as the world’s most majestic creatures. In fact, the working horse has often been referred to as the most indispensable gentle giant in the history of human development. 

Throughout history, whether these work horses pulled armoured centurions around a battle arena or transported food to market, they did it with beauty and power.

Carriage horses are valued members of the team at Tally-Ho Carriage Tours. With many draft breeds facing extinction, Tally-Ho is committed to caring for and maintaining these work horse breeds. We treat them with the utmost care and comfort, and as a result, our horses live up to ten years longer than the average life expectancy of these breeds.

Read on to learn about the origin of horses and how “horse power” has transformed the way humans work and live together in so many incredible ways. 

History of Horses Timeline

As the Pleistocene (last ice age) period approached, massive glaciers isolated many horses. Over millions of years, these horses evolved distinct character traits that allowed them to survive in their environments.

Early horse migration occurred across the Bering Land Bridge, which allowed horses to spread from the Americas into Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The first heavy horse, the Black Horse of Flanders (considered the father of all modern draft horses), settled in Northern France and Belgium.

14th Century 

Working horses date back to the 14th century. The Middle Ages were when excelling in knighthood went hand in hand with horsemanship. When lightweight armour designed to protect knights and their brave steeds in battles and jousting tournaments became heavier, so did the horse required to carry it all. Historians claim many modern horses are descendants of the Destrier.

15th Century

The ancient wild horses that once populated the Americas drifted to extinction and were reintroduced by European colonists during the 15th and 16th centuries. Initially, small horses were imported due to shipping constraints. But eventually, draft horses also made the perilous journey across the open water.

16th Century

In the Ancient Near East, 16th century-advancements in the chariot and harness designs led to increased chariot warfare. During this period, the invention of the stirrup, horse collar and saddle revolutionized horsemanship, and soon mounted cavalry replaced the chariot.

17th Century

Although the Hackney was bred as a riding horse in England as early as the 14th century, it wasn’t until 1729 that it was coupled with an Arabian to produce the first heavy-built Norfolk Roadster. With the improvement of roads, the modern Hackney’s value rose as a high-stepping harness horse. But, by 1883, the breed’s decline began with the advent of the railroad.

18th Century

Battle cavalry was crucial for victory during the Napoleonic wars of the 18th century. Similarly, Indigenous people were trained in mounted warfare tactics in the Americas. As a result, they became part of highly mobile horse regiments essential in the American Civil War.

The Conestoga Horse and the Vermont Drafter were bred outside of the war in North America. These draft horses replaced oxen as farm machinery revolutionized. The smaller equipment size made horses more suitable than oxen. Heavy draft horses were also better suited to frozen winter roads and fields.

The use of draft horses peaked during America’s westward expansion and with agricultural technology improvements. It wasn’t uncommon to see giant combines pulled by teams of forty-plus draft horses. The average Midwestern wheat farm during this period had ten horses. It was also during the 1800s that improvements were made to the breeding, care and feeding of horses.

In 1849 gold fever swept through the United States. Local ponies from Indigenous people were initially used to carry supplies and haul gold and other minerals to the railway depots. As the gold rush progressed, ponies were replaced by draft horses. Massive quantities of charcoal were required for smelting, and draft horses hauled the logs to fuel the process.

Draft horse-powered mass transit allowed cities to expand. By the late 1800s, over 100,000 horses and mules operated as horse-car lines. During this time, businesses began advertising with decorated wagons powered by teams of draft horses that averaged 2000 pounds each. This was the beginning of the show era.

19th Century

Throughout the 19th century, westward migration exploded, fuelled by the promise of free land. In addition, virgin soil that required tilling increased the demand for draft horses that powered farm equipment. Over 27,000 Clydesdales, Suffolks, Shires, Percherons and Belgians were present in America at this time. 

Heavy horses were also instrumental in building railways. They carried ties, rails, supplies, and the ore and soil excavated from mountain tunnels. 

By the end of the 19th century, stagecoach lines with teams of six draft horses carried mail and passengers over rough and dangerous roads.

20th Century

In the 20th century, the role of horses in warfare changed. While scouts used horses for surveillance and draft horses were used to transport troops and supplies, cavalry horses were no longer needed for trench warfare.

Additionally, improvements in gasoline and electric-powered engines led to a swift decline in horse use. Horse-drawn hearses were one of the last modes of transportation to be modernized.

As the 1950s approached, many breeders went out of business, and the number of Shires and Suffolks dropped so low that by 1985 that they were listed as rare.

21st Century

Today the role of work horses in the military looks much different. Horses are mainly used for historical re-enactments, law enforcement and equestrian competitions. However, small mounted units may still patrol or provide reconnaissance.

Modern draft horses are making a comeback as pleasure animals. With registrations steadily rising, they can be found in show rings and competitions across North America.

The forestry service, therapeutic riding programs, sustainable agriculture, tourism and lessons are all industries where you might find heavy work horses used in the 21st century.

Tally-Ho Carriage Tours – Committed to The Horse!

See first-hand how Tally Ho’s working horse team is cared for on a behind-the-scenes tour experience at Hidden Acre Farms. Enjoy hands-on time with these rare large breeds and learn about their care, comfort, specialized equipment, training and human partnerships.

Our dedication to work horses, enthusiasm for people, service excellence and high safety standards date back to 1903 when Tally-Ho was established as Victoria’s first horse-drawn tourism service. 

We offer a variety of carriage tours throughout Victoria, BC and can even help you craft the custom horse-drawn experience of your dreams. Contact us for more information or to book a tour today.

 

 

 

Horse Breeds – The Shire

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Shire Horses – Facts, Origin & History

We hope you’ve been following along on our Tally-Ho horse breeds mini-series and enjoying getting to know the unique history and characteristics of some of the world’s most beloved draft horse breeds.  So far, we’ve featured the iconic Clydesdale, the majestic Percheron (the horse favoured by medieval knights) and the Belgian. Next up we have another special draft breed, the Shire.

The Origin of the Shire Horse

The Shire is a British breed of draft horse that was formally established in the mid-eighteenth century, although, like many of the draft breeds we’re profiling, the Shire’s origins are much older.

Like that of the Belgian draft horse, historians trace the Shire back to the destriers or the “Great Horse”.  More specifically, the Shire is linked to the time of Henry VIII when the increasing role of gunpowder diminished the use of heavy horses in battle.  Oliver Cromwell’s cavalry sought out lighter, faster mounts and the heavier drafts were relegated to draught work instead.

It was during the sixteenth century that Dutch engineers brought Friesian horses to England to drain the Fenlands – a coastal plain in the east.  It’s believed that the Friesian bloodlines were introduced to domestic draft breeds, influencing what would later become known as the Shire breed.

At the onset of the seventeenth century this medieval hybrid was called the Old English Black.  During this time, a man by the name of Robert Bakewell of Leicestershire, imported six Dutch (or Flanders) mares, resulting in the supposedly superior Bakewell Black horse.  Eventually two different types of black draft horses evolved: the Fen or Lincolnshire type (larger, with more bone and extra hair) and the Midlands or Leicester type (known for their endurance and finer appearance).

The term “Shire Horse” was first referenced in the middle of the seventeenth century with inconsistent records beginning to appear near the end of the eighteenth century.  The famous “Packington Blind Horse” from Leicestershire is commonly recognized as the foundation stallion of the modern-day Shire breed, standing at stud for 15 years – quite a feat in terms of equine life expectancy of that era.

During the nineteenth century, Shire horses were extensively used as cart horses, moving essential goods from the docks, through busy cities and further on to the countryside.  As a result, the English Cart Horse Society was formed in 1878, and only six years later was renamed the Shire Horse Society due to the prevalence of the Shire horses.  Between 1901 and 1914 approximately 5,000 Shire horses were registered each year with the society.

The Modern History of the Shire Horse

The first exported Shires horses reached America in 1853, with large numbers beginning to arrive in the 1880s.  In 1885 the American Shire Horse Association was established as a platform to register and promote the breed domestically.  Nearly 4,000 Shires were imported to the United States between 1900 and 1918 and approximately 6,700 Shires were registered with the association between 1909 and 1911 and the breed continued to flourish both in England and North America, for several years following.

At peak population, the Shire breed numbered over a million.  Around the time of the second world war, increased mechanization rendered draft breeds more and more obsolete.  This, combined with strict regulations on the purchase of livestock feed sadly led to the slaughter of thousands of Shire horses and the closure of several large breeding programs.  The breed fell to its lowest point during the 1950s and 1960s, with only 25 horses registered in the United States.  

In the 1970s, the breed began to be revived through increased public interest.  In Canada, the Shire had been extinct for more than 40 years prior to imports that saw its return in the 1980s.  Breed societies have been established in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, France and Germany and the first World Shire Horse Congress was held in Peterborough in 1996.  The introduction of artificial insemination in 1997 further bolstered the breed.

To this day, however, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust lists the Shire as “at risk” with population numbers estimated to be under 1,500.  In the United States, the Livestock Conservancy lists the breed as “critical” and the Equus Survival Trust calls it “vulnerable”.   There are still reportedly fewer than 300 registered Shires in all of Canada.

Past and Present Uses of the Shire Horse

Like the Belgian Draft horse – and several other heavy breeds – the Shire originated as a war horse.  However, mechanization and the evolution of the breed, very early saw the Shire gain prevalence as a cart horse.

More notably, the Shire was the breed of choice for the delivery of ale from the brewer to the public houses – England’s equivalent to North America’s Budweiser Clydesdales.  A few breweries still maintain this tradition in the UK today, including Wadsworth Brewery in Wiltshire, the Hook Norton and Samuel Smith Breweries in Tadcaster and a handful of others.

The Shire’s superior hauling capacity also made it an excellent candidate for agriculture and logging.  In 1924, at a British exhibition, a pair of Shires was estimated to have pulled a starting load equal to 50 tonnes (or 110,231 lbs), although the exact weight was contested as their pull was said to have exceeded the maximum reading on the dynamometer.  The same pair of Shires returned to competition in a subsequent year and, in wet and slippery footing, still managed to pull a verified 18.5 tonnes (or 40,786 lbs).

In North America, the Shire horse is still used in farm work and private small-scale logging, as well as pleasure driving.  Shire-Thoroughbred crosses have also gained popularity as excellent sport horses under saddle.

Shire Horse Conformation and Colour

Shires are sometimes confused with Clydesdales due to the feathers on their lower legs, a feature that is equally characteristic to the Shire breed, though finer and less voluminous than the Clydesdale’s.  In terms of acceptable breed specifications with registering associations, Shire stallions may be black, bay, brown or grey, but cannot have large amounts of white marking or have coat colours that are roan.  And for UK-based breeding associations, stallions may not be chestnut. The above applies for US associations, except for chestnut stallions, which are acceptable. Mares and geldings, however, are permitted to be roan in both the UK and US. 

A taller draft breed than some, the Shire’s average height sits around 17 – 18 hands high, or 1.72-1.83 metres from the ground to their withers.  Depending on the bloodlines, the build of the Shire can vary in heaviness, ranging from 1,700 – 2,400 lbs.

Setting it apart from the Clydesdale, Percheron and Belgian Drafts that we featured previously, the Shire breed has a long, streamline head that is set on a slightly arched neck that is long in proportion to the body.  However, similar to other draft breeds, the shoulder and chest are deep and wide, the back muscular and short, and the hindquarters long and wide. 

The largest and heaviest horse ever recorded in history was a Shire aptly named Mammoth, but more commonly known as Sampson.  He measured an astounding 21.2 hands high (or 2.18 metres from the ground to the withers) and in his peak, weighed in at a colossal 3,360 lbs.   

Character Traits & Trainability of the Shire Horse

Like so many of the cold-blooded draft breeds, Shires are known for being calm, steadfast, and loyal, which make them exceptionally versatile work horses.  Shires do, however, have their limits and are not shy in communicating when those limits have been reached.

Shires seem to have a desire to understand the objective of what is being asked.  While they will often respond to commands with trusted handlers, without consistency and context, Shires are known to become very stubborn.

Unlike other, hotter horse breeds that may run, or rear or strike out if they feel insecure or disrespected, Shires simply leverage their impressive size and will refuse to move.  Where other training tactics may be used to coerce lighter breeds, Shires are often not phased by these methods and will stand their ground until handlers step up.  

The other side of this innate stubbornness is a level of dedication and loyalty that, when earned, never wains.  This relationship-centric work ethic makes the Shire a sought-after breed the world over.

Meet the Tally-Ho Shire Horses

Tally-Ho is honoured to play a small role in helping to preserve and promote this incredible (and vulnerable) draft breed.  We currently have five purebred Shires in our herd, Annie, Belle, Button and Maggie – and our newest, Trace.

If you’d like to learn more about our beloved Shires, or any members of our herd, you can choose to sponsor a horse or visit our website at www.tallyhotours.com to book a tour to experience these majestic horses in person. Can’t get enough of our gentle horses? Take your very own plush horse home to love. Available in 7.5″ or 12.5″ heights, “Clyde” and “Rimsky” are available in our online gift shop. They come complete with pulling harnesses and make a wonderful keepsake! 

Horse Breeds – The Belgian Draft

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Belgian Draft Horses – Facts, Origin & History

Next up in our Tally-Ho horse breeds mini-series is the Belgian draft horse. While Belgian drafts share some similarities with our two previously featured breeds, the iconic Clydesdale and the majestic Percheron, they have a unique history and characteristics that are all their own. 

The Origin of the Belgian Draft Horse

As the name suggests, the Belgian draft Horse originates from Belgium.  Among many breed historians, the Belgian is believed to be descendant from the Flemish “destriers” of the Middle Ages.  The word destrier does not refer to a specific breed of horse, but rather a type of horse.  The destrier, also referred to by contemporary sources as The Great Horse, was highly prized by medieval knights and men-at-arms and was coveted as the finest and strongest of the era’s warhorses. 

The foundation stock for the Belgian was originally known as the Brabant, named after the specific region within Belgium from which the breed originates.  Historically, the breed has gone by several names including Cheval de trait Belge, Brabançon, Trait Belge and Belgisch Trekpaard.

The large, well-muscled Belgian quickly gained notoriety as one of the strongest of the heavy draft breeds.  Export across Europe, and exposure in district show circuits which culminated in the National Show in Brussels, established the Belgian breed as a fixture in Belgium’s national heritage.  By 1891, Belgian draft horses taking up residents in government stables in Russia, Italy, Germany, France and the old Austria-Hungary Empire.

The Modern History of the Belgian Draft Horse

It wasn’t until 1866 that the first Belgian was exported to the United States and though the breed was accepted by draft horse enthusiasts, at the time it was not nearly so popular as the Percheron.  Over the next two decades the Belgian gained favour, and in 1887 three residents of Wabash, Indiana – Harmon Wolf, Abraham Status and Nathan Meyer – founded The American Association of Importers and Breeders of Belgian Draft Horses, which was more efficiently renamed the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America.

In 1903, the government of Belgium sent an exhibit of their finest Belgian drafts to the St. Louis World’s Fair and the International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.  This further solidified the breed’s following in the States and although exports from Belgium experienced significant downturns at the onset of both the first and second world wars, breeding programs in America ensured the Belgian gained in numbers.  

Prior to the 1940s the Belgian and the Brabant were essentially interchangeable.  Following World War II, however, the Brabant in Europe was selectively bred to have thicker, heavier bodies and notably crested necks.  Meanwhile, in the USA, breeding programs sought to develop a Belgian draft with somewhat lighter, more agile bodies with taller frames.

In the 1960s a man named Albert Stankiewicz, disappointed in the changes he was seeing in the American-bred Belgians, sought to return the breed to its original pre-war heavy working draft, breeding his imported stallions to old-style domestic Belgian mares. That traditional breed line became known as the American Brabant and its preservation is championed by the American Brabant Association, which was formed in 1999.

Today in the United States, Belgians (together with American Brabant horses) out number all other heavy draft breeds combined.    

Belgian Draft Horses in Canada

The Belgian Government produced a National Stud Book in 1886 and the first imported Belgian arrived in Canada in 1902, landing in Quebec.  The Canadian Belgian Draft Breeder’s Association was incorporated in 1907, and since then, there have been over 37,000 registrations. As was the case in America, registrations hit an extreme low during the second world war, but rebounded thanks in large part to Amish and Mennonite communities that remain heavily dependent on draft breeds for farm use.

Past and Present Uses of the Belgian Draft Horse

While many historians claim its original role was that of a mighty medieval war horse, the Belgian breed as we know it today, was founded in heavy agricultural work, logging and hauling.  In exhibition environments, Belgian horses have been reported pulling weights over three times their own body weight. 

Developments to the domestic Belgian and Brabant bloodlines have led to an extraordinarily versatile horse.  While Belgian Drafts are still used as working horses, these draft horses often compete in the show ring in halter, hitch and riding classes, and are enjoyed in a vast number of recreational equine activities.

Belgian Draft Conformation and Colour

The Belgian is widely considered to be one of (if not, the) strongest and heaviest of the draft breeds.  Early Belgians imported from Europe were seen in a variety of coat colours including, bay, black, chestnut and roan.  Modern-day, North American-bred Belgians have seen a surge in sorrel-coloured horses (chestnut bodies with flaxen manes and tails).  

While domestic Belgians have been bred to be taller and slightly finer than their European counterparts, they stand slightly shorter and heavier bodied than the average Clydesdale.  Belgians measure at an average height of 16-17 hands (1.62 to 1.72 metres from the ground to their wither) and typically weigh between 2,100 and 2,300 lbs.  By comparison, the iconic Clydesdale horse can measure 18 hands and still be approximately 200 lbs lighter!

While they may not be known as the tallest of the heavy draft breeds, the world’s largest Belgian Draft horse named Big Jake, was recorded as standing 20.3 hands (2.06 metres) and weighed in at an astonishing 2,600 lbs.

Character Traits & Trainability of the Belgian Draft Horse

Due to their superb temperament, Belgian horses are gaining popularity as schooling horses and therapy horses in riding programs.  Known as gentle giants, they are quiet and docile in hand and under saddle and yet exceptionally willing to please, especially when they are confident in their understanding of the task at hand.  Belgian enthusiasts will tell you they are exceptionally intelligent and perceptive animals capable of developing strong working bonds with their human handlers.

Meet the Tally Ho Belgian Draft Horses

Tally Ho is honoured to play a small role in preserving this incredible draft breed.  We currently have two purebred Belgians, Remy & Delilah, as well as a pair of Belgian-Percheron cross geldings (Timber and Tucker) whose Percheron origins are detailed in our last horse breed blog.   

If you’d like to learn more about our beloved Belgians, or any members of our herd, you can choose to sponsor a horse or visit our website at www.tallyhotours.com to book a tour to experience these majestic horses in person. Can’t get enough of our gentle horses? Take your very own plush horse home to love. Available in 7.5″ or 12.5″ heights, “Clyde” and “Rimsky” are available in our online gift shop. They come complete with pulling harnesses and make a wonderful keepsake!  

Horse Breeds – The Suffolk Punch

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Suffolk Punch Horses – Facts, Origin & History

We hope you’ve been following along on our Tally-Ho horse breeds mini-series and enjoying getting to know the unique history and characteristics of some of the worlds most beloved draft horse breeds.  So far, we’ve featured four of our five breeds: the iconic Clydesdale; the majestic Percheron; knightly Belgian Draft and the impressive Shire.  Last, but certainly not least, of our series is the very special, and comparatively rare, Suffolk Punch.

The Origin of the Suffolk Punch

Like the Shire, the Suffolk Punch (also known as the Suffolk Horse or Suffolk Sorrel) is a draft breed that is English in origin.  This first part of the name is in reference to the County of Suffolk, which is located in East Anglia.

The breed was developed in the early 16th century and the Suffolk Punch registry is the oldest English breed society.  William Camden’s Britannia, published in 1586 is said to contain the first reference to the Suffolk Punch, with a description of the eastern counties horse that leaves little question as to its identity as the recognizable breed.

An in-depth genetic study of the Suffolk Punch revealed it is closely grouped with both the European Haflinger and the British Fell and Dales ponies.  Developed in (then) isolated counties of Suffolk and Norfolk for farm work, the breed had tremendous longevity and were rarely sold, which helped to keep the bloodlines largely unchanged.

This relative isolation, however, lead to a succession challenge in the 1760s when many of the male breeding lines died off, resulting in a genetic bottleneck – a challenge that bore its head again in the late 18th century.

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Norfolk Trotter, Norfolk Cob and Thoroughbred bloodlines were strategically introduced to the Suffolk breed as a means of addressing the genetic bottlenecks.  Additional breeds were introduced in an effort to increase the overall size and stature of the Suffolk Punch, but these efforts had negligible long-term impact on the breed, which remains much as it was prior to the introduction of crossbreeding.  

The Modern History of the Suffolk Punch

The first official exports of the Suffolks to Canada took place in 1865.  The Suffolk Horse Society of Britain published its first stud book in 1880, which saw the immediate export of Suffolks to the United States. Subsequent breeding programs saw the breed rise in numbers across North America.  By 1908, Suffolk Punch exportation from Britain, included Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and various parts of Africa, amongst other countries.

With the dawn of the Second World War, the Suffolk sadly went the way of many other heavy draft breeds when increased mechanization and a shortage of both livestock and human food sources resulted in thousands of horses being sent to slaughter. 

In 1966, only nine foals were registered with the Suffolk Horse Society. A revival of the breed began in the 1960s and numbers began to rise although the breed did remain rare. Even as recently as 1998, only 80 breeding mares were accounted for in Britain and their offspring were a mere 40 annually.

Following WWII, the American Suffolk Horse Association remained inactive for approximately 15 years and only became reinvigorated in 1961 with a resurgence of the draft horse market.  To further support the breed’s revival and prevent inbreeding, the American registry permitted selective crossbreeding with the Belgian Draft in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  

Similarities between Belgian breed conformation and colouring, helped preserve the integrity of the Suffolk Punch breed.  Furthermore, only fillies from these crosses were eligible for registration with the US association.  Despite best efforts of their American counterpart, Suffolks with this new American bloodline, were not allowed to be registered with the British Association. 

Although the Suffolk Punch population has come a long way since their lowest point in the early 1960s, both the Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the UK and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy list the Suffolk Punch as “critical”.  Between 2001 and 2006 history was made when, for the first time, American breeding stock (one stallion and three mares) were exported to the United Kingdom.

As of 2011, there were reported to be less than 1,350 Suffolks registered in the UK and North America combined, approximately 1,200 of those from Canada and the USA under the auspices of the American Suffolk Horse Association.  The Suffolk Punch is still considered the rarest of draft breeds in the United Kingdom. 

Past and Present Uses of the Suffolk Punch

The Suffolk Punch is one of the few heavy draft breeds that was purposefully bred for farm work.  While they were utilized to pull heavy artillery during wartimes, their foundation was in agriculture.  Suffolks are still used today in commercial forestry operations and for other draught work and have also found a place in tourism and pleasure driving.  They have been popular for crossbreeding to produce sport horses for use in the Hunter and Show Jumping rings, passing on their dense bone structure, physical strength, expressive gait and exceptional hoof conformation.

Suffolk Punch Horse Conformation and Colour

Despite selective crossbreeding throughout the ages, the Suffolk Punch has remained remarkably (and unusually) close in phenotype to its founding stock.  They typically stand between 16.1 and 17.2 hands high (or 1.64 to 1.75 metres) tall and weigh, on average, between 2,000 to 2,200 lbs.

Unlike other draft breeds that vary in coat colour, Suffolks are always chestnut (or sorrel), many with flaxen manes and tails.  Equestrian author, Marguerite Henry has been quoted as saying “His colour is bright chestnut – like a tongue of fire against black field furrows, against green corn blades, against yellow wheat, against blue horizons.  Never is he any other colour.”  Surprisingly, however, Suffolks feature a variety of shades within the chestnut pallet, ranging from dark liver chestnut, dull dark, red, bright red and light sorrel.  White markings are rare and are typically limited to the face or present as a lightening on the lower, unfeathered legs.

As is a hallmark with many draft breeds, the Suffolk Punch has a powerful arching neck, well-muscled sloping shoulders, a short and wide back, and a wide and muscular croup.  Legs are shorter than some with dense bone and broad joints.

In the past, the Suffolk was notoriously criticized for poor hoof quality, having feet that were thought to be too small to support the massive weight and structure of its body.  The introduction of major shows and registries in which hoof structure and conformation was graded – a uniquely innovative practice among horse breeds – resulted in such positive impact that the Suffolk Punch is now considered to have some of the most desired hoof conformation, relative to their bodies, out of many heavy and light breeds.

Character Traits & Trainability of the Suffolk Punch Horse

While there is some variation between draft breeds and there will certainly always be exceptions from horse to horse, Suffolks live up to the calm, intelligent and hard-working characteristics shared by most heavy drafts.

One added benefit to the Suffolk Punch breed, is that they tend to mature earlier and be long-lived, and are also known as “easy keepers”, that typically require less feed than other horses of similar type and stature.  

Tally-Ho and the Suffolk Punch Horse

While Tally-Ho doesn’t have any Suffolk Punch horses currently in rotation for our carriage tours, we’ve been privileged to work with this special breed of draft horse over the years.  Delilah is our happily retired Suffolk Punch who is currently living the dream with her other draft horse friends on the farm. We hope to one day reintegrate another Suffolk Punch into our herd again.

If you’d like to learn more about members of our herd, you can choose to sponsor a horse or visit our tours page to book a tour to experience these majestic horses in person. Can’t get enough of our gentle horses? Take your very own plush horse home to love. Available in 7.5″ or 12.5″ heights, “Clyde” and “Rimsky” are available in our online gift shop. They come complete with pulling harnesses and make a wonderful keepsake!  

Horse Breeds – The Percheron

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Percheron Horses – Facts, Origin & History

In November we introduced a blog mini-series featuring the five draft horse breeds that make up the Tally-Ho working herd.  Our first article featured the iconic Clydesdale horse, explaining that the origin, history and many wonderful traits of the Clydesdale goes far beyond its association with the popular branding by Budweiser. In this entry we’ll dive into the backstory of the majestic Percheron horse, of which we have two full bred and two half Percheron half Belgian bred (another draft breed we’ll learn about in the coming weeks). 

A History of the Percheron Horse

Early ancestors of the breed were first noted in Western France, more specifically, the Huisne River Valley in the former Perche Province from which the Percheron claims its name. 

While the exact origin of the Percheron horse is a matter of some mystery and much debate, one theory speculates that foundation stock came from a small number of mares captured by Clovis the First King of the Franks from the Bretons sometime after 496 AD.  Another theory suggests that some of the first Percheron foals were sired by Andalusian cavalry stallions brought over from Spain by the Moors, then confiscated by warriors of Perche upon the Moors’ defeat at the Battle Poitiers (Battle of Tours) in 732 AD.  A third theory is that the Percheron and the Boulonnais breed— brought to Brittany as reinforcements for Caesar’s legions— are closely related.  

Between 1789 and the early 1800s, the Percheron was in danger of extinction due to a suppression of horse breeding during the French Revolution. It was shortly after this time, in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that two gray Arabian stallions from Le Pin were said to have been introduced to the bloodline. This is contested by modern day breed historians who maintain there were still enough Percheron breeding stock without the introduction of additional breeds. Today, all Percherons are able to trace their ancestry back to a 1823 foundation stallion named Jean le Blanc, who’s progeny saw the breed become larger.

In 1893 the first Percheron stud book was created in France, which was followed by the first exported Percherons to the United States.  The first exportations of Percherons were less than successful with several animals perishing during or shortly after the lengthy and turbulent journey across the seas.  However, one stallion aptly named Diligence was credited with siring nearly 400 foals in the USA.  

The Modern History of the Percheron

Over the next 75 years, the export of Percherons to the United States saw dramatic fluctuations in numbers until 1906 when 13,000 arrived in the USA in the one year alone.  By the 1930s, Percherons accounted for over 70 percent of the purebred draft horses in the United States, with a 1930 census of horses accounting for over 33,000 Percherons in the country.  

The story went similarly in Canada.  By 1930, the Percheron was so popular that a Canadian census showed that there were three times as many Percherons registered as there were of the other four main draft breeds combined.  

But the Percheron boom was not long lived.  The end of World War II and a subsequent increase in mechanization led to a dramatic decline in the population.  By 1954 only 85 Percherons were registered in the US, a record low, and the subsequent two decades the breed did not fare much better.

Percheron Horses in Canada

In Canada, however, the Percheron continued to be a mainstay in Amish communities.  At one point, the highest concentration of Percherons in the world was said to be in Alberta, in a 50 mile radius of Calgary, and was referred to as the “Percheron Mafia”.  Pete Thumond of Sage Hill Percherons is quoted as saying that 90 percent of Percherons in the US today can be traced back to Alberta stock.

In the 1970s Canadian’s Bill and Opal Lucas imported the last known French Percheron to Canada.  The impressive grey stallion named Farman, was the first import from France since the 1930s and would become pivotal to domestic bloodlines.  Another prominent Canadian Percheron stallion was Justamere Showtime out of Saskatchewan.  By 1983, approximately 300 of the 512 registered Percherons could trace their lineage back to Justamere Showtime.   

The late 90s and early 2000s saw a resurgence of the Percheron breed in the United States (and Canada) with 2,500 new horses being registered with the Percheron Horse Association of America annually by 2009.  The Percheron horse is now listed as “recovering” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. 

Past and Present Uses of the Percheron Horse

Originally bred for use as war horses, Percherons were later used for pulling large stagecoaches and, later still, for work in agriculture and for hauling heavy goods.  The Percheron is the most notable and populous of all the French draft breeds in the world today.  They have been favoured over the centuries for cross breeding to improve bloodlines in Ardennes and Vladimir Heavy Drafts (among many others) and were also crossed with Andalusian horses to create the Spanish-Norman breed.    

Percherons are still used around the world today in parades and sleigh or hay rides, and are used to pull large carriages in cities. The most extensive team of working Percherons in Europe is found at Disneyland Paris, making up 30 percent of the horses in the park.

In Canada, Percherons are still the draft horse of choice for those lucky enough to win private sustainable logging contracts.  On Prince Edward Island, Percherons are still used for the harvest of a type of seaweed called Irish Moss, navigating rocky shores and bringing approximately $1M annually to the region.

In Great Britain, the Percheron is favoured among horse breeds for advertising and publicity due to their commanding stature and presence.  They are also still actively used in forestry and agricultural work.  

Percherons are also exceptional riding horses, particularly for heavier riders and more demanding riding disciplines.  Some purebred Percherons have proven useful at show jumping, though it is more common to see Percherons crossed with Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods for the show ring.  In Australia, Thoroughbred-Percheron crosses are also used as mounted police horses. 

Percheron Conformation and Colour

Though the conformation – or physical make-up of the breed – has evolved over the years, modern breed standard describes a horse that is anywhere from 15-19 hands high (or 60 to 76 inches from the ground to the top of their wither).  Their weight ranges from 1,600 lbs in the shorter or more refined builds, to an imposing 2,400 lbs on the larger end of the scale.  

Percherons have striking, broadheads with alert and forward ears and bright, prominent eyes that communicate intelligence and spirit.  The neck is longer than some draft breeds and considerably arched, flowing into a long sloping shoulder that typically sits at a 45 degree angle to support free, forward movement and naturally expressive carriage.

A well-bred Percheron should have a deep, wide chest to accommodate a strong heart and a big lung capacity.  Other characteristics of the breed include well-defined withers, a short back, a deep girth, a longer level croup, a large and well-rounded hip and powerfully defined muscling in the lower thigh.  Percherons may appear slightly “cow hocked” in the hind end – or stand with their hocks fairly close together.  While this may not be a particularly desirable trait in, say, a dressage horse, for the Percheron it provides power and action for hauling or pulling heavy loads.  Unlike the Clydesdale with its iconic feathered lower limbs, the Percheron has very little feathering.   

They are most commonly grey or black in colour, but sorrel (or chestnut) and bay Percherons appear on occasion and are still accepted by most Percheron Registries.  

Character Traits & Trainability of the Percheron Horse

Like the Clydesdale, Percherons are referred to as “cold blooded”, which means that they tend to be very level headed and measured in their interactions with people and their environments, as opposed to other breeds that can be more flighty, reactive or “hot”.  

Those who work with Percherons will tell you that they quickly earn their handlers’ allegiance.  Extremely willing, Percherons will tackle any job set before them with power, grace and determination.  They are also a very intelligent breed that learn new tasks with ease and have a soft, yet commanding presence. 

Meet the Tally-Ho Herd of Horses

Tally-Ho is honoured to play a small role in preserving this incredible draft breed.  We currently have two purebred Percherons (Jinx and King) as well as a pair of Percheron-Belgian cross geldings (Timber and Tucker) who were formerly a logging duo.   

If you’d like to learn more about our beloved Percherons, or any members of our herd, you can choose to sponsor a horse or visit our website at www.tallyhotours.com to book a tour to experience these majestic horses in person. Can’t get enough of our gentle horses? Take your very own plush horse home to love. Available in 7.5″ or 12.5″ heights, “Clyde” and “Rimsky” are available in our online gift shop. They come complete with pulling harnesses and make a wonderful keepsake!  

Horse Breeds – the Clydesdale

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Clydesdale Horse: Facts, Origin & History

In today’s urban landscape, few sounds can elicit the wonder and excitement of the clip-clopping of a horse’s feet down a city street.  If you live or work in downtown Victoria or have had the privilege to visit our historic waterfront city, you’ve undoubtedly heard this sound and seen some of the colourful horses from the Tally-Ho herd.  

Aside from their different coat colours and markings, you might think they are the same kind of horse. However, there are several unique draft breeds across the world that range in size from light to heavy types.  

Over our next series of blog posts, we’re going to take you through the unique history and features of five of these breeds – including the Clydesdale, Percheron, Belgian, Shire and Suffolk Punch – that make up the Tally-Ho herd. First up, is the iconic Clydesdale horse. 

A Brief History of the Clydesdale Horse

These days, Clydesdale horses are often synonymous with the Budweiser brand.  We’ve all seen, and likely gushed over the heartwarming Budweiser Clydesdale ads that debut each year as part of a popular sporting event in the USA, which for trademark purposes, shall remain unnamed in this blog.  But the Clydesdale horse has a rich and lengthy history that extends much further back than the brewery’s ownership, which began in the 1930s at the end of prohibition.  

The Clydesdale is a mid-18th century Scottish breed named after the valley of the River Clyde.  Brabant and Belgian Drafts, and later Flemish Stallions, were imported and bred to local mares resulting in a new crop of foals that were significantly larger than traditional local stock.  A black unnamed stallion imported from England by John Paterson of Lochlyloch was particularly pivotal to the breed and is said to be the sire of an 1806 born filly known as “Lampits Mare”.  Lampits Mare and her progeny, Glancer (also known as Thompson’s Black Horse) can be traced in the ancestry of the vast majority of Clydesdales still living today.

For years the Clydesdale horse could only be found throughout Scotland and into Northern England.  However, following the formation of the American Clydesdale Association (later renamed the Clydesdale Breeders of the USA), the breed began to earn favour in the United States and Canada.  In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, large numbers of Clydesdale horses were exported from Scotland, with a recorded 1,617 breeding stallions leaving the country in a single year.  Over the course of approximately 60 years, export certificates were issued for over 20,000 Clydesdales, which made their way to North America, but also South America, Russia, and continental Europe as well.  Clydesdale horses also became popular in New Zealand and Australia and have even been called “the breed that built Australia”.

During the First World War, thousands of Clydesdale horses were conscripted, as was the case (though in more limited numbers) for the Second World War.  Between the two wars and in subsequent years, Clydesdale horses began to decline in numbers as farms and other traditionally horse-powered industries became more mechanized.  By 1975 the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered them “vulnerable to extinction”.  In the years since, this iconic breed’s status has fluctuated to “at risk” and recently back to “vulnerable”, with less than 5,000 Clydesdale horses currently worldwide.  

Past and Present Uses of the Clydesdale Horse

Like many draft horses, Clydesdales were originally used for agricultural work and, in their home county of Lanarkshire in Scotland, they were specifically bred to haul coal from local mines.  As the breed became popular in regions across the world, they were also used for logging and driving, and many are still used as heavy working horses to this day.

In more recent times, Clydesdales have become riding horses and even found their way into the show ring.  With carriage services, and for festivals, they have become a favourite partly because of their show-stopping looks and white, feathery legs.

Clydesdales are also used by the British Household Cavalry as drum horses, leading parades on ceremonial and state occasions, carrying the Musical Ride Officer and two silver drums weighing 123 lbs each.    

Clydesdale Conformation and Colour

In general, draft horses (spelled ‘draught’ in the UK and derived from the Old English word dragan, meaning “to draw or haul”) are easily identifiable by their imposing stature and strong, muscular builds, and the modern-day Clydesdale is no different.  But the conformation – or physicality – of the breed has evolved significantly throughout history.  

In earlier years, the Clydesdale was a compact horse that was smaller than several other draft breeds including Belgians, Shires and Percherons.  In later years, selective breeding resulted in larger horses that were believed to be even better suited for heavy hauling and would appear more impressive in shows and parades.  Today’s Clydesdales are rarely under 17 hands high (or 68 inches from the ground to the top of their wither) and can weigh in excess of 2,000 lbs.

Typical Clydesdales have either straight or slightly convex facial profiles with broad muzzles and foreheads.  They tend to have a thick and arched medium-set neck, higher wither profiles and big sloped shoulders.  Clydesdales are often noted to have an expressive, high-stepping gait. 

As previously mentioned, Clydesdales are among the most famous of draft breeds due to their association with Budweiser Brewery.  Budweiser’s breeding program has influenced the look of the breed in North America to such a degree that many people believe Clydesdales only come in Bay colour (reddish-brown body with black mane and tail) and white markings.  However, the breed can also come in black, grey and chestnut and can sometimes come with subtle roaning (white flecked coat variation) or a more overt Sabino pattern, which is said to be a genetic colour mutation.  While breed associations support all these colours, Bay and Black Clydesdales with four white legs and facial markings are the most sought after and therefore, most plentiful.

Character Traits & Trainability of the Clydesdale Horse

Clydesdales – and most heavy draft breeds – are often referred to as “coldblooded”.   Unlike the reptilian association to the term, in the equestrian world this means that they tend to be very calm, collected and gentle in their interactions with people and their environments.  By contrast, high-flight, high-spirited thoroughbreds that have been bred for racing, would be considered “hotblooded”.

However, being coldblooded doesn’t also mean that the Clydesdale is lacking in spirit or personality.  They are known to be highly intelligent and keen to work (sometimes bordering on competitive), and they are also known to exert a not-too-subtle degree of stubbornness if they feel their trainer or handler is not setting clear and fair expectations.  Some avid Clydesdale enthusiasts will go as far as to say they have big expressive personalities that are matched only by their physicality.  

While there may be individual exceptions, the breed is very level-headed and adaptable to new environments and activities.  This, coupled with their aforementioned intelligence and eagerness to work, make them a highly trainable breed.  

Meet the Tally-Ho Clydesdale Horses

In earlier years, Scotland alone was said to have approximately 140,000 Clydesdales in towns, cities and working farms.  By 1975, their numbers in the UK had plummeted to between 500-900 animals and the breed was listed as “vulnerable to extinction”.  Thankfully, due to export to other countries, including Canada, numbers have been very slowly climbing.  However, with only 5,000 currently living worldwide, Clydesdales are still considered a threatened breed.  

Tally-Ho is honoured to play a small role in preserving this incredible draft breed.  We currently have 6 incredible Clydesdales (Clay, Jerry, Kashe, Major, Sarge and Spot) who are members of our working carriage team and serve as tremendous educational ambassadors for their breed.  If you’d like to learn more about our beloved Clydesdales, or any members of our herd, you can visit our website to sponsor a horse or book a tour to experience these majestic horses in person.