Percheron: titanic horses whose existence is hard to believe (6 photos)

The Percheron is one of the most famous and numerous breeds of draft horses. There are several standards for them: French, American and British.





How tall must a prince be to climb on such a white horse?

Moreover, each one specifies the boundaries of ideal weight and height. Thus, the largest purebred horses can boast of almost two meters height at the withers and 1200 kilograms of live weight!



Animals differ in color in different countries. In France and Great Britain, for example, only black and gray horses are registered. And in America, Percherons can be bay, roan, or red.

But no matter where you meet them, it will not be difficult to distinguish the glorious giant from all other breeds. Compared to riding horses, our heroes look like giants. And next to other muscular heavy trucks, they will seem very harmonious, neat and balanced. Percherons are also distinguished by a calm, flexible temperament and an armor-piercing psyche. Animals easily make contact, work diligently under any conditions and do not suffer a myocardial infarction from the sight of a flying plastic bag.





With such size, temperament is a very important component.

Our heroes owe these qualities to their long origin story. Whatever the Percherons have been over the centuries, whether you like it or not, you will learn to be calm! The birthplace of the breed is considered to be the former French province of Perche, southwest of Paris. No one today knows for sure which horses became the basis for the current heavyweights. One thing is known: the climate of those places was very favorable for agriculture, so the ancestors of the Percherons settled down well and grew by leaps and bounds.



Wow, Lekha, how you grew up over the summer at your grandmother’s dacha!

And then large cities began to develop. And the hard worker from the fields became a city gigolo. In the 19th century, 62% of the mounts in Paris consisted of this breed. Percherons were taken to transport everything that traveled around the city. For example, they were harnessed to omnibuses - sort of prototypes of modern buses, only with horsepower. Ungulates were also harnessed to transport heavy loads from railway and sea stations. Throughout the development of the breed, the horses became larger and larger until they reached a record ton and a tail to date.



Another job where Percherons were loved was the post office. Only these horses were bought for delivering letters and parcels.

At all times, these beautiful giants were in demand among foreign horse breeders. Imports peaked in the 19th century. Then Percherons were exported in all directions and bred both in their pure form and to improve local horses. Under the influence of French heavy trucks, the Belarusian draft, Ardennes, Vladimir, Spanish-Norman and some other breeds appeared.



Not all Percherons are ungulate titans. Smaller representatives are used in equestrian sports.

Today, animals are used in literally all industries: from sports and police service to work in the fields. Under saddle, horses are valued for their smooth running and hard work, while in harness they are valued for their calm temperament and endurance. Well, farmers breed them for their remarkable strength and strong muscles. Look for a more versatile breed!