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Ardennes (horse)
Encyclopedia
The Ardennes or Ardennais is one of the oldest breeds of draft horse
, and originates from the Ardennes
area in Belgium
, Luxembourg
and France
. They are heavy-boned with thick legs and are used for draft work. The Ardennes is found in many colors, although black
horses are very rare and are not allowed to be registered with the breed registry
. Their history reaches back to Ancient Rome
, and throughout the years blood from several other breeds has been added to the Ardennes, although only the Belgian
breed had any significant impact. The first Ardennes were imported to the United States in the early 20th century, and the first breed registry was established in Europe in 1929. The horses have been used throughout history as war horses
, both as cavalry
mounts and to draw artillery
, and are used today mainly for heavy draft and farm work, meat production and competitive driving
events. They have also been used to influence or create several other horse breeds throughout Europe and Asia.
is broad and muscular, with a compact body, short back, and short, sturdy legs with strong joints. Their fetlock
s are feathered. Their coats may be bay, roan
, chestnut
, gray
, or palomino
. Bay and roan are the two most common colors. Black
is very rare and is excluded from registration. White markings are small, usually restricted to a star or blaze. The breed matures early, and they are said to be easy keeper
s, economical to feed despite their size. The Ardennes is a free-moving, long-striding breed, despite their compact body structure.
The Ardennes breed could be a direct descendent of the prehistoric Solutre
horse, and is thought to be descended from the type of horse described by Julius Caesar
in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico
. Caesar described these horses of Belgium as "rustic, hard and tireless", and recommended them for use in heavy cavalry units. The early type was used by many later Roman emperors for military applications. The breed's ancestors are thought to have been bred for 2,000 years on the Ardennes plains, and it is one of the oldest documented European heavy draft breeds. In the Roman era, the breed stood only around high. Later, Napoleon added Arabian blood to increase stamina and endurance and used the breed in his Russian campaign. In 1780, the breed still stood only 1.42 to 1.52 m (14 to 15 hand) and weighed around 500 kilogram.
Percheron
, Boulonnais and Thoroughbred
blood were also added, although they had little impact. In the 19th century, Belgian
draft blood was added to give the breed the heavier conformation it has today. The extra weight and size was desired to turn the breed into a very heavy draft breed, after their role as an artillery horse had diminished through the advent of mechanization, as well as a desire for a meat
animal. The breed increased in size from an average of 550 kilograms (1,212.5 lb) to their current weight, which at the same time had the consequence of reducing their vigor and endurance. Breed registries have been in existence since 1929. Today there are three separate studbooks in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, although there is extensive interbreeding between the three. The Ardennes Horse Society of Great Britain was also formed in the late 20th century to preserve and promote the horses of that country, but today is not recognized as a studbook or passport issuing organization by the British government and may not exist in any form.
It is difficult to determine when the first Ardennes horses were imported to the United States because originally, when imported to the United States, Ardennes horses were eligible for registration with the now-defunct National French Draft Horse Association of America or French Draft Horse Society. This organization published a stud book and registered six individual French draft breeds as one breed, combining the information so that no totals of individual breeds are known. Many of these horses were imported to the United States with their breed being considered simply "French draft" and no individual type being specified. Some Ardennes horses imported to the United States before 1917 were called Belgians when they were imported and subsequently registered as Belgians. Ardennes horses have continued to be imported into the United States from Belgium, with imports occurring as late as 2004.
Horses from the Ardennes region were used in the Crusades
in the 11th century by knights led by Godfrey of Bouillon
. They were used during the 17th century by Marshal Turenne as remounts for his cavalry. In the French Revolution
, they were considered to be the best artillery horse available, due to their temperament, stamina and strength. Napoleon used large numbers of Ardennes horses to pull artillery and transport supplies during his 1812 Russian campaign
. They were said to be the only breed used by Napoleon that was hardy enough to withstand the winter retreat from Moscow, which they did while pulling a large amount of the army's wagon train. They were also used to pull artillery in World War I, when they were depended upon by the French and Belgian armies. Their calm, tolerant disposition, combined with their active and flexible nature, made them an ideal artillery horse. The breed was considered so useful and valuable that when the Germans established the Commission for the Purchase of Horses in October 1914 to capture Belgian horses, the Ardennes was one of two breeds specified as important, the other being the Brabant.
Today, the breed is used mainly for meat, due to its extensive musculature. Horse meat
is a dietary staple in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. However, they are increasingly used for farm, forest and leisure work. Their nimble action, stamina and good temper make them increasingly used for competitive driving across Europe, and they have also been used as mounts for therapeutic horseback riding
. The breed is known for its ability to work in rough, hilly terrain.
Ardennes horses have been used as foundation bloodstock
to develop several other draft horse
breeds and subgroups. These include the Baltic Ardennes and Russian Heavy Draft
. The Swedish Ardennes
is well established in that country, where it is in demand for use in forestry. It was first recognized as a separate sub-group in the 19th century, but today is considered a separate breed, even though its ancestry is entirely from the Ardennes horses of Belgium and France. Another closely related breed is the Auxois
. Ardennes horses were also used in the 1920s to improve the Comtois
by adding size. Along with the Breton
and the Anglo-Norman
, the Ardennes horse was used to create the Sokolsky horse
. Similarly, the Trait Du Nord
was created through a mixture of Ardennes and Belgian
blood.
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
, and originates from the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
area in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They are heavy-boned with thick legs and are used for draft work. The Ardennes is found in many colors, although black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
horses are very rare and are not allowed to be registered with the breed registry
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
. Their history reaches back to Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and throughout the years blood from several other breeds has been added to the Ardennes, although only the Belgian
Belgian (horse)
The Belgian Draft horse or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds...
breed had any significant impact. The first Ardennes were imported to the United States in the early 20th century, and the first breed registry was established in Europe in 1929. The horses have been used throughout history as war horses
Horses in warfare
The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses ridden in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons...
, both as cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
mounts and to draw artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, and are used today mainly for heavy draft and farm work, meat production and competitive driving
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
events. They have also been used to influence or create several other horse breeds throughout Europe and Asia.
Description
In France, Ardennes stallions stand about 1.62 metre high, and mares about 1.6 metre, while in Belgium these are the maximum allowable heights. They weigh 700 to 1000 kg (1,543.2 to 2,204.6 lb). Their heads are heavy, with a broad face and a straight or slightly convex profile. Their conformationEquine conformation
Equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task. Although there are several universal "faults," a horse's conformation is...
is broad and muscular, with a compact body, short back, and short, sturdy legs with strong joints. Their fetlock
Fetlock
Fetlock is the common name for the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses, large animals, and sometimes dogs. It is formed by the junction of the third metacarpal or metatarsal bones proximad and the proximal phalanx distad...
s are feathered. Their coats may be bay, roan
Roan (horse)
Roan is a horse coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the body, while the head and "points"—lower legs, mane and tail—are more solid-colored. The roan pattern is dominantly-inherited, and is found in many horse breeds...
, chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
, gray
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
, or palomino
Palomino
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene working on a "red" base coat...
. Bay and roan are the two most common colors. Black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
is very rare and is excluded from registration. White markings are small, usually restricted to a star or blaze. The breed matures early, and they are said to be easy keeper
Easy keeper
An easy keeper, easy doer or good doer is a livestock animal that can live on relatively little food. The opposite of an easy keeper is a hard keeper , an animal that is prone to be too thin and has difficulty maintaining adequate weight.Easy keepers tend to be found most often in breeds...
s, economical to feed despite their size. The Ardennes is a free-moving, long-striding breed, despite their compact body structure.
History
Solutré-Pouilly
Solutré-Pouilly is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. It is known for a local geological feature, the Rock of Solutré.-Wine:...
horse, and is thought to be descended from the type of horse described by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
. Caesar described these horses of Belgium as "rustic, hard and tireless", and recommended them for use in heavy cavalry units. The early type was used by many later Roman emperors for military applications. The breed's ancestors are thought to have been bred for 2,000 years on the Ardennes plains, and it is one of the oldest documented European heavy draft breeds. In the Roman era, the breed stood only around high. Later, Napoleon added Arabian blood to increase stamina and endurance and used the breed in his Russian campaign. In 1780, the breed still stood only 1.42 to 1.52 m (14 to 15 hand) and weighed around 500 kilogram.
Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
, Boulonnais and Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
blood were also added, although they had little impact. In the 19th century, Belgian
Belgian (horse)
The Belgian Draft horse or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds...
draft blood was added to give the breed the heavier conformation it has today. The extra weight and size was desired to turn the breed into a very heavy draft breed, after their role as an artillery horse had diminished through the advent of mechanization, as well as a desire for a meat
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
animal. The breed increased in size from an average of 550 kilograms (1,212.5 lb) to their current weight, which at the same time had the consequence of reducing their vigor and endurance. Breed registries have been in existence since 1929. Today there are three separate studbooks in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, although there is extensive interbreeding between the three. The Ardennes Horse Society of Great Britain was also formed in the late 20th century to preserve and promote the horses of that country, but today is not recognized as a studbook or passport issuing organization by the British government and may not exist in any form.
It is difficult to determine when the first Ardennes horses were imported to the United States because originally, when imported to the United States, Ardennes horses were eligible for registration with the now-defunct National French Draft Horse Association of America or French Draft Horse Society. This organization published a stud book and registered six individual French draft breeds as one breed, combining the information so that no totals of individual breeds are known. Many of these horses were imported to the United States with their breed being considered simply "French draft" and no individual type being specified. Some Ardennes horses imported to the United States before 1917 were called Belgians when they were imported and subsequently registered as Belgians. Ardennes horses have continued to be imported into the United States from Belgium, with imports occurring as late as 2004.
Uses
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
in the 11th century by knights led by Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
. They were used during the 17th century by Marshal Turenne as remounts for his cavalry. In the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, they were considered to be the best artillery horse available, due to their temperament, stamina and strength. Napoleon used large numbers of Ardennes horses to pull artillery and transport supplies during his 1812 Russian campaign
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
. They were said to be the only breed used by Napoleon that was hardy enough to withstand the winter retreat from Moscow, which they did while pulling a large amount of the army's wagon train. They were also used to pull artillery in World War I, when they were depended upon by the French and Belgian armies. Their calm, tolerant disposition, combined with their active and flexible nature, made them an ideal artillery horse. The breed was considered so useful and valuable that when the Germans established the Commission for the Purchase of Horses in October 1914 to capture Belgian horses, the Ardennes was one of two breeds specified as important, the other being the Brabant.
Today, the breed is used mainly for meat, due to its extensive musculature. Horse meat
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
is a dietary staple in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. However, they are increasingly used for farm, forest and leisure work. Their nimble action, stamina and good temper make them increasingly used for competitive driving across Europe, and they have also been used as mounts for therapeutic horseback riding
Therapeutic horseback riding
Therapeutic horseback riding is used to teach riding skills to people with disabilities...
. The breed is known for its ability to work in rough, hilly terrain.
Ardennes horses have been used as foundation bloodstock
Foundation bloodstock
Foundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...
to develop several other draft horse
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
breeds and subgroups. These include the Baltic Ardennes and Russian Heavy Draft
Russian Heavy Draft
The Russian Heavy Draft is a draft horse developed in the Soviet Union, that was officially registered in 1952.- Characteristics :The Russian Heavy Draft is usually short and muscular, with thick manes and tails and legs that are lightly feathered. This breed is known for having excellent traction...
. The Swedish Ardennes
Swedish Ardennes
The Swedish Ardennes is a medium-size, heavyweight draft horse. It was bred in Sweden during the late 19th century to satisfy farmers' demand for horses suitable for agriculture.- Characteristics :...
is well established in that country, where it is in demand for use in forestry. It was first recognized as a separate sub-group in the 19th century, but today is considered a separate breed, even though its ancestry is entirely from the Ardennes horses of Belgium and France. Another closely related breed is the Auxois
Auxois
Originally from the Côte-d'Or and Yonne region of France, the Auxois breed is a descendant of the old Burgundian horse, dating back to the Middle Ages...
. Ardennes horses were also used in the 1920s to improve the Comtois
Comtois (horse)
The Comtois horse is a draft horse that originated in the Jura Mountains on the border between France and Switzerland.- Characteristics :...
by adding size. Along with the Breton
Breton (horse)
The Breton is a breed of draft horse. It was developed in Brittany, a province in northwest France, from native ancestral stock dating back thousands of years. The Breton was created through the crossbreeding of many different European and Oriental breeds. In 1909, a stud book was created, and in...
and the Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
, the Ardennes horse was used to create the Sokolsky horse
Sokolsky horse
The Sokolsky, or Sokolka, is a horse breed that originated in Poland. It is used for heavy draft and farm work, and are a tough breed with great stamina.-History:...
. Similarly, the Trait Du Nord
Trait Du Nord
The Trait du Nord, previously known also as Ardennais du Nord or Ardennais de type Nord, is a breed of heavy draft horse developed and bred in the area of Hainaut in western Belgium and in north-eastern France. Originally considered a sub-type of the Ardennes, it became an individual breed with the...
was created through a mixture of Ardennes and Belgian
Belgian (horse)
The Belgian Draft horse or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds...
blood.