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Breton (horse)
Encyclopedia
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 1951 the book was officially closed. The breed is often chestnut
in color, and is strong and muscular. There are three distinct subtypes of the Breton, each coming from a different area of Brittany. The Corlay Breton is the smallest type, and is generally used for light draft and under saddle work. The Postier Breton is used for harness and light farm work. The Heavy Draft Breton is the largest subtype, and is generally used for the hardest draft work. It has been used in military
, draft and agricultural
capacities. The Breton has been used to improve and create many other draft breeds, as well as being bred to produce mule
s.
, often with a flaxen mane and tail, but can also be bay, grey
, or red or blue roan
. The breed has a well-proportioned head of medium volume with a straight profile and a strong, short neck well-set into muscular withers. The shoulder is long and sloping, the chest broad and muscular, the back is short and wide, and the croup sloping. The legs are short, but powerful, with broad joints and well-formed hooves. The legs are feathered
.
The Corlay Breton is derived from crossbreeding native stock with the Arabian
and Thoroughbred
. The Corlay is considered the real descendant of the original Breton. It has the same general features as the draft type, but is smaller with a more dished face. It was used mainly for light draft work that required speed and under saddle, and its numbers have been decreasing in recent years. The type is also known as the Cheval de Corlay, and is now extremely rare. It was also used in local races, due to the speed from its Arabian and Thoroughbred ancestors.
The Postier Breton was developed as a result of crossbreeding with the Norfolk Trotter
and the Hackney
during the 19th century. It has a very attractive gait, and is bred mainly in central Brittany, is a good coach horse and capable of light farm
ing work. Its name comes from the practice of using the type to pull mail coaches. The Postier was used extensively by the French Horse Artillery, and it has been described as a lighter version of the Suffolk Punch
draft breed from Great Britain.
The Heavy Draft Breton is derived from an infusion of Ardennes
and Percheron
blood. It is very strong, relative to its size. It is bred in the northern coastal area of Brittany, in Merléac
. It has short but muscular legs. This type has absorbed another, older type, called the Grand Breton, a heavier horse that was used to improve many other draft breeds.
The Centre-montagne or Central Mountain Breton is a smaller draft type.
migration from Asia
over 4,000 years ago, while another school of thought has them descending from horses bred by Celtic warriors before their conquest of Great Britain
.
The original ancestors of the Breton were a population of horses that that lived in the Breton mountains, possibly descended from steppe horse
s ridden by Celts. During the Crusades
, these mountain horses were crossed with oriental horse
s to create a type known as the Bidet Breton. In the Middle Ages
, the ancestral Breton horse was sought by military leaders, partly because of its comfortable gait
, which was said to be partway between a brisk trot and an amble
. Due to its gaits and the fact that it only stood about 1.4 metre high, it was nicknamed the Bidet d'Allure or Bidet Breton. Horses of other bloodlines brought back to Europe
during the Crusades
had a strong influence on the Breton, and two types subsequently developed. The Sommier was the common, heavier type, used mainly as a pack horse
and for farm and draft work. From the Sommier, the Roussin was developed, was used mainly in wars
and on long journeys. The Roussin' s natural ambling
gait made it popular as a lighter riding horse.
The breed retained its mountain roots with its main stud, the National Provincial Stud, being located in the mountain country of Langonnet
. It was at this time that Arabian and Thoroughbred blood was added to the breed, creating the Corlay subtype. From the Middle Ages
until the early 1900s, the Breton was crossed with various horses, both native and foreign, including the Boulonnais, Percheron
and Ardennes
breeds. In the 19th century it was crossbred with the Norfolk Trotter
, which resulted in a lighter weight type of Breton, the Postier subtype. The Breton breed is controlled by the Syndicat des Éleveurs de Cheval Breton, and its studbook
was begun in 1909 with separate books for the Heavy Draft and Postier types. In 1912, the books were combined but separate sections were used for each type, and in 1926 the sections were combined so that all types of Bretons are now registered together. Postier Bretons must be of documented Posteir bloodstock
and pass in-harness performance tests. In 1920, the decision was made to permit no new outside blood into the studbook, and in 1951 the studbook was officially closed to outside horses. Horses are only eligible to be registered if they were foaled in the present-day region of Brittany or in the Loire-Atlantique
department, formerly part of Brittany
. Registered foals are branded with a "cross surmounting a splayed, upturned V" on the left side of the neck. Despite the registration restrictions, breeding of the Breton horse has spread across France, and around the world. Today in France, the Breton is bred mainly at studs in Lamballe
, Hennebont
, and parts of La Roche-sur-Yon
.
For a time, there was a trend to increase the size of draft horse breeds to gain more power and bulk through crossbreeding. However, due to its endurance and gaits, the Breton was an exception. Crossbreeding was shown to reduce the breed's unique qualities, and so in the 1930s, infusions of other blood were abandoned, and this decision led to the preservation of the breed's purity.
Therefore, rather than being subject to crossbreeding itself, the Breton has instead been used to improve many other breeds. Buyers come to France from all over the world to buy Bretons for use in improving their native draft horses. The Breton had a significant influence on the Canadian Horse
, after members of the breed were sent to New France
(Canada
) during the 17th century. They have also been used to create the Swiss Freiberger
, as well as other heavy draft breeds. Bretons were used in India to produce mule
s, and at the Saharanpur
breeding farm were crossed with the Anglo-Arabian
stallion
Mystère to produce carriage horses. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian farmers attempted to use the Brabant to improve local stock, but the offspring proved to be too heavy and slow for the lighter, more general draft work required. In the 1930s, the Hispano-Breton
breed was developed in Spain by crossing imported Breton stallions with local mares. Today, the breed population is small, but has been noted by researchers for its rich genetic diversity. After World War II, a Breton stallion was used to improve the Schleswig
breed of Germany.
and for fast, light draft work, while the larger types are ideal for heavy draft
and agricultural
work. They are also commonly used to improve other breeds through cross-breeding. Today, the breed is used as a draft horse on small farms, and is also used to gather seaweed. It is also bred for meat
production. Horse meat is a dietary staple in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.
Horse breed
Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...
of 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...
. It was developed in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, 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
Oriental horse
The term oriental horse refers to the ancient breeds of horses developed in the Middle East, such as the Arabian, Akhal-Teke, Barb, and the now-extinct Turkoman horse. They tend to be thin-skinned, long-legged, slim in build and more physically refined than other types, but with great endurance...
breeds. In 1909, a stud book was created, and in 1951 the book was officially closed. The breed is often 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...
in color, and is strong and muscular. There are three distinct subtypes of the Breton, each coming from a different area of Brittany. The Corlay Breton is the smallest type, and is generally used for light draft and under saddle work. The Postier Breton is used for harness and light farm work. The Heavy Draft Breton is the largest subtype, and is generally used for the hardest draft work. It has been used in military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, draft and agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
capacities. The Breton has been used to improve and create many other draft breeds, as well as being bred to produce mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s.
Characteristics
The Breton is usually about 1.58 metre, but may range from 1.55 metre, depending on type. It is usually chestnutChestnut (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...
, often with a flaxen mane and tail, but can also be bay, grey
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 red or blue 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...
. The breed has a well-proportioned head of medium volume with a straight profile and a strong, short neck well-set into muscular withers. The shoulder is long and sloping, the chest broad and muscular, the back is short and wide, and the croup sloping. The legs are short, but powerful, with broad joints and well-formed hooves. The legs are feathered
Feathering (horse)
Feathering, or feather, is a term used to describe the long hair on the lower legs and fetlocks of some breeds of horse and pony. On some horses, especially draft breeds, the hair can almost cover the hooves...
.
Subcategories
There are several subtypes of the Breton breed. Two, the Trait Breton and the Postier Breton, are officially recognised, while others such as the Corlais or Cheval de Corlay and the Centre-montagne or Central Mountain Breton are not. Older types which have disappeared include the Grand Breton and the Bidet Breton or Bidet d'Allure.The Corlay Breton is derived from crossbreeding native stock with the Arabian
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
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...
. The Corlay is considered the real descendant of the original Breton. It has the same general features as the draft type, but is smaller with a more dished face. It was used mainly for light draft work that required speed and under saddle, and its numbers have been decreasing in recent years. The type is also known as the Cheval de Corlay, and is now extremely rare. It was also used in local races, due to the speed from its Arabian and Thoroughbred ancestors.
The Postier Breton was developed as a result of crossbreeding with the Norfolk Trotter
Norfolk Trotter
The Norfolk Trotter is an extinct horse breed once native to East Anglia and Norfolk, England. It was said to be "a large-sized trotting harness horse originating in and around Norfolk"....
and the Hackney
Hackney (horse)
The Hackney Horse is a recognized breed of horse that was developed in Great Britain. In recent decades, the breeding of the Hackney has been directed toward producing horses that are ideal for carriage driving. They are an elegant high stepping breed of carriage horse that is popular for showing...
during the 19th century. It has a very attractive gait, and is bred mainly in central Brittany, is a good coach horse and capable of light farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
ing work. Its name comes from the practice of using the type to pull mail coaches. The Postier was used extensively by the French Horse Artillery, and it has been described as a lighter version of the Suffolk Punch
Suffolk Punch
The Suffolk Punch, also historically known as the Suffolk Horse or Suffolk Sorrel, is an English breed of draught horse. The breed takes the first part of its name from the county of Suffolk in East Anglia, and the name "Punch" from its solid appearance and strength...
draft breed from Great Britain.
The Heavy Draft Breton is derived from an infusion of Ardennes
Ardennes (horse)
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...
and 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...
blood. It is very strong, relative to its size. It is bred in the northern coastal area of Brittany, in Merléac
Merléac
Merléac is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Merléac are called merléaciens.-Sights:...
. It has short but muscular legs. This type has absorbed another, older type, called the Grand Breton, a heavier horse that was used to improve many other draft breeds.
The Centre-montagne or Central Mountain Breton is a smaller draft type.
Breed history
The Breton was bred for great strength and durability. Horses have been present in the Breton mountains for thousands of years, but nobody knows how they first arrived. One theory is that they were brought to Europe during the AryanAryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
migration from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
over 4,000 years ago, while another school of thought has them descending from horses bred by Celtic warriors before their conquest of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
The original ancestors of the Breton were a population of horses that that lived in the Breton mountains, possibly descended from steppe horse
Steppe horse
Steppe horse refers to various domesticated horse and wild horse species, particularly those from Siberia and other parts of western AsiaA species of horse that inhabited the North American steppes in the Pleistocene. It was one the last of North America's equids before becoming extinct at the end...
s ridden by Celts. During the Crusades
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...
, these mountain horses were crossed with oriental horse
Oriental horse
The term oriental horse refers to the ancient breeds of horses developed in the Middle East, such as the Arabian, Akhal-Teke, Barb, and the now-extinct Turkoman horse. They tend to be thin-skinned, long-legged, slim in build and more physically refined than other types, but with great endurance...
s to create a type known as the Bidet Breton. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the ancestral Breton horse was sought by military leaders, partly because of its comfortable gait
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
, which was said to be partway between a brisk trot and an amble
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
. Due to its gaits and the fact that it only stood about 1.4 metre high, it was nicknamed the Bidet d'Allure or Bidet Breton. Horses of other bloodlines brought back to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the Crusades
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...
had a strong influence on the Breton, and two types subsequently developed. The Sommier was the common, heavier type, used mainly as a pack horse
Pack animal
A pack animal or beast of burden is a working animal used by humans as means of transporting materials by attaching them so their weight bears on the animal's back; the term may be applied to either an individual animal or a species so employed...
and for farm and draft work. From the Sommier, the Roussin was developed, was used mainly in wars
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...
and on long journeys. The Roussin
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait made it popular as a lighter riding horse.
The breed retained its mountain roots with its main stud, the National Provincial Stud, being located in the mountain country of Langonnet
Langonnet
Langonnet is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Langonnet are called in French Langonnetais, in Breton Langonediz.-Breton language:...
. It was at this time that Arabian and Thoroughbred blood was added to the breed, creating the Corlay subtype. From the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
until the early 1900s, the Breton was crossed with various horses, both native and foreign, including the Boulonnais, 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...
and Ardennes
Ardennes (horse)
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...
breeds. In the 19th century it was crossbred with the Norfolk Trotter
Norfolk Trotter
The Norfolk Trotter is an extinct horse breed once native to East Anglia and Norfolk, England. It was said to be "a large-sized trotting harness horse originating in and around Norfolk"....
, which resulted in a lighter weight type of Breton, the Postier subtype. The Breton breed is controlled by the Syndicat des Éleveurs de Cheval Breton, and its studbook
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...
was begun in 1909 with separate books for the Heavy Draft and Postier types. In 1912, the books were combined but separate sections were used for each type, and in 1926 the sections were combined so that all types of Bretons are now registered together. Postier Bretons must be of documented Posteir bloodstock
Bloodstock
Bloodstock was an annual metal music festival held from 2001 to 2006 over two days in The Assembly Rooms, Derby, England. The event featured big-name mainstream, underground and new bands split between two stages, as well as a 'Metal Market' offering general genre merchandise and CDs...
and pass in-harness performance tests. In 1920, the decision was made to permit no new outside blood into the studbook, and in 1951 the studbook was officially closed to outside horses. Horses are only eligible to be registered if they were foaled in the present-day region of Brittany or in the Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
department, formerly part of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. Registered foals are branded with a "cross surmounting a splayed, upturned V" on the left side of the neck. Despite the registration restrictions, breeding of the Breton horse has spread across France, and around the world. Today in France, the Breton is bred mainly at studs in Lamballe
Lamballe
Lamballe is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.It lies on the Gouessant east-southeast of Saint-Brieuc by rail.- History :...
, Hennebont
Hennebont
Hennebont is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Hennebont is situated about ten miles from the mouth of the River Blavet, which divides it into two parts: the Ville Close, the medieval walled town, and the 17th century Ville Neuve on...
, and parts of La Roche-sur-Yon
La Roche-sur-Yon
La Roche-sur-Yon is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.It is the capital of the department. Its inhabitants are called Yonnais.-History:...
.
Crossbreeding
Therefore, rather than being subject to crossbreeding itself, the Breton has instead been used to improve many other breeds. Buyers come to France from all over the world to buy Bretons for use in improving their native draft horses. The Breton had a significant influence on the Canadian Horse
Canadian Horse
The Canadian Horse is a breed of horse developed in Canada. Although previously relatively unknown due to its rarity, the Canadian Horse has influenced many other North American breeds, including the Morgan, American Saddlebred, and Standardbred...
, after members of the breed were sent to New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) during the 17th century. They have also been used to create the Swiss Freiberger
Freiberger
The Freiberger, also known as Franches-Montagnes, is a draft horse from Switzerland. It was widely used as draft and pack horse in the Swiss army. Breeding used to be heavily subsidized in Switzerland. It is the last representative of the light cold blood horse in Europe...
, as well as other heavy draft breeds. Bretons were used in India to produce mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s, and at the Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
breeding farm were crossed with the Anglo-Arabian
Anglo-Arabian
The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is a Thoroughbred crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made between a Thoroughbred stallion and an Arabian mare, or vice-versa...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
Mystère to produce carriage horses. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian farmers attempted to use the Brabant to improve local stock, but the offspring proved to be too heavy and slow for the lighter, more general draft work required. In the 1930s, the Hispano-Breton
Iberian horse
The Iberian horse is a title given to a number of horse breeds native to the Iberian peninsula. At present, 17 horse breeds are recognized by FAO as characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula....
breed was developed in Spain by crossing imported Breton stallions with local mares. Today, the breed population is small, but has been noted by researchers for its rich genetic diversity. After World War II, a Breton stallion was used to improve the Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
breed of Germany.
Uses
The Breton is used in many capacities, due to the various sub-types of the breed. The smaller types can be used under saddleEquestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
and for fast, light draft work, while the larger types are ideal for heavy draft
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 agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
work. They are also commonly used to improve other breeds through cross-breeding. Today, the breed is used as a draft horse on small farms, and is also used to gather seaweed. It is also bred for 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...
production. Horse meat is a dietary staple in many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.