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Comtois (horse)
Encyclopedia
The Comtois horse is a draft horse
that originated in the Jura Mountains
on the border between France
and Switzerland
.
, with a large head, straight neck, stocky and powerful body and deep girth. They have long, straight backs and short, strong legs with a little feathering and muscular hindquarters. The Comtois sometimes shows a tendency towards sickle hocks. These horses are generally chestnut
with flaxen manes and tails, but they can also be bay. They usually stand 1.5 – high and weigh 650 –.
The Comtois horse breed is an old breed of horse
that is believed to have descended from horses brought by the Burgundian
s of northern Germany
to France
during the fourth century. It is believe that they have been bred at the Franche-Comté and in the Jura Mountains
since the sixth century. In the Middle Ages they were used as war horses. They were bred at the Franche-Comté and in the Jura Mountains
During the 16th century, the Comtois breed was used to improve the Burgandy Horse. In the 19th century, other draft horses such as the Norman, Boulonnais, and Percheron
were bred into the Comtois, and more recently the Ardennes
was used to produce a stronger horse with better legs. Today, they are second only to the Belgian
draft horse in number in France
.
In the sixteenth century, these horses were used as a cavalry
and artillery
horse, and were present in the armies of Louis XIV and later Napoleon Bonaparte. The Comtois is used today for hauling wood in the pine
forests of the Jura in the mountainous regions of the Massif Central
, and for working in the vineyards in the Arbois area. They are also bred for the French horsemeat industry.
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...
that originated in the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
on the border between 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...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Characteristics
The Comtois is a light draft horseHorse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, with a large head, straight neck, stocky and powerful body and deep girth. They have long, straight backs and short, strong legs with a little feathering and muscular hindquarters. The Comtois sometimes shows a tendency towards sickle hocks. These horses are generally 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...
with flaxen manes and tails, but they can also be bay. They usually stand 1.5 – high and weigh 650 –.
History
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
that is believed to have descended from horses brought by the Burgundian
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
s of northern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to 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...
during the fourth century. It is believe that they have been bred at the Franche-Comté and in the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
since the sixth century. In the Middle Ages they were used as war horses. They were bred at the Franche-Comté and in the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
During the 16th century, the Comtois breed was used to improve the Burgandy Horse. In the 19th century, other draft horses such as the Norman, Boulonnais, 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...
were bred into the Comtois, and more recently the 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...
was used to produce a stronger horse with better legs. Today, they are second only to 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...
draft horse in number in 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...
.
Uses
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...
and 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...
horse, and were present in the armies of Louis XIV and later Napoleon Bonaparte. The Comtois is used today for hauling wood in the pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forests of the Jura in the mountainous regions of the Massif Central
Massif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
, and for working in the vineyards in the Arbois area. They are also bred for the French horsemeat industry.