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Percheron
Equus ferus caballus
France's elegant draft horse — a grey or black heavy horse with Arabian blood and surprising agility.
How to spot it
A clean-legged draft horse (little or no feather) of about 15 to 19 hands (152 to 193 cm), typically dapple grey or black, with a refined head that hints at the Arabian in its ancestry.
Temperament
Intelligent, calm and willing, and more athletic and quick-moving than its bulk suggests — easy to train and good-natured.
What it's bred for
From the Perche region of France, bred for heavy farm and coach work and once a prized artillery and bus horse. Today it drives, works the land, shows and crosses to make sport horses.
Care & upkeep
The clean legs are easier to keep than a feathered breed's. It is a big eater and, like all drafts, needs shade and sensible workload in heat.
Health & lifespan
Around 25 years. Generally hardy; the main watch-points are weight, joint wear and the heat sensitivity common to heavy horses.
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