Percheron breed of horses. Horse-heavy carrier of Perseron breed (photo)

Many people believe that horses are long-obsolete "equipment". In some ways, they are right - horses have lost their industrial and military purpose. However, the same can be said about cats or dogs: the life of the family does not depend on the results of hunting, and there is not much mouse in which house they live. In this case, people do not abandon them and continue to keep a pretty busy life next to them.

Of course, you can not get a horse in a city apartment, and you will not keep it at the dacha. However, horses remain not only part of the history of mankind, to admit, a very significant part. They successfully find new niches in people's lives, still remaining useful. The same Percheron breed of horses found its use in such areas that the people who could not imagine it could not imagine.

History of Persherons

They are considered one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. Similar in appearance horses were on the territory of modern France even in the glacial period. The horses that were the ancestors of the Persherons were bred for the Roman cavalry, and it was in the area after which the horses got their name - Pershe. Later, the local breed was crossed with the Arabian, thanks to which the horse Perseron, despite its massive nature, has elegant and noble outlines. Purposefully, such crossing began to deal with the plant Le Pin - in the late 18th century, he imported into the country of Arab stallions to improve the output line.

In times of knightly campaigns this breed was most in demand precisely as riding horses, capable of carrying riders with all heavy weapons and in full armor. Later, when the need for heavy cavalry fell away, the Perseronian horse "retrained" in the harness.

In the future, the blood was poured into the blood of Boulogne and Brittany. It was caused by the fact that it took a large number of hardy horses for urban and postal transport.

Breed Exterior

In the modern world the Perseronian breed of horses is represented by massive bony specimens. Growth in its representatives should be at least 154 cm and reaches 164. A real giant named Dr. Le Gear, who lived at the beginning of the 20th century, reached a height of 213 cm. The head of the percheron necessarily has a convex broad forehead, a flat nose and an even profile . Chest - deep, wide, with a powerful sternum. Legs are dry and powerful. By obsolete standards the horses were cut off by the tail; Now this rule is canceled. The color of the breed is gray (usually "in apple") or black; The latter is especially in demand among American horse breeders.

Unique qualities of percherons

One of the most valued features of these horses is easy adaptability to any climatic conditions. They adapt easily in the tropics, in deserts or in the tundra. The second unique property that the Pershon horse possesses is the ability to run fast enough with a very weighty cargo. Other heavyweights are either sluggish, but carrying capacity (brabansons), or mobile, but can not carry heavy weight (Ardennes).

Another gift that the Persians inherited from the Arab ancestors, in addition to aesthetics, is a soft, not jerky move at any pace. Other heavy trucks can not boast of this.

And one more advantage: phenomenal endurance. On the lynx, the Perseronian breed of horses can overcome almost 60 kilometers per day, and this will not affect the health of the runner.

All these qualities have always been very appreciated in the international market. It was because of them that Clydesdale and Belgian heavy-duty trucks cost six times cheaper than percheron. Its price in the modern market is about $ 2,000 for an uneducated stallion and from 6,000 for a well-mannered. Tribal stallions are estimated at a minimum of 8000 dollars, and mare's of good blood - and that is more expensive.

Where was this rock used

At the present time, the so-called large percheron (photo below) is more famous. Thanks to his stamina, enormous lift and courage (the trained horse is not afraid of loud sounds and too sudden movements), a large variety was widely used as a military horse in the middle of the 20th century. And not only as a draft, but also as a planted animal. Equally active, the perseron was used as a peaceful pack-animal force, in agriculture, went under the plow, participated in hunting - both under the saddle and in the harness. The lesser known little percheron was a magnificent riding horse, he carried wheelchairs and stagecoaches. Over time, the need for such use has disappeared, but without work the Perseronian breed of horses has not remained. Due to its peculiarities, there was a business for her in our day.

Where now use percheroni

Now their main quality was what the horses call good-will. The breed is unserious, patient and not touching. Therefore, these horses are widely used in parks as promenades, especially appreciated because of the soft move. Irrespective of persperon in newly discovered hippotherapy - for the treatment of children with special needs: patients with cerebral palsy, autistic individuals who have suffered severe psychological trauma or socially maladaptive. Recently, they are used for training in the overcoming of obstacles. For coaches, in a sense, the opening was an excellent jumping ability. Very willingly these elegant heavyweights are taken for circus numbers - their equanimity and calmness are very much in demand in the nervous atmosphere in the arena, and the smoothness of movements for circus artists is just a find.

The contribution of percherons to horse breeding

This breed of horses was used in the formation of some others, including the Belarusian draft. To improve the characteristics of sports and hunting horses, where the pedigree and cleanliness of the line are important, and the working qualities, too, the Percheron breed of horses is often used. There is an opinion that it was noted in many thoroughbred branches, differing in the article, and not thin-boned. America ennobled the perches of the mustang to obtain full-value agricultural and coach animals.

Russian history

Russia for the first time massively faced this breed of horses somewhere in the middle of the 19th century. High-quality representatives of the breed were brought to the Khrenov stud farm, and new lines were laid there, up to the creation of the original type of Russian percheron. In 1941, a breeding herd was taken to the Ulyanovsk region, where the October stud farm was organized. In close contact with the state stable of Tambov, where the nursery of the breed is located, and with the farms of Voronezh and the same Tambov, unique representatives of percherons were obtained according to their data. However, in recent years the October stud farm has gradually declined. From the herd of 250 goals there remained only a fifth of what is contained in improper conditions, and almost all the volunteers provide horses with food. Young people are often not trained; Some valuable tribal lines are lost, and the employees of the plant are exhausted, trying to preserve at least what is left. It will be a pity if the Perseron breed of horses will be lost simply because of inattention and indifference of people! Yet so elegant heavy haulers are no longer bred. And Russian breeders invested a lot of effort to improve the breed of percheron (photo below).

Russian breed improvements

Our breeders did not just save the gene pool received from the French. They were able to deduce their own genotype, which is characterized by a more dry constitution and compactness on the background of massiveness. Plus, the character has also improved - our percheron is even more gracious than the French.

The mobility of the horse of Russian "production" is also superior to foreign analogues. Life expectancy, which is distinguished by the Percheron breed of horses, is not simply preserved - the tribal individuals retain the ability to reproduce without loss of quality of offspring until old age. For example, the funerary with the amusing name of Sliva passed more than two kilometers (to be extremely precise - 2138 m) with a thrust of 300 kg - an unbeaten long record for all heavy-duty trucks.

Russian heavy-duty trucks

The Russian land is not only glorious with percherons. No less famous are the Russian heavy-haulers - horses registered under this name only in 1952. They are derived from the crossing of draft horses with ardens from Belgium. With a low growth - about one and a half meters - they differ in incredible strength. From the Pershory, bityugov, Brabansons and Ardens there were Soviet heavy-duty trucks, quite small, but capable of carrying huge loads. Another world-famous breed - the Vladimir heavy-carrier - was bred with the participation of Kleidesdales from Scotland and shayrs from England. They are also small, but very powerful.