HISTORY OF THE CANADIAN HORSE

    The first Canadian Horse ancestors arrived in Canada between 1647 and 1670. Sent over to Quebec by the King of France, they were believed to be of Andalusian, Arab and Barb bloodlines. The first horses sent over were distributed between the noblemen and farmers who had shown initiative in clearing and breaking their land. These French horses bred with little influence from other breeds for hundreds of years. Eventually, they evolved into their own distinct breed - the Canadian Horse. Due to natural selection, they have become extremely strong horses, tolerant of harsh weather and poor working conditions. By the mid-1800s there were around 150,000 Canadian Horses in Canada and the United States.
    The Canadian Horse was used for crossbreeding to improve the strength and hardiness of other breeds. They also helped to develop other North American breeds such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, the Morgan, the Standardbred and the American Saddlebred. The Canadian Horse was in great demand and was exported for use during the Boer War and the American Civil War. They were also used for working the sugar plantations in the West Indies and for the American stage-lines. The number of Canadian Horses left in Canada became alarming and they were in danger of becoming extinct. During the 1960s and 70s there were fewer than 400 horses in existence. In the late 1970s, the Canadian Horses' plight was finally recognized and breeders made an effort to bring the horses back from the verge of extinction.
    The first stud book was developed in 1886 by Dr.J.A. Couture together with a few concerned admirers. But it wasn't until 1895 when the Canadian Horse Breeders Association was formed that any expansion took place. In 1907, Dr.J.G. Rutherford, the Federal Government Livestock Commissioner, started yet another stud book with improved standards.
    In 1913 the Federal Ministry of Agriculture set up a breeding program at Cap Rouge, Quebec, where Albert De Cap Rouge, one of the foundation studs was bred. Other breeding programs were set up by the government of Quebec as well and the Canadian Horse was bred through these programs until 1981.
    Now, the breed is slowly gaining popularity and currently numbers around 3000 horses in existence. However, it is still classified as critical on the American Livestock Conservancy list.
 

CONTACT US

HOME / HISTORY / HORSES 4 SALE / PHOTO GALLERY / BEST WISHES / HOT LINKS