Breton horse

Despite the registration restrictions, breeding of the Breton horse has spread across France, and around the world.

Brittany is widely known for the Breton horse, a local breed of draft horse, and for the Brittany gun dog.

Breton 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.

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.

The breeding programs suffered during World War II, but a careful crossbreeding program with Ardennes, Percheron and Breton horses after the war brought the Italian Heavy Draft to its current state.

The conformation of the breed changed slightly to become shorter, but the Poitevin remained unprofitable for horse meat, as breeders preferred to invest in herds of Comtois and Breton horses, which were faster growing and higher yielding.