Le Cheval Canadien - An Endangered Breed
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Canada’s little iron horse may be a national symbol, but it is also on the brink of extinction according to the Canadian Horse Heritage and Preservation Society and Livestock Conservancy.
The Canadian, or Le Cheval Canadien is an all-purpose breed, similar to the Morgan Horse. In fact, it’s believed that Morgans may have some Canadian in their heritage. The Canadian is thought to be one of North America’s oldest breeds. It has also contributed to the American Standardbred and Tennessee Walking Horses.
In 1665, Norman and Breton stallions and mares of mixed Arabian, Barb and Andalusian breeds were sent to “New France” by King Louis XIV. Horses were given to farmers with strict rules on their breeding and care. Less than ten years after the original horses had been brought to what was to become Canada, it was decided that the breeding program had produced enough horses and the shipments of new horses could cease. The settlements in New France were isolated and conducive to ensuring that the breed developed independently from any other. From the original stock descended a hardy horse, capable of withstanding the harsh climate and taking on everything from ploughing fields to pulling the family buggy to church on Sunday.
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The Canadian Horse is Canada’s only horse breed. Most often, the Canadian is black, but may be chestnut or bay, with few white markings. They range from 14HH to 16HH and are well muscled with an upright carriage. They have thick manes and tails, and slight feathering around their hooves. They are known to be easy keepers, and can withstand the elements typical of Canadian winters. They are sturdy, and breeders take pride in the fact that they remain true to their ancestors in body type and style. The breed standard was established in the late 1800s, and breeders today are careful to stick to the original standard, rather than succumb to the trend of taller, more refined horses more suitable for the show ring.
At their peak, their population numbers may have been in the tens of thousands, used under saddle and in harness. The Canadian Horse carried many soldiers to battle during the Civil War. But, after WWI, and the introduction of the internal combustion engine as the prime source of ‘horsepower’, most horses were replaced by machinery for farm work and transport. By the mid-1970s, there were fewer than 500 individuals and the breed was almost unheard of outside of the province of Quebec. Today, according to CHHAPS, there are about 6000 Canadian Horses throughout North America.
IN 2002, The Canadian was recognized as Canada’s official national horse and appeared on a postage stamp in 2009 alongside the equally endangered Newfoundland Pony. But, although the numbers are greater than in the 70s, the Livestock Conservancy has declared that the number of Le Cheval Canadien foals being born does not exceed the number of horse deaths, and that the breed may be again in the decline. The Canadian is now listed as ‘critical’, rather than endangered. The next step would be extinction and an almost 400 year connection with history would be lost. |
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