Intro
A member of the Ardennes family, the Northern Ardennais, Ardennais du Nord or Trait du nord was crossed with Belgian Draft for a more robust size and Boulonnais for elegance and a brighter step.
Origins
The breed originally comes from the French Hainaut is developed from the Belgian draft, which is a foundation for modern draft breeds. Soon Northern Ardennais flourished and became widely used until he animals were thought to be superior to the Belgian strains, as they tended to be larger and stronger.
Around the turn of the 20th century the Northern Ardennais became their own distinct breed called the Northern Draft Horse (which was later changed to Northern Ardennais in 1965).
Features
Average height 15.3 hands
Physique
Head is small and often with a dished profile
Eyes are lively and bright
Neck is medium in length and muscular
Back is short, straight and well muscled
Legs are bony and strong with abundant feathering on pasterns
Hooves are wide and solid
Traditional Colors
bay, brown, roan, dun and sometimes chestnut
Use
Agriculture
Draft work
Meat production
Helpful Links
Trait du Nord, Syndicat central d’elevage du cheval de Trait du Nord