Intro
The Suffolk Punch is the oldest draft breed of Britain that still exists in their original conformational state today. The highest concentration of the breed can be found in their birthplace of East Anglia.
Origins
Dating back to the 16th century, the Suffolk is a very old breed, unfortunately records were not well kept and their actual origins are a mystery still. Today the lineage of all members of the breed is traced back to one stallion born in 1768. Due to their relative physical isolation geographically the Suffolk has developed independently changing only slightly to meet the needs of local people. Farmers who bred the animals used them daily so they were rarely even sold outside the area.
The Suffolk Punch Society was founded in 1877 and over the years been well received. Interestingly enough this breed has earned popularity in other parts of Europe as well as Pakistan where they are bred as army animals.
Features
Average height 16.1 – 17.1 hands
Physique
Head is broad
Neck is thick, muscular & arched
Shoulders are well muscled & sloping
Back is short & wide
Legs are short & stocky with no feathering & appear a tad too short for their body
Hooves are well formed & sound
Traditional Colors
Always chesnut (chestnut) & there are 7 recognized shades.
Temperament
Kind & willing
Use
Agriculture
Transportation
Show horse
Helpful Links
* all links open in a new window
Suffolk Horse Society
North American Suffolk Horse Association
The Suffolk Punch Trust
More Images
