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 The Ardennes, a French breed, originates from the mountainous region of the Ardennes
bordering France and Belgium, although there is a Swedish Ardennes and a Belgium
Ardennes. The original Ardennes, the one from France, is the oldest of them all
and can be traced back to accounts by Julius Caesar in his De Bello Gallico
about his conquest of Gaul. The Ardennes is an ancient cob-type of draft horse,
and is very similar to the remains of the ancient horse found at Solutre,
suggesting a direct descendancy.
The old type of Ardennes was somewhat lighter than the massive form of
today's type and would have been suitable for riding as well as draft work. They
were widely used during the French Revolution and even afterward by the French
military. During the Napoleonic Wars they excelled themselves with great
stamina, endurance, and the ability to survive amid the harshest of conditions.
It is quite likely that the Russian Ardennes was developed from the French
Ardennes that was left behind in Russia during the French retreat.
The more modern type, which can be found today, was developed during the 19th
century and is a larger type of draft horse. They were crossed with the
Boulonnais, the Percheron, The Thoroughbred, and the Arabian horse breeds and
were bred to have greater strength to cope with very heavy types of draft work.
They are quite good and useful in rough and hilly areas, where they are
extremely surefooted and have a kind but lively temperament. The Ardennes are
also being bred in Belgium and Sweden, where they have often been cross-bred
with other breeds of draft horses. The Ardennes is very closely related to the
Auxois and to the Trait du Nord draft horse breeds.
 The Ardennes' conformation is cob-like, with a strong, compact body, muscled
hindquarters, a thickset neck, and a well-shaped head. They tend to have a good
sloping shoulder which allowsfp a freedom of movement not usually associated
with the heavy draft horses. The Ardennes are particularly thickset and are
built as powerhouses, with a huge pulling capacity. They are used as draft
animals in Fance, but are also raised for their meat. They are usually roan in
color, but bay and chestnut are also allowed. The Ardennes stands between 14.3
and 16 hh.
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