Table of Contents
Important data on the Ardennes at a glance
- Origin: Belgium, France
Main breeding area: Belgium, France - Distribution: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Sweden
- Height: 23 to 25 in
- Weight: up to 2204 lbs
- Appearance: massive cold blood
- Colours: white, bay, black, spotted chestnut, no markings on the head
- Main areas of use: Agriculture and forestry, draught and carriage horse, riding horse, slaughter horse
Breeding history
Ardennes are one of the oldest horse breeds in France and were used by the Romans as well as by knights in the Middle Ages and Napoleon’s artillery. As they used to be less bulky than today, they were almost always used as riding and army horses. This was mainly due to the fact that oriental horses were crossbred during the Crusades and in the 17th century in order to achieve a lighter breedline. In the 19th century, however, the increasing demand for heavier draught and working horses led to crossbreeding with Brabants, Percherons and Boulonnais, resulting in the development of the more powerful type. Today, this type is mainly bred in the original breeding areas of France and Belgium as well as in Sweden and Luxembourg.
However, there were also attempts to cross Arabians in order to achieve a lighter horse of the sport horse type. The first studbook for the breed was established in France in 1908. At the same time, the cold blood from the Ardennes has also influenced other horse breeds, including the Palatinate-Ardennes.
Appearance of the Ardennes
Ardennes horses are massive cold-blooded horses with a weight of around 2204 lbs, making them one of the heaviest horse breeds, but with a height of 59 to 64 inches they are somewhat smaller than other cold-blooded horses. They are characterised by a broad, compact build and have a straight to slightly ram-like head, a well-formed and heavy neck and sloping, strong shoulders. The back as well as the loins and the well-muscled hindquarters are short, making the Ardennes look even more compact and massive.
The core is also remarkable with its chunky, short legs, which allow the cold blood to stand a short distance above the ground. In addition, the powerful Ardennes present themselves typical of the breed with a strong fetlock hair at the pasterns and well-formed, very hard and small hooves. In terms of coat colouring, they are predominantly brown in various shades with speckled hair, but also dark chestnuts. Typical colours of the Ardennes are red-brown, roan and chestnut with dark brown tails, manes and fetlock hair.
Impressions of the horse breed
How tall do Ardennes horses grow?
Ardennes reach a height of about 59 to 64 inches.
Characteristics of the Ardennes
These horses are considered to be sociable and very resilient, with impressive endurance, robustness and willingness. They are characterised by reliability as well as a level-headed, calm nature and are easy to handle. Despite their weight and massive body, the Ardennes can show temperament and be very agile and lively. In the past, they were often used as workhorses in agriculture. Today, they are mainly bred as meat horses and only rarely as draught or sport horses for driving. This is another reason why the Ardennes is now considered an endangered breed.
The movements of the Ardennes are energetic and diligent. The horses have three even, good basic gaits and move relatively light-footed and confidently despite their mass.
How much does an Ardennes horse weigh?
Ardennes horses can weigh up to one tonne.
Ardennes – Special traits
Areas of use of the breed
Ardennes horses are mainly used in areas where they can make good use of their strength and massive body. The breed has always been a workhorse for agriculture and forestry. Whether pulling tree trunks, ploughing or other tasks, Ardennes horses know how to use their strength and at the same time are easy to handle and reliable thanks to their excellent character traits. This also makes the animals very popular for carriage driving. These patient horses are a real eye-catcher on city tours, cross-country excursions or village festivals thanks to their massive stature.
Their good-natured character is also very popular among riders. Ardennes horses are therefore preferred by leisure riders and beginners who need a calm and composed training horse. Due to their weight, Ardennes horses are unfortunately also of interest for meat production and slaughter.
Can Ardennes horses be ridden?
Ardennes are very reliable riding horses due to their great character.
Hereditary diseases
Ardennes are very robust and frugal horses that have no known hereditary diseases. However, like many other horse breeds with long, dense fetlocks, these gentle giants are susceptible to mud fever. The fetlock bend becomes inflamed – often due to a lack of hygiene and bacteria that accumulate in the fetlock hair.
Training and husbandry
Ardennes are very docile, calm and relaxed horses that are very patient. This makes them relatively easy to train. However, it is very important that the horses are not trained due to their good-natured disposition. Some horse owners like to take it easy and let these gentle giants get away with a lot. However, as with any horse, this can quickly become dangerous, especially as Ardennes horses have an enormous amount of weight and strength. If they use this against humans, you have a real problem. Therefore, basic training should be carried out as with any other horse.
Keeping Ardennes horses is also very simple and unproblematic. The horses are robust and easy to care for and do well in an open stable. Horse owners should make sure that the box or shelter is large enough so that the massive horses do not feel cramped. The height of the stable should be at least twice the height of the horse at the withers. As Ardennes horses have a lot of strength and weigh a lot, the stable floor must be very strong. The walls and pillars in the stable must also be able to withstand the cold-blooded horses. In addition, the active horses need plenty of exercise, preferably in a spacious paddock.
The size of the Ardennes is also noticeable in the amount of food required. The horses need significantly more hay than ponies or warmbloods of the same size. This should be considered and factored in before purchase. The amount of manure is also accordingly higher, which must be taken into account for disposal.
Another issue that is often forgotten, but can quickly become a problem after purchase, is the issue of transport. The horses are very heavy and therefore cannot be transported in every horse trailer. The width is also often insufficient. It is important to ensure that the trailer is very stable and large so that one or two cold-blooded horses can be transported without any problems. It should also be noted that a suitable towing vehicle must also be available that can and may pull the weight.
Known horses of the breed
As a cold-blooded horse, the Ardennes horse is a great image for various films. For example, the heavy horses appear in war films, agricultural scenes and similar. One of the best-known examples is probably the best-selling film adaptation of Noah Gordon’s book “The Medicus” from 2013, in which an Ardennes horse can be seen pulling the bather’s medieval carriage.
What breed are brewery horses?
Brewery horses are horses that are used in breweries to pull heavy barrels and other loads. Cold-blooded horses are particularly popular due to their strength, so Ardennes horses can also be used as brewery horses.
