The History of
Le Cheval Canadien
Read on for the history of Canadian Horse Breed as well as additional resources to learn more.
18th Century Historian Etienne Faillon
"Small but robust, hocks of steel, thick mane floating in the wind, bright and lively eyes, pricking sensitive ears at the least noise, going along day or night with the same courage, wide awake beneath its harness, spirited, good, gentle, affectionate, following his road with finest instinct to come surely to his own stable."
1665
First horses are sent to Canada by King Louis IVX from his royal stables to help settle the colony of New France, now Monteal.
Early 1800s
Horse-trading between Quebec and New England flourishes. Sport of harness racing, born on the ice near Montreal, attract American sportsmen who came to Canada to purchase Canadian Horses. Those sold to the United States soon find tehir way in to the stud-books of early American Saddlebred, Morgan, Standardbred, Tennessee Walker, and other breeds.
1861-1865
Union Army buyers purchase Canadian Horses by the thousands to serve as cavalry and to pull the great heavy cannons used during the Civil War.
1886
Efforts were underway to find, conserve, and record the pedigrees of the decimated Canadian stock and all exports from Canada are banned. The first registry was established and Edouard Barnard's stallion 'Lion of Canada #1" becomes first registered Canadian Horse.
1895
Canadian Horse Breeders Association is formed, and only those horses that could pass inspection by a strict committee would be permitted entry
1913
Canadian government establishes a stud farm in Quebec at Cap Rouge, followed by a second at St. Joachim in 1919. For two decades, a large-scale breeding program continued.
1940
Canada becomes heavily involved in WWII, and government disbands federally sponsored stud farms. The Quebec Depeartment of Agriculture purchases some stock and continues with a smaller breeding program at Deschambeault research farm. The rest are sold to private breeders.
Late 1970s
Only 400 registered individual Canadian Horses remain.
1981
Remaining forty-four Canadian Horses at Deschambeault farm are sold at auction reserved for members of the Canadian Horse Breeders Association.
2002
Breed recognized, by law, as the national Horse of Canada.
TODAY
The Canadian Horse has made a remarkable recovery and although still endangered, registered individuals exceed 4,000 and can be found in every province territory and the United States.
