Horses of Canada

Canada. Famous for its beautiful scenery, inviting cities and friendly people. And now, thanks to the efforts of Canadian horsemen, the Great White North is also being thought of as a land of great horses.

Unbeknownst to many horse lovers, Canada is the home of several distinct horse types. Because Canadians tend to be  modest people, they haven’t been quick to let the rest of the world know about their equine treasures. But as horse lovers around the globe slowly discover the well-kept equine secrets of the Canucks, they are coming to appreciate these amazing animals for their unique histories and talents.

The Canadian Horse

Also known as Le Cheval Canadien, the Canadian Horse has a long, romantic history that closely ties to that of the Canadian people.

The ancestors of what would ultimately become the Canadian Horse came to the land now known as the province of Quebec in 1665 and 1670. Louis the XIV, the French King who had initiated the colonization of this new terrain, sent the first Canadian settlers several shiploads of horses during those years. The horses that arrived on those ships had the blood of Norman, Breton, Arab, Barb and Andalusians in their veins. These imported horses would go on to become the progenitors of a new breed of uniquely Canadian horse.

Because of the difficult terrain and harsh climate of “New France,” the horses that came from the mother country and their resulting offspring struggled alongside their human masters as they worked the land. Over time, a small, hardy horse developed, one that could survive in the harsh conditions of a young Quebec and still race for sport and pull a carriage on Sundays.

Over the decades, news spread to the United States about the rugged Canadian horse, and breeders from America began importing Canadian horses to breed with their fastest trotters. It wasn’t long before the Canadian breed had spread throughout the Eastern U.S. By the time of the U.S. civil war, the Canadian horse was a mainstay in America.

The Canadian horse was most treasured for its talents as a war mount in America and its ability to improve other breeds through outcrossing, but both of these uses nearly wiped out the breed. In time, many part-Canadians could be found, but pure Canadian horses were becoming more and more scarce. By the early 1900s, the Canadian Horse was all but extinct.

By the 1970s, only 400 Canadian Horses were left, and almost all of these resided in Quebec. Breeders in the province were quietly keeping the breed alive. In the 1980s, horsemen around Canada became aware of the Canadian Horse, and the breed began to grow in popularity. Today, 3,000 Canadian Horses are registered with the Canadian Horse Association of America.

The Canadian Horse has a distinct look that sets it apart from many other breeds in the world. The head has a square shape and is carried high, with ears set well apart. The neck is fairly arched, and broad at the base. This distinctive neck sports a proud mane with an abundance of fine hair.

Canadian Horses stand between 15 and 16 hands in height, and have a broad and deep chest with a well-developed girth. The back is strong,  straight, and the shoulders are long, sloping and well muscled.

The movement of the Canadian Horse is described in the breed’s standard as “free and vigorous,” with  “hocks, knees, fetlocks, pasterns all bending well in higher movements, harmonious.” The breed has a very willing temperament, and is energetic and spirited without being nervous.

The only colors seen in the Canadian Horse are black, chestnut, bay, and dark brown, with black being the most commonly seen coloration.

Today, Canadian Horses are a presence in a variety of disciplines in Canada, including dressage and jumping. Driving is the breed’s most popular use today, and Canadian Horses can be seen excelling in light harness and combined driving, both in Canada and the northern U.S.

The Canadian Cutting Horse

Many of the vast expanses of the Great White North lend themselves to the raising of cattle, a practice that is not exclusive to the American West. Cattle have been grazing on Canadian soil since the 1800s.

Consequently, it’s no surprise that Canadians have their own version of the cutting horse, called the Canadian Cutting Horse.

Cutting horses were used in Canada for the same reasons they were used in the U.S. in the early days of cattle ranching: to separate a cow from the herd. Cattle that needed medical treatment, branding or separation for another reason were most easily removed from the group with the use of a specially trained cutting horse. By using inborn “cow sense,” the cutting horse could separate a particular cow from the herd and keep it from going back until a wrangler was able to subdue it.

The Canadian cattle industry flourished for decades until the devastating winter of 1906 to 1907 destroyed almost all the cattle herds grazing in the prairie provinces of the country. Up to that point, cattle ranchers had been using their cutting horses to not only work the herds, but also in competitions to see who had the best cutting horses in the region.

The Cutting Horse Association was started in the 1950s to promote the competitive use of cutting horses in Canada, in the tradition of the Canadian cowboys of the 1800s. Since then, Canadian horsemen have been actively breeding and cultivating the skills and instincts of cutting horses in Canada.

Like most of the cutting horses seen in the U.S. today, Canadian Cutting Horses are primarily of Quarter Horse breeding. In fact, the majority of Canadian Cutting Horses are registered with the American Quarter Horse Association. Other breeds such as Appaloosa and Paints can also be Canadian Cutting Horses.

The Canadian Cutting Horse Association sponsors cutting horse competitions around Canada, and continues to bring notoriety to this special Canadian horse in the new millennium. Cutting aficionados around Canada participate in various cutting events, including the Canadian Supreme, a national show for working western horses. Cutting is one of three divisions, and very popular with spectators who enjoy seeing horses performing as working cattle horses once did out on the Canadian prairie.

The Canadian Sport Horse

As popularity in the Olympic equine disciplines continues to grow throughout the world, it makes perfect sense that Canada should begin to market its own unique sport horse. Hence the Canadian Sport Horse, an evolving breed that has already made a splash on the international scene.    The development of a uniquely Canadian performance horse began in 1926, when the Canadian Hunter and Light Horse Improvement Society was founded. That group changed its name to the Canadian Hunter Improvement Society shortly after, and began working to recognize Canadian sport horses.

The Canadian Hunter Improvement Society worked to create a specific horse well suited for foxhunting, and began encouraging the crossing of Thoroughbred stallions to Canadian draft mares. By the 1980s, a sport-horse type had been developed and served as a foundation for a Canadian Sport Horse. Around this time, the Canadian Hunter Improvement Society changed its name to the Canadian Sport Horse Association and began to register horses with the intention of creating a distinct breed of Canadian horse that could excel in dressage, show jumping, combined training and driving.

Today, the Canadian Sport Horse is defined as an “evolving breed” by the Animal Pedigree Act, a piece of legislation designed to promote breed improvement in Canada. The Canadian Sport Horse Association is recognized by the Canadian government as the official breed registry of the Canadian Sport Horse, and maintains a stud book for the breed. Horses of various breeding are contributing to the creation of this future breed, including the Thoroughbred and Trakehner.

Before a horse can be registered with the Canadian Sport Horse Association, the horse must be a product of Canadian Sport Horse breeding, or must be inspected and approved by the association. Mares are examined by a committee for acceptance as Appendix Brood Mares, and stallions are required to be inspected and pass a performance test before they can be used for breeding.

When examining a prospective Canadian Sport Horse, inspectors are looking for a horse that is suitably balanced and standing 16 or more hands, with strong bone. The neck should be well set-on and withers should be pronounced. The hindquarters should be well muscled, and the shoulder long and sloping. The girth should be deep, the chest broad and eyes large and quiet. Movement is also very important, and should be straight, balanced, and with impulsion. The disposition sought in the Canadian Sport Horse emphasizes intelligence and courage.

Today, Canadian Sport Horses are coming into their own and are being seen on the jumping, dressage and combined training circuits in Canada and the U.S. Canadian Sport Horses are adept at driving as well, and are making a name for this evolving breed in this sport.

The Canadian Horse, the Canadian Cutting Horse and the Canadian Sport Horse are all growing in popularity, both in Canada and throughout North American. With these great horses alone, Canada stands to make an even greater name for itself in the world as a producer of great equines.