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Double Diamond Canadians
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Le Cheval Canadien/ The Canadian Horse
For generations the Canadian Horse played a vital role in the lives of the early settlers, not only in Canada, but in the United States as well. Today, however, few North Americans are aware of its existence and very little information can be found on this once extremely popular breed. Listed as "rare" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, the Canadian Horse numbers approximately 4000 head. Recently there has been a resurgence in the breed's popularity and more horse enthusiasts are becoming aware of the special qualities of "the little iron horse" as it was affectionately known.
The Canadian Horse is truly a national treasure. In the 1660's, horses sent by King Louis XIV, arrived in Quebec to assist the French colonists. These horses were carefully chosen from the royal stables, as well as from horses of Normandy and Brittany in France. They were of Andalusian, Arab and Spanish Barb stock. In addition, influence of the Dutch Friesain may be noticed in the trotting ability of the Canadian, the feathered legs and abundance of mane and tail. Twelve mares and two stallions survived the ocean voyage to become the first domestic horses to arrive in what is now Canada.
The colonists soon found the new arrivals to be hardy and versatile, with a cooperative disposition. For the next 150 years, there was no infusion of outside blood and it is said that the pure breed as it existed in 1850 was scarely altered from its prototype of a hundred years before. Because the horses were so useful to the Quebec area farmers in the early years, their numbers rose quickly, to 150,000 in 1850.
Only the strongest survived the harsh winters, and through the generations, they remained small in size. These horses had to endure conditions of extreme weather, hard use and sparse food, as a result developing the phenomenal hardiness the breed is renowned for. The historian, Faillon, described the horses as "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, gentle, affectionate". Intelligent, spirited, yet gentle, the Canadian has a well earned reputation for being an easy keeper with superior strength and endurance, truly a "little iron horse".
With such a reputation, the British settlers during the late 1700's and 1800's would start to demand the Canadian for use in cross breeding with their own horses, giving the foals this pluck, vigor and iron constitution. Thus Canadian Horses found a ready market in the United States and contributed greatly to the foundation of many of today's popular breeds such as the Standardbred, Tenneesee Walking Horse, Saddlebred, and the Morgan. Soon Canadians were found on fine carriages, on stagecoaches and as recruits in the Civil War as mounts and artillery stock.
So great was the drain to the United States of the pure Canadian Horse that numbers at home were reduced alarmingly. By the end of the 19th century the breed was in extreme danger of extinction. In 1886 a stud book was established to record the best of the remaining animals, and the Canadian Horse Breeders Association was formed in 1895. The breed struggled and continued to be in danger, even with the help of government run stud farms. In 1976 there were only 383 registered Canadians. It was only through the efforts of a handful of private breeders that the Canadian started the slow climb back from the brink of extinction.