# percheron temperment



## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

As a horse person, I do know how ridiculously broad this question is... but I'm going to ask it anyway. 

How is the percheron temperment in general? The drafties not the hitch bred type.

How long lived are they? Moderate trail riding and maybe some light driving wise.

LOL and here are the really good questions (I know, I know)

Are young perches easily trained? Are they prone to hissy fits that involve rearing, bucking, etc?

I do realize how silly the questions(I'm laughing myself) are since individual horses are vastly different. Please just bear with me.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Read up on the history of the breed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percheron

http://www.rarities-etc.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=294

http://www.percheron.ca/history.htm


Prone to hissy fits? No, but you don't just throw a harness on one day and go to work. They aren't like your Warm Bloods, they generally had to have a quiet attitude to stand still when told to, as happens often in farm worm.

Here is a picture of my friend, Kim the Farrier, on her half Percheron gelding, Coal. The rest are full sized horses, not ponies.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Draft horse breeds were selectively bred to not only be larger but also to be more docile, less jumpy, more agreeable, more tractable. When most of the breeders were also farmers, those traits were noted and bred for. Now there are many breeders of draft horses who do not work their horses so those traits of docility, tractability may go unnoticed or under-regarded in favor of things like height, size of hoof, lift of foot.

People who show draft horses in the ring are not given blue ribbons for their horse's docility, let's just put it that way.

The individual horse and his progenitors will have to be evaluated on their own merits and not on the supposed breed standards.

I love my Percherons. I find them to be easy to train, agreeable, easy to work without being slow or dull. I ride, drive and work mine. I aim for the shorter strain of Percherons - less than 17 hands and not so bulky that they require a special size of saddle tree. Mine wear saddles with full quarter horse bars and I can easily put my calves on them to give cues. I have harnessed drafts that were too tall for 5'6" me to comfortably throw a harness on. I have ridden drafts that were too bulky and wide in the barrel for me to be able to effectively apply leg aids. My girls are just right for me.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

How old are your girls?


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Both are 8 years old. The mark on the horse's hip is just a damaged photograph, not a damaged horse. In this show, the horse is walked away from the Judge, walked back, then trotted away and trotted back and then the horse has to stand while the Judge inspects. My son and my horse, long time ago. Good temperament? Oh yes. Brave kid? Oh yes.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

My current two are 12 and 13. Got the one when she was four. Got the other when she was eight. Just saw a Shire mare plowing this last weekend who is 28. Friend of mine has some who are retired now at around 30 but they were doing half a day's work at 25.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Probably Percherons are more lively than some of the other draft breeds. But good natured, easy to train, and won't try to hurt you. Well, it's possible that there are a few nutzo Percherons out there, but not any that I've heard of. That would not be normal breed temperament.

Always, when you buy, buy the individual horse and not the breed.

I've know several people who used them as saddle horses and they were lovely. Sweet natured and would work all day while babysitting the rider. I knew 2 that competed in endurance.

And they are beautiful horses to look at.

Haypoint, that is a fabulous photo.


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

oregon woodsmok said:


> Always, when you buy, buy the individual horse and not the breed.


 This is So True!


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I believe that if you start out early and provide positive lessons, you can teach even a young Percheron. Jake was just past his first birthday when this clip was made. At twenty-five months, he is safe to take onto the highway with a 4 wheeled Viceroy. (google it if you don't know what it is, I didn't)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2pMt10RrtY[/ame]


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=jiXxh4edpWs

Birth of a Percheron, twice.


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

Compared to light horses, they tend to be very mellow, not easily spooked or "prone to hissy fits" (of course as you know that is a huge generalization and won't be true for all individuals). The 3 percherons that I have worked with (riding and driving) have been wonderful. They were 16, 17 and 20 years old, still going strong, very reliable and sound. Could put beginner riders on them, and they taught me how to drive. The 17 year old tragically died last year from an intestinal blockage.

Compared to other draft breeds they may be a little more lively. I did have a couple spook incidents, one was when someone drove a tractor into the indoor arena (I think any horse would have spooked...) and once in the spring when the weather was really nice, and they were just feeling extra spunky that day I think (again, that can happen with any breed, and any animal for that matter). But as an inexperienced driver I was able to get them back under control quickly, which probably says a lot about them. 

I agree, buy the individual and not the breed. But I have had great experience with the percherons I have worked with.


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## Little_Bit_Red (Nov 19, 2010)

wolffeathers said:


> Are young perches easily trained? Are they prone to hissy fits that involve rearing, bucking, etc?


:trollface Ok, i am just gonna poke fun - if you get a chance, check out my post in the Equine category, titled "Thrown from a Horse" or something close to that.... Hope is a female 9 year old Percheron/TB cross......

I did have some fault in this event, i admit (because I am a novice)


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Little_Bit_Red said:


> :trollface Ok, i am just gonna poke fun - if you get a chance, check out my post in the Equine category, titled "Thrown from a Horse" or something close to that.... Hope is a female 9 year old Percheron/TB cross......
> 
> I did have some fault in this event, i admit (because I am a novice)


Let's blame it on the TB blood in her. LOL


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Saw this one on craigslist this morning.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHHdTJ1hACg[/ame]


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## yoopermom (Feb 9, 2009)

I always laugh when people say that Breed X is the wilder or more spirited breed out of all the draft horses, because I have found that, compared to regular breeds, all of the drafties are pretty calm and sweet. My dad has two Clydes and my son has ridden them since his legs wouldn't go across their tabletop backs! Neither have ever bucked or run off. Sure they have their moments, they are still *horses*, but drafties are really lovely....

Terri


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## Maddiequus (Nov 4, 2003)

I <3 my Percheron!!! Bullet's default "quirk" is to back up. I'll take that any day over a run out, rear, buck, etc! He takes a look at something scary and moonwalks. lol I've ridden other Perchs, hitch horses, who were VERY forward with more attitude, but I think a lot of that is learned behavior for the ring. I don't know if I would classify Perchs as less spooky so much as...they telegraph everything. You can see the wheels turning, the muscles gearing up, like molasses compared to light breeds, who seem to flip out in the blink of an eye.
I've noticed the bigger horses are more careful about their bodies, as well. Of course you have to instill good ground training, but like big dogs they carry that "gentle giant" mentality. Bullet spent a day with children running under, around, behind, up to him and he never once misplaced a hoof or swung his head too hard...he stood still when they were scurrying around, lipped grass from their hands lightly. I've been able to get people who were afraid of horses to ride Bullet, even though he's huge, because he exudes that gentle spirit.
Percherons are also very brave. There was a thread on here - was it last year? - about a Percheron who saved a small boy from a bear on a trail ride.
Madeline


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

I had a percheron arab cross, nice size, good attitude and temperament, but he was very short backed and pony gaited, think it was the cross...super easy to train


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