Comtois

A breed steeped in history, the Comtois is a light draft horse bred in the Jura Mountains between France and Switzerland since the sixth century. It probably descends from horses brought by the Burgundians, a population that came from Northern Germany some 200 years before. A hardy, willing horse, often chestnut in color with a flaxen mane and tail, the Comtois became famous as an army horse. Louis XIV used the Comtois for his cavalry and artillery, as did Napoleon Bonaparte. Stocky and powerful, with a wide frame and muscular hindquarters, the breed has a reputation for gentleness. Today, the sure-footed Comtois is still widely used for work in the high pine forests and the hilly vineyards of France.