# Any Ardennes Stallions at stud in the UK?



## Shellby27 (11 December 2008)

I have just bought a stunning Ardenne mare who I would love to have a foal from in the near future. I cannot find any info on this breed in the UK. Can any one enlighten me? Would love to find a purebred stallion at stud in the UK, but would consider AI.

Anyone with any links/websites about this breed would be appreciated too


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## Tiarella (11 December 2008)

i will ask my neighbour on the yard. she has a ardennes gelding from a dealer in wales who bought it from a stud in belgium.


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## FinnishLapphund (11 December 2008)

From http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/Breeds/assoc.htm 
The Ardennes 
*Ardennes Horse Society of GB,* Mrs J C Hewitt White Ash Farm Starvenden Lane Sissinghurst Kent TN17 2AN Tel: 01580 715001 Fax: 01580 712206 


On this page you can become a member of The Ardennes Horse Society of Great Britain (I think, that's what it says anyway)
http://www.thejoyofhorses.com/oct98/ardennesmembership.htm


http://www.thejoyofhorses.com/oct98/ardenneshistory.htm

http://www.mypets.net.au/flex/articles/315/ardennes-horse.cfm


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Ardennes







Not much info, but maybe it could be interesting in other ways http://www.discover-horse-carriage-driving.com/ardennes-horses.html



from Sweden.


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## Rollin (12 December 2008)

Congratulations on your purchase - a fantastic breed.  Several years ago we visited a state run farm in Luxembourg.  They had a small stud for this breed and used the farm to teach children about traditional methods of agriculture.

School children visited from all over Benelux and stayed in a hostel on the farm.  They were able to try their hand at ploughing learned about harvesting and milling grain and made bread.

We learned that the Aardennes horse is being preserved through a co-operative of farmers in Benelux.


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## Shellby27 (12 December 2008)

Thanks for all the fantastic info! I'm pretty sure the Ardenne Society in the UK is closed 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. I am hoping to go to Germany next year to watch this huge heavy horse show. Can't remember what its called at the mo.


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## FinnishLapphund (12 December 2008)

This might not help, but the Swedish version of Wikipedia has much more detailed info, and I've used a fast but not always reliable internet translation tool to get the following (BUT note that I haven't taken away the parts that only is about Swedish Ardennes)


SUMMARY : Ardennes is a powerful breed originating in the Ardennes. Ardennes is the most common Heavy horse in the world and many countries have their own breeding of the Ardennes after a default. However counted Ardennes home country such as Belgium and even France. But there is now also the Ardennes Swedish, Dutch Ardennes, German Ardennes and more. All the features that suit their country and their uses 

Ardennes has often been used as a working horse in the heavily agricultural and transport. Before the 1800s was the Ardennes smaller and more compact than today's modern Ardennes horses. Today the Ardennes are most commonly used for heavier carriage driving and in forestry.




HISTORY : Condroz Plateau has been considered the Belgian Ardennes actual residence. Soil and climatic conditions favored the development of a heavy, solid and very strong breed. Originally, there were more among themselves rather well different types of horses in Belgium. Of these, Ardennes horse the smallest and Brabant horse of medium size. Eventually it put together all these types horse and put up a common herd book for them. When Julius Caesar year 57 BC came to Gaul, he found in the current Belgium a tough and tireless rural horse who was ancestor to the current Ardennes horse. Also the Greek historian Herodotus praised these horses for their power and strength. Probably originated from the northern Ardennes forest horse who was ancestor of most of today's Draught horses. 

As the name indicates got those first horses of the breed from Arden The mountain, located in southeast Belgium on the border with France. These horses were also called at the time, "Ardennes mountains." They were small, tough, tough and moving horses, which at the junction appeared to fit well together with the Swedish horse material and many Ardennes horses were exported to Sweden to improve the old Swedish farm horses. 

During the 1600s, 1700s and into the 1800s was used Ardennes horses usually not in agriculture but heavier riding horses and driving speed, especially in the cavalry. During the French Revolution (1789) and the subsequent imperial times was considered Ardennes horse to be the absolute best artillery horse in the whole of Europe. During the Russian campaign in 1812 Napoleon was not enough to commend the tireless Ardennes horses. The French army lost during the campaign on a single night, about 30,000 horses, but Ardennes horse endured cold and contented themselves with straw, which represented the Russian peasant cottage hollows ceiling, and thus managed to withstand all hardships.



During the early 1800s vein began a long series of improvements in the Ardennes oc a lot utavel. Ardennes horses crossed notably with the much easier and more noble Arab full blood to make the Ardennes horses more mobile and more energetic. Out-crossing was also with English thoroughbred, but also with heavy and strong Draught as Percheron and Boulognese, although these breeds had little impact on the Ardennes. It was only towards the mid-1800s as the biggest changes happened, then agriculture changed and new demands placed on the horse material. Ardennes then crossed with very heavy and large Draught as Brabant horses and Auxoishästar. The result was a much bigger and heavier Ardennes. The smaller type was still there but was replaced more and more of the larger and heavier types. Until the 1970s sworn easier Ardennes horses in northeastern France, but today it is this type more OR less disappeared. 

During the First World War was used thousands of the now much larger Ardennes again in the cavalry in which they were used to derive wagons with provisions, arms and cannons. During both the First and Second World War was lost so many horses that it was forced to import stallions, including one from the Netherlands to feed to the stock again. After the mid-1900s, however, would mechanization of farming communities and lead to interest in large and heavy horses would be drastically reduced and no more blood was needed from outside. Farmers could instead invest in to fix the type and breed horses with high quality. 

The modern Ardennes is much larger than the old type, but is also the most common and most popular Heavy horse in Europe. Today the horses are very seldom used in agriculture but more in forestry or carriage driving.





IN SWEDEN : Sweden introduced the first Ardennes horses in 1873, when Count Carl Gustaf Otto Christian Wrangel acquired three stallions to a Värmland stallion Company (renamed stallions to Ardenne, Faro and Railleur). In 1874 he imported mares Rigolette and La Mere to Blomberg in Skaraborg County. Thus the foundation was also added to the first Swedish Ardennes breeding stud. 

It was not long until the Ardennes horse conquered most of southern and central Sweden. Even in the north was used landrace to cross, but its better recognized before it even was too late, that the old North Swedish horse should not be crossed out with foreign blood. 

The modern Ardennes is much larger than the old type, but is also the most common and most popular Heavy horse in Europe. Today the horses are very seldom used in agriculture but more in forestry or speed.



Breeding of the Swedish Ardennes under the supervision of Breed for the Swedish Ardennes horse. 
Breeding goals :
to keep the breed pure from the interference of alien races, and improve its external appearance and health, maintaining the good service properties. 
the Ardennes horse exterior should be well sealed with a strong back a long cross, wide deep thigh, have the right to the bone with short strips, dry heavy ARTICULATION well marked, and well formed hooves, in harmony with the horse size. 

Mandatory hoof cartilage X-ray of horses intend appear on the stallion rewarding will be from 2 1 / 2 years of age. Approved breeding colours are brown (which is most common), chestnut, black and brown (bay?), black, and various roan (maybe also flecked?).





CHARACTERISTICS : The modern Ardennes is a very powerful Draught horse - and is often much more robust and round than many other European Draught breeds. The legs are strong and powerful, often with bushy, but not to long fetlocks. The loin is enormously wide and unusually short, but is well and strong muscles. The neck is strong and broad pestering on the muscular shoulder. In relation to the massive body that is hovarna unusually small, but they are healthy and strong and often show no tendency to crack or dry out. Ardennes has a strong head with a flat, "severance" muzzle, outward embossing nose and large protruding eyes. Ears are relatively small and is sitting pretty wide apart. Due to the smooth muscles and underlying the shoulder so the movements are often surprisingly free and lively. 

The climate in the Ardennes where the horse was first up is known for its harsh winters. This has led to a hardy horse, which is natural sound, tenacious and persistent. Ardennes is loved for its docile and easy temper, and for its willingness to work and strenght. 

According to the breed standard is the most desirable colours flecked chestnut, dark roan, dark chestnut and light brown. Brighter chestnut and isabelle is also approved. Height is often between 155 and 162 cm and the horses weigh between 500 and 800 kg, although some specimens can easily reach a weight of over a tonne.




Hope I have found and corrected the most of the translation faults, from Sweden.


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## lachlanandmarcus (13 December 2008)

Theres a cross bred one, I know thats not ideal but he is fantastic!

Hes Ardenne x with a King of Diamonds mare

here he is......

http://www.countryfarmstud.co.uk/viewstallions.php?horse=Pink%20Panthar


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## Toast (13 December 2008)

I wondered about Arnie, but i didnt post a link because i wasnt sure if he was being used as a walk in anymore... maybe he is!
x


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## Tharg (13 December 2008)

Wow, Arnie really is something.  Would love to see his dressage scores or photos out hunting.


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## mrdarcy (13 December 2008)

I know someone with a gelding by Arnie - he looks very like him and is a lovely boy, so he certainly breeds on his good temperament.


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## Toast (13 December 2008)

Yes where i work we have a mare by him, shes fantastic 
	
	
		
		
	


	




x


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