A Gathering of Comtois in France – Livestock

A Gathering of Comtois in France

by Kristina Goetz of Jackson, WY

In August 2004, I as soon as once more managed to slide in another country to return to the splendors of rural France. I had a number of targets in thoughts, one in all which was to attempt to get a glimpse into life for the draft horse there.

The origins of many draft breeds lie in Europe: the Belgian of Belgium, the Fresian of the Netherlands, the Haflinger of Italy and the Fjord of Norway, are all European breeds fairly well-liked right here within the US, as are a number of breeds originating on the British Isles just like the Suffolk Punch, the Clydesdale, and the Shire. The French particularly have a really lengthy historical past with horses, and have performed a big function within the growth of draft horses. France as a single nation has itself over 41 breeds, with 10 draft breeds. In a rustic with over 90 “departments,” or counties, and at the very least as many cultural identities, it ought to come as no shock that there are such a lot of breeds of working horse. These embrace the Ardennes, Auxois, Boulonnais, Breton, Percheron, Poitevin, Norman Cob, Trait du Nord, and the Comtois. Many of those have been interbred over the ages producing the breeds we all know at the moment.

Earlier than I left the US I attempted to perform a little homework. Though tough to find out, it did appear that there could also be a number of strongholds of draft horse use in France. Sadly, my schedule and itinerary didn’t permit me to attend any massive occasions. As a substitute, I needed to hunt down one thing that was being held in one of many areas I used to be already heading. I had the nice fortune to then stumble throughout an inventory of draft horse gala’s and occasions all through your complete nation, which proved a gold mine of data. In fact, this gold mine was all in French, and mine is a bit of missing. Nonetheless I used to be quickly planning for a cease within the city of Pontelier, the primary hub in a single nook of the nation I had by no means been to and was bent on exploring: the Franche-Compte. As luck would have it, this area has its very personal breed of draft horse, the Comtois. It was to an “exhibition” of this horse that I used to be heading, though because of my awful French, I used to be unsure precisely what sort of “exhibition” I used to be heading to. However, off I went…

The Franche-Compte is the area simply north of the Jura Mountains, within the far east of France, on the Swiss border and never removed from the Swiss metropolis of Geneva. This space clearly has a Swiss/German affect, in each structure and dialect, and is a phenomenal, picturesque, and seldom-traveled space. Pontelier itself was a captivating city, nicely stored and stuffed with pleasant folks and surrounded by outlying areas of lush meadow and grazing cows. Regardless of its small dimension and distance from the massive metropolis (Paris was a number of hours away) it had a really progressive really feel. It was additionally host to a magnificently massive natural market! Many footpaths and strolling alternatives surrounded the city, and the few guests to the world typically come for the strolling. I actually made it to the Swiss border on a morning’s jaunt on a well-marked and exquisite desolate nation lane. It is a very talked-about space in winter for cross nation skiers, because the rolling hills, thick forests, and sumptuous surroundings are excellent for the game. Once I arrived in mid-August, the meadow grasses had been tall and flowers in bloom.

The Franche-Compte is, like many areas in France, very pleased with their distinct heritage and distinctive native flavors. The Comtois, it appears, is a really previous breed, maybe descended from horses delivered to the world from northern German immigrants within the fourth century. It’s second solely to the Breton in numbers in France, and its numbers proceed to rise. It’s stated to be a good-natured, arduous working, straightforward to coach horse, with endurance, hardiness, and stability. The Comtois continues for use for hauling wooden from the forest within the Jura, and for working in hilly vineyards. This rural county can be the proud producer to what I discovered to be one other most excellent accomplishment I need to not neglect to say: it’s personal cheese. Compte, with its strict laws (concerning cows allowed per acre of grass) for manufacturing, is probably the most delicate creamy and scrumptious I got here throughout in all of France, and there was a spot proper on the town the place you possibly can tour cheesemaking amenities and gorge your self on tastings.

However fact be advised, upon arrival on this clearly fashionable city, I used to be extremely skeptical that my sleuthing expertise had been to repay. Certainly there was no draft horse meet occurring right here! However after poking round a bit, and with the assistance of a really form info clerk, there it was, deep in a protracted record of Pontelier’s summer time occasions: the working horse exhibition.

And so the next morning, a brief stroll from city to the schoolgrounds led me to a hill overlooking a most pretty sight: a subject filled with Comtois! A whole bunch of those stunning chestnut workhorses, with flaxen manes and tails, milled a couple of subject stuffed with spectators. I marched down the drive and right into a froth of French-speaking agriculturists, armed with an array of questions in my impressively damaged and horrific French.

From the get-go, it was clear this was no plow match or demo; the present was purely for judging every horse’s conformation and gait in keeping with the breed customary. Though I used to be disenchanted to not see them in actual motion, I used to be nonetheless commending myself on discovering the needle within the haystack. Apparently, it appears draft horses for present are extra frequent than in sensible use or agricultural matches in France, and so I couldn’t really feel too dangerous. Seems, this explicit meet was an unusual occasion and had solely been deliberate to mark the anniversary of the world. The ambiance was delightfully low-key, the beer flowed, and one may look out over 100 thick rumps gleaming within the sunshine.

For every horse to be judged, two lanes had been arrange for the horse to stroll, then trot down, led by their handler. Courses had been organized by the horse’s age. All Comtois born in a sure yr got a reputation that started with the identical letter; for example, yearlings had names that started with M. Two year-olds that had been deemed worthy of the breed customary had been eligible to be an official Comtois, and had been branded with the elegant and historic model proper there after they exited the lane! Custom additionally appeared to dictate that the horses manes and tails be braided with straw, and this was certainly a really stunning and fashionable contact. Go away it to the French!

Being in such a rural area, nary an English speaker may I discover. So, lots of my questions had been left unanswered. In my travels following, I did hear vaguely of the resurgence of draft horse use by small farmers. I additionally heard of a gaggle of farmers within the Ariege area who’re selling the usage of the draft horse, forming work teams and giving clinics and instruction in utilizing horse drawn farm instruments. I heard simply sufficient to maintain me eager to know extra. Guess I should return as soon as once more to this nation that prides itself in its small farms and agricultural range.