How A Family Imported French Bloodlines To Revive Working Percheron Draft Horses

Send us Fan MailReal power doesn’t need glitter. We sit down with Travis and Ashley from southern Illinois to trace a bold move: importing a French Percheron stallion to bring back the old-style draft—shorter, heavier, smarter, and sound from hoof to head. What starts as a love story with a rock-solid mare becomes a cross-Atlantic quest for bone, brains, and better feet.Walk through their two-week tour of German farms and the French national stud, where selection is stricter, bloodlines span centuries, and stallions must earn their place in the book. They explain how that discipline shows up in the horses: compact frames, minimal feather, round cupped hooves, and calm, teachable minds. Then meet “Nemo,” a dark dapple gray with black legs, 16.1 hands and roughly 1,700 pounds, who rides like a big quarter horse and drives with a quiet, thinking attitude. We cover training choices, why they started him under saddle first, and what makes him a standout for true draft crosses that look the part and work all day.If you’ve watched hitch trends stretch Percherons taller and narrower, this conversation offers a different path. We unpack registry differences, breeding goals, semen collection and shipping, and color genetics, including plans to test for homozygous gray. There’s a practical through-line for farmers, teamsters, carriage pros, mule lovers, and anyone who wants a versatile half draft with real width and a soft eye. And yes, their imported filly sets the stage for full-French foals registered in both France and the U.S.Come for the story; stay for the blueprint to revive a working Percheron that fits modern jobs and old values. If you care about sound feet, sane minds, and draft horses that actually draft, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow horse person, and leave a review telling us which old-style traits you want to see return.For more info on breeding your mare to Nemo De La Noe - Contact me at (606) 303-5669 Thank you for your support, and God Bless You! Your friend, Steven D Haste------Support the showFind us online at DraftHorsesAndMulesForSale.com