104 A HISTORY OF THE PEBCHERON HORSE 



studies The Perche and its history, the more firmly 

 one is persuaded: first, that the Percheron horse is 

 a product of this ancient province and indigenous to 

 the basin of the Seine, and second, that he has been 

 developed and has acquired his most distinguishing 

 characteristics through judicious breeding within the 

 territorial limitations of The Perche itself. Centu- 

 ries of evolution in a small country where the soil, 

 the climate, the forage, and the very air itself con- 

 duced in the highest degree to the production of 

 good horses have accomplished the result so admired 

 today. 



Modifications of type have taken place in the past, 

 and no doubt will appear in the future. All draft 

 breeds have undergone mutations to meet the chang- 

 ing exigencies of the times. During the Dark Ages 

 the native horse of The Perche was in demand as a 

 war horse. Later we know that in the 17th century 

 depredating bands frequently entered The Perche, 

 primarily for the purpose of appropriating the fine 

 horses known to be there. Although we have no 

 historical facts to prove that Eotrou III sallied forth 

 from Nogent with his numerous retinue of knights 

 and vassals, all mounted on the light type old-time 

 Percherons, when he went to fight the infidels in thti 

 Holy Land in 1095, history does not tell us, -on the 

 contrary, that other than native horses were em- 

 ployed in this expedition, or in the second Crusaclie, 

 or in the campaign against the Saracens in Spain. 

 To all of these martial exploits many of the seigneurs 

 of The Perche contributed their quota. 



