THE PERCHERON REVIEW 
9 
The Outlook for Percheron Breeding in 
France and America 
While I am no prophet, it seems to me that con- 
ditions as they now are most certainly indicate 
that the prospects for the Percheron breeders of 
the United States are the brightest ever known. 
There have been men all over this country who for 
years have feared the competition of the imported 
horse. They have thought that if this competition 
were done away with it would be of great benefit 
to the business. Now all importations from France 
have been cut off completely for more than a year 
and a half, and cut off at the only time up to the 
present when American breeders were in position 
to take advantage of such a program. It is difficult 
to get news from France; the men we usually de- 
pend on for information are in the army. We do 
know, however, that when the war broke out the 
French government immediately forbade the ex- 
portation of horses. This embargo still is main- 
tained. At first the authorities started to take over 
the Percheron mares, but with disastrous results; 
many of the mares lost their colts. This was then 
stopped. One of the prominent breeders in France 
wrote me some time ago as follows: 
"All the geldings and mares over 4 years old have 
been requisitioned. There are left only the stal- 
hons, because the army does not use them. Con- 
trary to what has been said in America, have no 
anxiety; you will find on your next trip many horses 
of first quality, especially horses coming three years 
old, and also among the four-year-olds. As to the 
two-year-olds, the quantity is not large, for none 
of us has taken delivery of those for which we 
contracted. We have canceled nearly all our bar- 
gains with the small breeders. We have reduced 
the number taken as much as possible, and we have 
acted wisely, as all the oats and barley have been 
taken for army supplies. It is even a question of 
taking bran at this time. I ask myself with anxiety 
how we are going to keep our animals alive up to 
the new harvest." 
Another one of my friends wrote me early in the 
spring as follows: 
"The military requisitions have not taken any 
two-year-old stallions, nor any other stallions. 
They have taken only some entire work horses in 
the Beauce for the provision trains and as heavy 
artillery horses, but this is not a general rule. The 
military authorities are buying four-year-old French 
Coach horses, and are beginning to take some Per- 
cheron mares of the same age, but they much pre- 
fer five-year-olds and over. The Minister of War, 
acting in concert with the Minister of Agriculture, 
has decided to send back to their homes the owners 
and conductors of stallions so that breeding during 
the season of 1915 can be carried on as in preced- 
ing years." 
Still another French breeder writes that during 
the winter supplies of fodder and feed were largely 
requisitioned for military purposes. The most active 
men in the business are either in the army or other- 
wise in the government service. 
The last letter which I had from France says: 
"As you know, the exportation of horses is not 
allowed, but there are still some good stallions 
which will be at your disposition when you come 
back. Many breeders have left for the war. M. 
Tacheau is in the artillery at Chartres. Joseph Ave- 
line is on the front near Verdun. M. Thibault was 
killed last year. M. Perriott, Jr., of Champeaux is 
at the front. Ernest Perriot is a soldier too. Louis 
Aveline of Verrieres is in America as an officer to 
buy horses. M. Chouanard, Jr., of Verrieres is a 
