The Ardennes actually gets its name from the area it inhabits. The Ardennes Horse is one of the oldest breeds of draft horse; its points of origin are in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. Even though these horses are large and heavy boned, they possess outstanding agility.
The Ardennes is a descendant of the Solutrian, which roamed Rhone, Saone, and Meuse around 50,000 B.C., specifically during the Paleolithic period. New evidence has been discovered over the last several years that points to the fact that the Ardennes Horse breed has remained for the most part unchanged for the last 15,000 years, taking the horse back to the last ice age.
The Ardennes Horses have certainly played their part in history; they were particularly favored by the great Roman ruler, Julius Caesar. He recommended them for the vigor of cavalry work. Even after Caesar's murder, the Ardennes was employed by future emperors of Rome for use in the official cavalry of the empire and in other official uses as well.
Much later, many knights of the Middle Ages commented on the Ardennes remarkable strength and agility. Thus, they were used for carrying soldiers into battle even while the man was suited up in full armor.
Cross breeding was introduced into the Ardennes Horse during the 18th century, Arabian blood was introduced to increase the size, and even more further the strength of these already strong horses. The Ardennes was also used in the creation of three different variations of the horse: the Baltic Ardennes, Russian Heavy Draft, and Swedish Ardennes. They range in colors, but the black is excluded from the registration so it is rare to come across.
These horses like a lot of others, played a role in war, particularly both of the World Wars. They were used to pull supply vehicles a lot of the time, especially in muddy and hilly terrain. When an Ardennes would happen to die in battle, or become mortally wounded, many of the horses were provided as food to the troops who were on the verge of starvation at various points during the long campaigns.
In 1936, The National Society for Belgian Draught Horses split the studbook into two different categories of horse, the Belgian Heavy Draught Horse and the Ardennes. Sweden also holds a studbook, but their horses are purebred dating clear back to 1840s imports, the UK has been slowly but surely developing studbook as well.
The Ardennes Horse has come into common use in the Rising for the Disabled Associations, as well as common pleasure riding horse.
These horses were even used and favored by the great Napoleon; it said that Napoleon owed his return to Niemen to his trusty Calvary horses, which happen to be Ardennes horses. They withstood the cold that was responsible for the destruction of 10,000 horses. The Ardennes were hooked to supply corps wagons and managed to pull them through the mud and snow.
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