Photo: Comminges Marie-Aiymery · Public domain horse breed · 671 on Animalso
Charolais horse
- Animal
- Horse
- Type
- Half-bred horse
- Origin
- France
About the Charolais horse
The Charolais horse, also called the Charollais, was an extinct warmblood breed from the Charolais area around Charolles in eastern central France. The breed took its name from the region and did not have its own specific stud-book. It developed through crosses between local agricultural horses and Thoroughbreds. At first, it served several purposes: people rode it, drove it, and used it for agricultural work. In the late 19th century, more Thoroughbred blood was added, producing a type used mainly as a light cavalry mount. The horse was also used in dressage and show jumping. In 1958, the Charolais was combined with other French warmblood types, including the Angevin, Charentais, Cheval Limousin, and Vendéen, with the aim of forming the national warmblood stud-book, the Selle français. Its listed type is half-bred horse.
What stands out
- Served riding, driving, and agricultural work
- Later type was used as a light cavalry mount
- Also used in dressage and show jumping
Worth knowing
- The breed is extinct
- It never had a specific stud-book
Who it suits
The Charolais is of historical interest to readers exploring French horse breeds and their former riding, driving, agricultural, cavalry, and sport roles.
In short
The Charolais was a French warmblood with a varied working history and later cavalry and sport uses. It is extinct and was incorporated into the Selle français effort in 1958.
More horse breeds from France
Angevin horse France Photo: Eugène Gayot · Public domain 
Anglo-Norman horse France Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Public domain 
AQPS France Photo: Tsaag Valren · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Berrichon horse France Height 1.58 cm Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Public domain 
Bidet breton France Photo: Revue Sport universel illustré · Public domain Other half-bred horse breeds
Brennou horse France Photo: Eugène Gayot · Public domain 
Carrossier noir du Cotentin France Height 1.5 cm Photo: L. Moll & Eug. Gayot · Public domain 
Cauchois horse France Photo: Théodore Géricault · Public domain 
Charentais horse France Photo: Rélier Léonard · Public domain Photo credits17 photographs on this page
- Charolais horse — Comminges Marie-Aiymery · Public domain · file page
- Angevin horse — Eugène Gayot · Public domain · file page
- Anglo-Norman horse — Wikimedia Commons contributor · Public domain · file page
- AQPS — Tsaag Valren · CC BY-SA 4.0 · file page
- Auvergne horse — Stephanemartin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · file page
- Auxois — Cjp24 crop by Peli · CC BY 3.0 · file page
- Barraquand horse — Michael Barbereau WMFr · CC BY-SA 4.0 · file page
- Berrichon horse — Wikimedia Commons contributor · Public domain · file page
- Bidet breton — Revue Sport universel illustré · Public domain · file page
- Boulonnais — Amélie Tsaag Valren · CC BY-SA 4.0 · file page
- Brennou horse — Eugène Gayot · Public domain · file page
- Breton horse — Goulwena MOEL · CC BY-SA 3.0 · file page
- Camargue horse — Peter Broster · CC BY 3.0 · file page
- Carrossier noir du Cotentin — L. Moll & Eug. Gayot · Public domain · file page
- Castillonnais — Tylwyth Eldar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · file page
- Cauchois horse — Théodore Géricault · Public domain · file page
- Charentais horse — Rélier Léonard · Public domain · file page
Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under the licence each one names. How Animalso credits photographs.