Boulonnais basic information

The Boulonnais is a heavy horse with elegance and distinction. There are two types today: the small sized "fish cart horse," now very rare and the large Boulonnais. The "fish cart" type was mainly used in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to quickly transport freshly caught fish. This type stands between 15 to 15.3 hands and is light with great endurance.

The large Boulonnais or "marée" type is a large, powerful horse often weighing over a ton. This type was developed in the nineteenth century to work in the beet fields.

The Boulonnais is gray in color, ranging from a very light to a dark dappled shade. An occasional chestnut is seen in the breed. The head is elegant and short with a flat and wide forehead, very keen, proud eyes, well-opened nostrils and small mobile ears. The neck is thick and muscular; the mane is thick and short. The chest is wide with a well-rounded rib cage. The withers are well placed but often set deep in the musculature. The back is straight and the limbs are strong and solid with clean joints. There is very little hair on the legs.