The handsome head of a Suffolk Punch

The Suffolk Punch is the oldest breed of heavy working horse in the British Isles to exist in its present form and probably dates back as far as the 13th Century. The breed was clearly described in the 15th Century and while it originated in Suffolk and the Eastern counties, its' origin like all the other old breeds is unknown but it is probable that the genes for large size emanated from the area known today as Belgium. The Suffolk has the longest written pedigree of all today's horses and can be traced back in an unbroken line to One stallion called Crisp's Horse of Ufford - who was foaled in 1768.

At that time all the other male lines appear to have dried out and it is obvious that in-breeding has always been practised and it is this that gives the breed its uniformity of appearance, incidentally, a factor to be considered by anyone looking for a 'matching' team. With Suffolks this is more easily achieved than with any other heavy horse breed. All Suf folks are chestnut (traditionally spelt without the 't') in colour with a total of seven different shades - the bright chestnut being not only the nost cannon, but also the most popular pigmentation. In height, the suffolk varies from 16hh (for the mares) to 17.1 hands for the stallions; the head is large with a broad forehead, the neck deep where the collar lies, tapering gracefully towards the head which shows considerable quality.

This stallion shows many of the most desirable qualities of the breed

The shoulders are long and muscular; the middle piece deep and compact with well-sprung ribs; the loins and hindquarters massive and powerful with good second thighs and the tail set high. One of the most important physical characteristics of the breed is that it is clean-legged, carrying no feather whatsoever, other than a silky tuft at the fetlock. This saved a lot of work when the horses came in front the fields and unlike other heavy horse breeds, they are not prone to 'grease', a disease that affects the skin covered by heavy feathering. The feet are large and to encourage the breeding of horses with good sound feet within the breed, the major shows in East Anglia all held 'foot' classes ... The overall impression of a good Suffolk is a horse with a large body and relatively short legs, and as a result this is a horse of tremendous strength. In fact, it is this combination of distinctive shape and great strength that 1ed to the breed's nickname of the Suffolk 'Punch'.

This is a long lived breed. Many individuals reach the age of 30 and can be worked well into their twenties... They are also very tough and stand up well to long days of hard work, either in the streets or on the farm.

At the height of their popularity and usefulness it must have been a glorious sight to see the thousands of horses working the fields of East Anglia.

Ian Victor Smith's horses ploughing

Surely of all the Heavy Horse breeds these horses look most natural in a farmland setting; their deep golden coats in complete harmony with the fields of stubble as they ploughed, or the meadows when they were used in haymaking.. The fact that they were basically associated with one area in particular may have hastened their demise since the large, level arable farms of East Anglia were ideal for early machinery as mechanisation took over during and after the second world war. The rapid spread of tractors dealt all the Heavy Horse breeds a serious blow and numbers fell dramatically - with large farms getting rid of as many as 40 horses in a single day. With the huge flood of horses onto the market there was no demand for them other than from the slaughterhouses and by 1966 only 9 foals were born. Fortunately a few new breeders emerged before the horse became extinct and the breed spread more generally throughout the British Isles although it is still at the Eastern based shows where they are likely to be seen in any numbers.

A beautifully plaited tail

The Suffolk is the only breed to have an annual ploughing match devoted exclusively to themselves. When they are shown in the ring, the braiding of the manes and tails with raffia is mast distinctive and the only breed decorated in this way. It also suits their colouring perfectly!

Although the numbers of these horses rose steadily after their post war crisis, the breed is still extremely rare and is now facing yet another crisis. At its' lowest ebb there were still landowners and larger farmers in East Anglia who were prepared to keep a stallion or two and to pay for the labour to look after them. They also often bought young colts and reared them until they could judge whether they were good enough to be kept as stallions. These people have now all gone and farming has become 'big business' with little of no room for indulging in private passions or interests, indeed very few individuals now have the financial resources to devote to breeding these great horses. The numbers of Suffolk foals has reached a new low of only 12 purebred animals being born in 1998 following only 22 in 1997. The highest number in the last ten years was 46 in 1993.

One way of preserving the breed is, somewhat ironically, the use of the Suffolk mare for cross breeding since they add bone and good temperament and when crossed with a T.B. in particular, the result can be an excellent and much sought after heavyweight hunter. It has been suggested that by cross-breeding the mares every other year for example, the sale of the resultant desirable progeny would help fund the breeding programme of pure-breds and the maintenance of the stallions....

This breed has formed an integral and utterly essential part of England's social history and as such it is as much a part of our national heritage as any of our great buildings and monuments. It is to be hoped therefore that the Suffolk Horse Society will be successful with its' appeal for funds to maintain the essential minimum numbers and purity of this now extremely rare breed.

Extinction is surely not an option?

Please make your contribution by making a donation to:

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH APPEAL:- The Suffolk Horse Society, The Market Hill, Woodbridge, Suffolk 1P12 4LU tel: 01394 380643