The Barraquand horse is a French mountain horse breed that emerged from an ancient selection process in the Vercors Massif. It is believed to have originated from a small herd of animals cultivated by Christian monastic communities, particularly those associated with the Léoncel Abbey. Named after the Barraquand family, who developed their breeding practices from the late 19th century until the 1950s, primarily through the practice of transhumance. Following the bankruptcy of the original Barraquand breeding operation and the sale of a portion of their land in 1963, the breed was considered lost. However, it has been reconstituted since the 1990s through the efforts of various breeders and local institutions, notably the Barraquand family, the Vercors Regional Natural Park, and the Annecy National Stud.
The selection process undertaken by Jules Barraquand has led to a notable homogeneity in the size and type of these horses, which are modest in stature, typically bay in color, and renowned for their calm demeanor and resilience to harsh mountain climates. Historically used for transport and agricultural work, the Vercors de Barraquand horse is now primarily employed in equestrian tourism within its native region. As a critically endangered breed, its population was estimated at 215 individuals in 2015. The breed has been officially recognized by the French Ministry of Agriculture since 2017.
Etymology and terminology The official name designated on 18 July 2017 by the French Ministry of Agriculture for this horse breed is Cheval du Vercors de Barraquand. This designation is also recognized by the official database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, DAD-IS.
The customary use of this horse in the South of France has led to the Barraquand family's name being associated with the breed. Consequently, the terms cheval du Vercors and Cheval (de) Barraquand can be used interchangeably. CAB International's reference work (6th edition, 2020) refers to the breed as "Vercors", listing 'Barraquand' as a synonym; however, the Delachaux Guide does the opposite. Furthermore, La France agricole (2016 edition) refers to the breed under its official name of Cheval du Vercors de Barraquand.
History Various unverifiable hypotheses exist regarding the origins of the Barraquand horse, one of which suggests it may be a descendant of the Tarpan. The only academic source on this breed is a thesis by veterinary student Jean-Xavier Dussert, which focused on the Barraquand family's transhumance breeding practices and was defended in 1946, subsequently published the following year.
Origins
The history of the Vercors Massif has been significantly influenced by the establishment of Christian monastic communities engaged in livestock breeding and agriculture since the Middle Ages. It is likely that these communities contributed to the selection of the ancestors of the current local horse breed. In 1760, Dom Périer, prior of the Abbey of Léoncel and credited with the first written mention of this breed, proposed the establishment of a stud farm on the Ambel plateau, but his request was denied due to his controversial history deforestation. According to a brochure from the Barraquand family for the Vercors horse association, it was stated that "since time immemorial, the Vercors mountains had been home to a breed of stocky, hardy horses perfectly adapted to the rugged mountain terrain and harsh climate".
During this period, horses were in short supply in the region and were primarily used for transport, fieldwork, and meat production.
Although the number of horses in Treschenu-Creyers increased significantly between 1836 and 1921—accompanied by a decrease in the number of donkeys and mules— by the end of the 19th century, small mountain horses began to decline due to competition from heavy draft breeds more commonly used in the plains. This decline was exacerbated by a decrease in farming activities, driven by the harsh climate and a growing preference for cattle breeding, which proved more profitable.
Barraquand family influence The breed experienced significant growth at the end of the 19th century, with further development occurring in the first half of the 20th century under the leadership of the Barraquand family, breeders from the Vercors region who owned land in what is now the commune of Omblèze. Jules Barraquand is particularly recognized as the founder of the breed. In 1894, at the age of fourteen, he established his own herd by selecting a stallion and six local mares. Rigorous selection practices contributed to the homogenization of the horses' characteristics.
In the winter of 1908, Jules Barraquand began transhumance, guiding hundreds of horses across the south of France along the Rhone valley, leaving the summer pastures to spend the winter in the Crau. By 1914, his effective management had resulted in a herd that included 200 broodmares and eight stallions approved by the National Stud Farms, solidifying the breed's association with his name.
The onset of World War I caused a temporary slowdown in breeding activities. However, post-war, breeding resumed, with farmers and market gardeners in the Vercors and southern regions adopting this economical horse for their small-scale farm work. The so-called "Barraquand horses" began to spread to farms in villages along the transhumance route. This period of agricultural prosperity enabled the Barraquand family to acquire nearly 800 hectares of land near Arles and in the Vercors, at Ambel. The transhumance from the Font d'Urle and Ambel lands to the plains of the Southern regions, involving the passage of dozens of bais horses along the Rhone valley, served as an effective means of reaching potential buyers and users, leaving a lasting impression on local communities. These horses play an important role in the local economy.
Decline World War II significantly impacted Barraquand breeding. Despite this, the horses' transhumance captured the attention of journalist Merry Bromberger, who featured them in an article for Voici la France in July 1941. The lands of Fond d'Urle and Ambel were occupied by individuals evading compulsory labor, and the farm buildings were set ablaze by German forces. Following the death of Jules Barraquand, his son Frédéric struggled to maintain the family business, as the farm in Ambel had been destroyed and the horses requisitioned and dispersed by the Germans.
This remaining population of approximately 150 horses drew the interest of veterinary student Jean-Xavier Dussert. After observing a report on their transhumance, he dedicated his thesis to the breed, which he defended in 1946, proposing the development of a genuine "alpine" breed.
In the 1950s, the horse trade declined with the mechanization of agriculture. The last transhumance took place in 1954. The Barraquand family's breeding operation went into deficit, and sales collapsed in the late 1950s. Frédéric Barraquand ultimately sold his land and disbanded the farm in 1963. With no traceability of the horses, the breed was considered extinct.
Safeguarding
At the end of the 20th century, the Barraquand horse began to attract renewed attention, largely due to the efforts of enthusiasts such as Jean-Louis Barraquand, the grandson of Jules Barraquand. He initiated the rebuilding of the herd on his family farm in Arles, starting with mares and a stallion, beginning in either 1988 or 1994, and sought to revive the practice of transhumance. This effort was supported by Vercors equestrian farms and the Vercors Regional Natural Park, which, in collaboration with the Annecy National Stud, aimed to restore the Barraquand horse alongside the conservation of Villard-de-Lans cattle. By 1997, 51 horses (including 3 stallions, 27 broodmares and 21 foals) were identified as conforming to the breed type.
A safeguarding program was launched in 1995, utilizing the horses of the Barraquand family in the Crau region as the foundation stock. An association dedicated to the preservation of the Barraquand horse breed was established in February of that year under French law (1901), initially comprising around ten members, in collaboration with the Association pour la promotion des agriculteurs du parc du Vercors (Association for the Promotion of Farmers in the Vercors Park). The first foals in this Park-funded breeding program were born in 1996. Another association, the Association française des éleveurs du cheval Barraquand (French association of Barraquand horse breeders), was created in 2001 (according to the official website) or 2006 (according to documents registered with the prefecture) in Arles, due to differences of opinion between breeders involved in the revival of this horse. It was dissolved in 2015.
The breeders aim to achieve official recognition of the breed by the National Stud Farms (now known as the Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, IFCE), which is crucial for the breed's continued existence. The relaxation of breed specifications in 2014, followed by the merger of the two associations representing the Vercors horse and the Barraquand horse into a single entity—the Association nationale du cheval du Vercors de Barraquand—facilitated this recognition. The Barraquand horse was recognized by decree of the French Ministry of Agriculture on 18 July 2017, as a local breed.
André Barbara, national delegate for territorial horse breeds at the IFCE, worked on defining the breed standard by comparing horses from the Vercors region with those from the Crau, noting their phenotypic similarities. The studbook contains data on six generations of horses, listing between 250 and 300 animals as of 2017. The breed was represented at the Bleu du Vercors festival in Sassenage in August 2015, and for the first time at the Paris International Agricultural Show in February 2018, featuring the eight-year-old stallion Athos and the mare Vicky. In July 2019, the breed received authorization to participate in the Route Eiffel, an urban equestrian ride to Paris, which is open to horse breeds from French territory.
Description
The breed standard for the Barraquand horse was officially validated by a breeding commission on 10 December 2015. This breed closely resembles the Auvergne horse due to historical exchanges of breeding stock, to the extent that some specialists propose classifying it as a type of the latter breed. Additionally, it shares similarities with the Mérens and Castillonnais horses.
Height and weight According to breeders, the ideal height for the Barraquand horse is between 1.45 and 1.55 meters, with an average height of 1.50 meters and a weight ranging from 400 to 500 kg. The official FAO database, DAD-IS, lists an average height of 1.50 meters with a median weight of 500 kg. Historical records from the Barraquand family's era indicate a slightly greater height and weight.
Morphology
The Barraquand horse presents a solid, well-built appearance without being heavy, exhibiting a polymorphous type that varies from saddle horse to light draft horse. Despite this variability of type, the horses present a remarkable phenotypic homogeneity.
The head is expressive and proportionate, relatively small with a broad forehead, a straight nasal bridge, and a striking fawn-colored eye. The nostrils are supple and broad; the head is topped by small ears, ideally crescent-shaped, and well furnished with hair on the inside.
The head is set lightly, complemented by a muscular neck that is "correctly oriented" (not resembling a stag neck). According to Sylvain Piltant, president of the Breed Association, the long, wavy manes and tails help the horses withstand the elements and navigate through snow without getting caught in crevices. Double manes are considered desirable, and the hair should be thin and silky.