From the beginning, the Boulonnais was a very popular breed, with horse dealers coming to the Boulogne region to buy the local horses for far-flung markets across the length and breadth of France. Initially, several types of Boulonnais were developed, being slowly refined to two types by the 19th century: a heavier type suitable for agricultural and industrial work (as well as the meat market) and a lighter, smaller type that was often used to transport cartloads of fish from Boulogne to Paris. This was a turning point for the breed, which until this point had been predominantly black or dark bay. However, fish were often transported overnight, and light grey horses were much easier to see as they pulled carts along the unlit roads. Soon enough, most Boulonnais horses were grey! From the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, the Boulonnais spread across Europe, increasing in size thanks to the Industrial Revolution, which required athletic yet very large horses. Many were also imported to the US in the early 1900s. However, World War I and II were devastating for the breed, as its native region saw heavy combat and those that weren’t scattered or killed were in high demand as war horses. The survival of the Boulonnais can be attributed to a small handful of dedicated breeders. The breed’s population had gone from around 600,000 at the start of the 20th century to just a few thousand post-war. By the 1970s, less than a thousand mares remained. In the 70s, the decision was made to recategorise the breed, along with eight other draught breeds, from a pulling horse to a meat horse. Breed numbers remain low – it’s estimated that less than 500 horses remain in the world, with most in France, marking the Boulonnais as endangered. Our goal, is to raise funds to establish new bloodlines to the Boulonnais line, increasing its genetic resilience and the likelihood of the breed’s long-term survival.  We need your help to accomplish this.  There is only 1 breeding herd in the United States, 2 stallions and 4 mares.  Help us, to help the Boulonnais survive.