Canadian Horse
 FindaPetOnlineAverage Size: 14 -16 hh (60-64 in)
Breed: Canadian Horse

Crucial Specs:
  • Sport Horse
  • Compact
  • Versatile








Almost as famous as its Royal Canadian Mounted Police riders, the Canadian Horse is a respected and admired breed. Conformationally, the horse resembles the American Morgan – it is compact, stout, and muscular with pronounced hindquarters. It's a sound and hardy horse that is bred for stamina and endurance, both necessary traits in the vast North American landscapes.

Aesthetically, the Canadian Horse is normally black, chestnut, bay or dark brown. It shows no feathering. The Canadian is often described as a very willing breed that's easy to keep, tractable, and accustomed to harsh weather conditions.

Though often bred for driving, the Canadian Horse competes in a variety of sports, including jumping, long-distance racing, and dressage – a form of “horse ballet” that showcases a horse's training, agility and grace. Also a popular choice for trail and pleasure riding, it's considered the all-round horse of its native country.

The Canadian Horse is descended from stock sent to Canada by Louis XIV in the late seventeenth century. Most likely, it was comprised of Breton or Norman horses. Through extreme weather conditions, poor roads, bad shelter, and food rations, the horses survived and have had an influence on many colonial breeds, including the Morgan, the American Saddlebred, the Canadian Pacer, and the Standardbred.

The Canadian Horse Breeders' Association was formed in 1895 and today there are approximately four thousand registered horses.