The Cauchois, also known as the Norman bidet, is a breed of heavy draft horse native to the Pays de Caux, on the coast of the former Haute-Normandie region of France.

These horses were primarily used for hauling heavy loads, including the stagecoaches operated by the Compagnie Générale des Omnibus, but they were also ridden by local peasants to transport goods to market.

Despite their initial popularity, the Cauchois faced a decline by the late 19th century due to the rise of railroads and the increasing use of lighter horse-drawn vehicles.

The Cauchois has been immortalized in art, notably through a lithograph by artist Théodore Géricault in 1822, showcasing the breed's significance in the cultural landscape of its time.

[1][2] The nineteenth-century zoologist André Sanson [fr] proposed a British origin for the breed,[3] while Achille de Montendre suggested it derived from the Flemish Horse.

[14] In 1896, Jean-Henri Magne indicated that the horse breeds of northern France—Boulonnais, trait picard, Flemish, and Cauchois—were merging into a single type due to pasture reorganization and crossbreeding.

[18][8] According to an issue of Mélusine magazine (1878) quoting Eugène Gayot: "The Boulonnais breed belongs mainly to the Pas-de-Calais and the Somme; it becomes Bourbourien in the Nord and Cauchois in the Seine-Inférieure.

[8] While the Cauchois possesses a strong body, F. Joseph Cardini notes that it is generally less massive than the Boulonnais, exhibiting less feathering, weaker extremities, and a less pronounced head structure.

[20][2] On the contrary, M. Le Prévost characterizes Cauchois horses from the Ancien Régime as less elegant than those from the Orne, Calvados, and Manche departments, noting their stronger head and more common rump.

[6] Sanson indicates that the best specimens are characterized by more elongated lines, including an extended neck, protruding withers, lighter head, and a generally bay coat.

[6] The Cauchois breed is renowned for its high pace, characterized by a fast gait that allows a rider to cover long distances while moving with agility.

[22] André Sanson notes that the typical Cauchois walks with its head low and lifts its hooves minimally, creating the impression that it may stumble with every step.

[6] The Cauchois breed was particularly well-suited for various forms of heavy drafting, making it a favored choice for pulling carriages belonging to brewers, millers,[8] and stagecoaches.