This elegant black-colored saddle horse, rather late in life and of medium size, is reputed to be well conformed, with strong, muscular limbs.

The black stallion Lord IV, born in 1871 to a Thoroughbred mare, exerted a strong influence.

[3] They fell to a low point at the beginning of the 20th century, when the majority of Simmental breeders preferred to turn to cattle breeding and the more lucrative production of cheese.

However, a small-scale breeding of small, lively, black-coated half-bloods seems to have continued until the end of the 20th century in certain remote areas of the upper Simmental and Ormont mountains.

[1] The breed owes its name to the community of Erlenbach im Simmental, where a famous horse market was held in the 18th[1] and early 19th centuries.

[8] In 1770, according to a chronicle from the canton of Berne, 10,000 of these horses were sold annually, bringing in an income of 500,000 to 600,000 thalers.

[9] In 1776, horses sold at fairs in Erlenbach and Reutigen, in the Lower Simmental, brought in over two million pounds.

[10][11] The town then organized two annual fairs to sell the local breed of horse, reputed to be "superb".