After a series of name and studbook ownership changes, the current United States Percheron registry was created in 1934.

In the 1930s, Percherons accounted for 70% of the draft horse population in the United States, but their numbers declined substantially after World War II.

Enthusiasts describe the temperament as alert, and members of the breed are considered intelligent, willing workers with good dispositions, and easy keepers.

[4] Horses in the French registry are branded on the neck with the intertwined letters "SP", the initials of the Société Hippique Percheronne.

It is known that during the 8th century, Barb stallions were crossed with mares native to the area, and more Oriental horse blood was introduced by the Comte du Perche upon his return from the Crusades and expeditions into territory claimed by Spain.

[10] During the 17th century, horses from Perche, ancestors of the current Percheron, were smaller, standing between 15 and 16 hands (60 and 64 inches, 152 and 163 cm) high, and more agile.

[11] These horses were almost uniformly gray; paintings and drawings from the Middle Ages generally show French knights on mounts of this color.

After the stage coach was replaced by rail, the modern Percheron type arose as a slightly heavier horse for use in agriculture and heavy hauling work, moving goods from docks to railway terminals.

[12] Arabian stallions were made available to Percheron breeders for use in breeding army mounts, beginning in 1760 at the royal stud at Le Pin.

However, later research found that Godolphin was a chestnut Arabian of ordinary conformation and no special worth, while Gallipoly was a gray saddle horse of unknown breeding.

Although the first importations of Percherons were less than successful, the remaining stallion owned by Edward Harris II, named Diligence, was credited with siring almost 400 foals.

[15] In the mid-19th century in the United States, Percheron stallions were crossed with homebred mares to improve the local stock, resulting in thousands of crossbred horses.

[12] Large numbers of Percherons were imported to the United States beginning in the early 1870s, and they became popular with draft horse breeders and owners.

[17] In 1876, the Norman-Percheron Association was formed by a group of Percheron breeders in Chicago, and at the same time the stud book was begun.

[12][19] In the late 19th century, Percherons also began to be exported from the United States to Great Britain, where they were used to pull horse-drawn buses in large cities.

Breeders could sell their horses for significant amounts of money, especially in the United States and Canada, where breeding stock brought a premium price.

[21] Prior to World War I, a flourishing trade route for Percherons existed between Nogent-le-Rotrou, Le Havre and the United States.

The war took its toll on the Percheron breed as horses, fodder, and handlers were requisitioned for the fighting, and even after the embargo was lifted France did not have the quality or quantity of stock to fulfill the needs of American breeders.

Their quick trot on paved roads made them more versatile than motorized vehicles, and they were useful for work with guns and in forward units due to their calm temperaments.

[26] In 1966, the French stud book was changed to include draft types from other areas of France that were closely related to the Percheron—including the horses of Berrichon, Nivernais, Marne, Augeron, Bourbonnais, Loire and Saône-et-Loire.

[1] French Percherons were also hit hard by the advent of mechanization, and between 1970 and 1990 focus was placed on breeding horses of greater mass for the meat market.

[27][28] Beginning at the 1989 World Percheron Congress, French breeders realized that they needed a lighter breed for tourism, export to Japan for draft work, and other markets.

[30] This stallion and others were used to create a more elegant, smaller and sleeker look in the French Percheron, while still retaining the traditional bone and foot structure.

[27] French breeders continue to import American-bred Percheron stallions in order to produce lighter foals, moving away from the heavier meat-type horses of the late 20th century.

Bred mainly in the Pays d'Auge region, it previously had its own studbook, registered by the Société hippique du trait augeron.

[6][48] They were used to improve both the Ardennes and Vladimir Heavy Draft horses,[49] and to create the Spanish-Norman breed, a cross between the Andalusian and the Percheron.

[52] One of the most famous horse teams in the United States is the Heinz hitch of Percherons, having appeared multiple times at the Tournament of Roses Parade.

They are crossbred with lighter horses by breeders of heavy hunters in order to increase size and improve disposition.

In addition to funeral details, which they perform year round, the Caisson Percherons are routinely featured at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and other United States Army recruiting events in the south Texas area.