SuffolkPunch

　　TheSuffolkPunch,alsohistoricallyknownastheSuffolkHorseorSuffolkSorrel,[1]isanEnglishbreedofdraughthorse.ThebreedtakesthefirstpartofitsnamefromthecountyofSuffolkinEastAnglia,andthename"Punch"fromitssolidappearanceandstrength.[2]Itisaheavydraughthorsewhichisalwayschestnutincolour,althoughthecolouristraditionallyspelled"chesnut"bythebreedregistries.SuffolkPunchesareknownasgooddoers,andtendtohaveenergeticgaits.

　　Thebreedwasdevelopedintheearly16thcentury,andremainssimilarinphenotypetoitsfoundingstock.TheSuffolkPunchwasdevelopedforfarmwork,andgainedpopularityduringtheearly20thcentury.However,asagriculturebecameincreasinglymechanised,thebreedfelloutoffavour,particularlyfromthemiddlepartofthecentury,andalmostdisappearedcompletely.Althoughthebreed'sstatusislistedascriticalbytheUKRareBreedsSurvivalTrustandtheAmericanLivestockBreedsConservancy,therehasbeenaresurgenceininterest,andpopulationnumbersareincreasing.Aswellasbeingusedforfarmwork,thebreedpulledartilleryandnon-motorisedcommercialvansandbuses.Itwasalsoexportedtoothercountriestoupgradelocalequinestock.

　　Characteristics

　　SuffolkPunchesgenerallystand16.1to17.2handstall(65to70inches/165to178centimetres),[3],weigh1,980to2,200pounds(900to1,000kg),[4]andarealwayschestnutincolour.Thetraditionalspelling,stillusedbytheSuffolkHorseSociety,is"chesnut"(withno"t"inthemiddleoftheword).[1]Horsesofthebreedcomeinmanydifferentshadesofchestnut,rangingfromdarktoredtolight.[5]SuffolkhorsebreedersintheUKuseseveraldifferentcolourtermsspecifictothebreed,includingdarkliver,dulldark,redandbright.[6]Whitemarkingsarerareandgenerallylimitedtosmallareasonthefaceandlowerlegs.[7]EquestrianauthorMargueriteHenrydescribedthebreedbysaying,"Hiscolorisbrightchestnut–likeatongueoffireagainstblackfieldfurrows,againstgreencornblades,againstyellowwheat,againstbluehorizons.Neverisheanyothercolor."[8]

　　TheSuffolkPunchtendstobeshorterbutmoremassivelybuiltthanotherBritishheavydraughtbreeds,suchastheClydesdaleortheShire,asaresultofhavingbeendevelopedforagriculturalworkratherthanroadhaulage.[9]Thebreedhasapowerful,archingneck;well-muscled,slopingshoulders;ashort,wideback;andamuscular,broadcroup.Legsareshortandstrong,withbroadjoints;sound,well-formedhooves;andlittleornofeatheringonthefetlocks.[4]ThemovementoftheSuffolkPunchissaidtobeenergetic,especiallyatthetrot.Thebreedtendstomatureearly,belong-lived,andiseconomicaltokeep,needinglessfeedthanotherhorsesofsimilartypeandsize.[10]Theyarehardworkers,saidtobewillingto"pullaheavilyladenwagontill[they]dropped."[11]

　　Inthepast,theSuffolkwasoftencriticisedforitspoorfeet,havinghoovesthatweretoosmallforitsbodymass.Thiswascorrectedbytheintroductionofclassesatmajorshowsinwhichhoofconformationandstructurewerejudged.Thispractice,uniqueamonghorsebreeds,resultedinsuchanimprovementthattheSuffolkPunchisnowconsideredtohaveexcellentfootconformation.[3][12]

　　History

　　TheSuffolkPunchregistryistheoldestEnglishbreedsociety.[13]Thefirstknownme