The French Trotter Horse

The first French trotting races were ridden, not driven, took place in 1806 on the Champ de Mars in Paris. The sport began to increase in popularity. Purpose-built racetracks were opened – the first situated at Cherbourg in the 1830s – and the French Trotter breed was improved. In 1861, the first governing body of the sport was created due to an Imperial decree encouraging the sport.

The Anglo-Norman matured into a good trotter and five notable bloodlines were established: Conquerant, Normand, Lavater, Phaeton and Fuchsia. Both the Conquerant and Normand bloodlines were by the English half-breed, Young Rattler. Young Rattler – the son of the Thoroughbred Rattler – is sometimes called ‘the French Messenger’. Messenger was the foundation sire of the Standardbred. Young Rattler had a huge influence on the breeding of the French Trotter horse.

Another example of the English influence was Lavater, being by a Norfolk Roadster. The most outstanding of all the first stallions however was Fuchsia. He was foaled in 1883 and he sired nearly four-hundred trotters. More than one-hundred of his sons produced winners. A bit of Standardbred blood was added over the years to give the French Trotter some more speed.

However, the Trotteur Français Stud Book was closed to non-French-bred horses in 1937. Only in recent years has it been opened a fraction to allow a few, very carefully selected French/Standardbred crosses to be admitted. Now, the French have given up on ridden racing. About ten percent of the trotting races in France are staged under saddle and they have had a large effect on the breeding.

Ridden French Trotters have to have to be well-built horses, with good balance and a level action due to the comparatively heavy weights under which they are raced. These ridden horses have played a huge part in keeping the overall standard of the French Trotter horse good. The French Trotter horse stands at about 16.2 hands on average. The most common colours for the breed are chestnut, bay, brown and roan, though all colours are admissible.