Bidet horse

Bidet
Conservation statusExtinct
Country of originFrance
Traits
Height
  • 110–135 centimetres at the withers

The Bidet was a type of small horse from France, now extinct. It was a landrace developed principally in the area around Brittany, Morvan, Auvergne, Poitou, and Burgundy. It stood about 110–135 centimetres at the withers.[1] Two distinct groups are documented, which were bred in a semi-feral state.

Bidets were first identified in the 15th century. They were used as "jack-of-all-trades" animals, equally suited for riding, farm work and passenger transport. They declined during the 19th century, when railways and better-kept roads pressured horse breeders into specialising their breeds. Despite the animal's disappearance, the name "bidet" survives in several French cultural references.

  1. ^ Bernard Denis, "Les races de chevaux en France au XVIIIe siècle. Et les idées relatives à leur amélioration", In Situ, 18, 2012, mis en ligne le 31 juillet 2012.