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Equines
Suffolk
Watchlist; Category 1, Critical.
The Suffolk Punch is the oldest breed of heavy horse to exist in its present form and the earliest Stud Book of any heavy horse breed, and all modern Suffolks are descended from just one horse, Crisp’s Horse of Ufford, which was foaled in 1768. The modern Suffolk is taller than its forbears standing 16-17 hh, whereas Crisp's Horse stood only 15.2 hh.
There were many thousands of Suffolks throughout East Anglia before the First World War as they are immensely strong and an ideal horse for working the land or carting goods. They are capable of working for long periods without rest, making them relatively cheap to keep. The Suffolk was hard hit by agricultural mechanisation as the flat arable land of East Anglia was well suited to steam engines or early tractors. The breed declined rapidly, and in 1966 there were only nine Suffolk foals registered.
The Suffolk is always chestnut in colour (always spelt without the “t” when referring to this breed), although the shade can vary from dark liver to a light mealy colour, occasionally with a white star but no other white markings. The legs are short, strong, and free from feather which was a useful advantage in the heavy clay soils of East Anglia.
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