Ardennais

The Ardennais horse is also known as the Ardennes horse because the breed comes from the Ardennes region in Europe. This is a cold-blooded draft horse, and one of the oldest draft breeds in the world—it’s believed that these horses date back to ancient Rome and Julius Caesar. Though they were warhorses in the past, they make great workhorses and riding companions today. 

Ardennais Snapshot

• Height: 15.3–16 hands (61.2–64 inches)

• Weight: 1,500–2,200 pounds

• Lifespan: 30 years

• Colors: Bay, roan, gray, chestnut, palomino; rarely black; may have small white markings (star or blaze)

Caring for an Ardennais

The Ardennais is a large and heavy draft horse, so their size is something to keep in mind, as they’ll need a larger stall. When fed properly, given plenty of time to exercise daily, and given routine veterinary care, these hardy horses can be happy and strong.

This horse breed can be prone to a few health problems, and can overheat if conditions are too hot. They also have leg feathering that can increase the risk of issues like pastern dermatitis, so it’s important to ensure they have shelter from the elements, are kept comfortable and dry, and are groomed daily.

Ardennais Health Issues

Ardennais horses are generally healthy, as they were bred to withstand cold and tough conditions. However, they can be susceptible to health issues that affect draft horses.

Problems that can develop in the Ardennais horse include:

Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM)

Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) causes the body to store an excessive amount of glycogen, a form of sugar, in the muscles. This leads to painful muscle cramps, referred to as tying-up episodes.

There are two forms of PSSM. Type 1 is caused by a genetic mutation in GYS1. Ardennais horses can be carriers of this mutation, and this condition is quite common in this breed. On the other hand, Type 2 is not genetic and more commonly affects warmblood horses. 

Symptoms of PSSM include:

• Cramping

• Weakness

• Soreness

• Stiffness

• Sweating

• Lameness

• Hard muscles

• Muscle tremors

• Pawing or rolling

• Reluctance to move

• Poor performance

There’s no cure for PSSM, but if your horse is diagnosed with it, your veterinarian can help you manage the condition with a low-sugar diet and daily exercise. Tying-up episodes can be treated with pain medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), intravenous fluids, muscle relaxants, and sedatives.

Genetic testing can help prevent carriers from passing PSSM on to their offspring.

Pastern Dermatitis

Pastern dermatitis also goes by a few other names, such as scratches, mud fever, dew poisoning, and greasy heel. It’s common in draft horse breeds and those with feathering on the fetlocks like the Ardennais.

The longer feathered hair on the lower legs can trap moisture, allowing for the growth of fungi, parasites, and bacteria. This condition is more common in wet, moist, and muddy environments, and during the rainy spring season. 

Symptoms of pastern dermatitis include:

• Swelling

• Redness

• Itchiness

• Sensitivity to touch

• Greasy discharge or scabs

• Greasy or matted hair

• Thickened or ulcerated skin

To treat pastern dermatitis, your veterinarian may recommend using wound care products such as antifungal, antiparasitic, or antibacterial medications and shampoos. Clipping the long hair can allow the medications to work more effectively, while also allowing for more airflow to keep the area dry. 

To prevent this problem, pay extra attention to the leg feathering when grooming your horse, and keep your horse in dry conditions as much as possible to avoid exposure to mud and moisture.
 

Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL)

Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a condition that can affect draft horses like the Ardennais, and it might be genetically inherited. It starts when a horse is young, and it’s progressive. Over time, it can lead to lameness, disfigurement, and disability.

CPL causes lymph fluid to build up in the horse’s lower legs because the lymphatic system doesn’t function properly. Symptoms include:

• Skin thickening of lower legs, often hidden by feathering

• Cone-shaped legs

• Swelling that becomes firm over time

• Skin nodules

• Firm skin folds

• Secondary infections

• Poor hoof growth

• Impaired movement

Because there is no cure for CPL, supportive care and management are necessary. For example, a veterinarian may recommend keeping the hair clipped and the hooves clean. Compressive bandaging and lymphatic massage may be recommended. Infections can be treated with prescription medications.

Unfortunately, horses with severe cases of CPL might need to be humanely euthanized.  

What To Feed an Ardennais

Ardennais horses can gain weight easily if they aren’t fed properly. As easy keepers, they can maintain a healthy weight on smaller amounts of feed, so pay attention to their daily intake. It’s also important to track their weight and body condition score. To ensure your horse doesn’t overeat, consider using slow feeders and grazing muzzles.

As a general rule, you can feed your horse 2% of their body weight in forage every day. That means you’d need to give 42 pounds of forage to an Ardennais horse who weighs 2,100 pounds.

Generally, you can feed an Ardennais horse a diet of forage (e.g., pasture and hay) with necessary supplements, such as vitamins and minerals. But it’s wise to work with a veterinarian to determine the best diet for your particular horse based on their weight, activity level, and overall health. For example, for horses with PSSM, grass hays that are low in sugar and starch may be best.

Large draft horses can be prone to colic, so take steps to prevent it and watch for symptoms. Also, ensure your horse has fresh, clean water at all times, along with a salt block or loose salt. 

Ardennais Disciplines

The Ardennais is known for their size and strength. In the past, this breed was used as a warhorse. Today, an Ardennais can be used for various work, such as farm work and forestry work like logging.

Ardennais horses can also be used for driving (e.g., competitive and carriage), recreational and leisure riding, and therapy. These horses have a calm demeanor and comfortable gait, making them suitable for riders of all levels.  

Ardennais Personality and Temperament

The Ardennais is described as hard-working and reliable, as well as sociable and tolerant. These traits are combined with strength and endurance, so they make fantastic horses for both work and riding. 

Ardennais horses aren’t just strong and beautiful, they also have a great personality that makes them a pleasure to work with. They’re intelligent and can learn cues rather quickly, and are easygoing, docile, and friendly, so they can get along with their trainers and riders very well.

Because Ardennais horses are typically calm, patient, easy to handle, and gentle, even beginner riders may feel at ease around them, as long as they’re comfortable and confident on such a large horse.

Ardennais Training

Thanks to their temperament and intelligence, Ardennais horses are relatively easy to train. Like all horses, training should start while they’re foals so they’ll grow up to be manageable.

Also, as with other breeds, it’s best to use positive training methods to reinforce good behaviors and discourage negative behaviors. If you’re patient, consistent, and gentle in your approach, you should find that this horse responds in kind.

Always keep in mind that these horses grow to be quite large, so training them to heed cues and follow your lead is important to ensure your safety and the safety of any other riders who will work with your Ardennais.

Ardennais Grooming Guide

It’s necessary to groom your Ardennais horse in order to keep their skin and coat healthy and clean. Daily grooming and hoof care can help prevent various problems, and these sessions can also serve as wonderful times during which you can strengthen your bond with your sweet equine companion.

Coat Care

The Ardennais horse can withstand cold conditions, thanks to their thick coat. Brushing the coat will remove dirt and debris throughout the winter, and will also remove the extra loose hair that comes out when they shed their winter coat in the spring.

To get the best results, use a variety of equine grooming tools, such as:

• Curry comb

• Dandy brush

• Shedding blade

• Body brush

• Face brush

The mane and tail are also thick on the Ardennais. Be gentle with these hairs to avoid breaking them, and brush them often with a mane and tail brush to keep them free of tangles and dirt.

Pay extra attention to the feathering on the legs. You might opt to keep these trimmed to more easily spot problems like pastern dermatitis. Keeping the legs dry and clean can also prevent pastern dermatitis and other skin and coat problems.

Hoof Care

Clean your Ardennais’ hooves daily, and examine them closely to look for signs of infection, injury, or other symptoms that require veterinary attention. Use a durable hoof pick to remove dirt and debris that has gotten lodged in the hooves.

Hire a professional farrier on a regular basis to trim the hooves and ensure they’re balanced, as this will also help keep the horse’s joints healthy.