Auxois

The Auxois is a heavy French draft horse from Burgundy, especially the Auxois area around the Saone and Loire basin. It was developed from local farm horses with strong influence from Ardennais and related northern French draft blood, producing a powerful horse for plowing, hauling, and agricultural transport. The breed is large, broad, and muscular, commonly seen in bay, roan, or chestnut shades, with a calm working disposition and a shorter, more massive frame than many riding breeds.

Keeping an Auxois requires draft-horse planning: roomy shelter, strong fencing, safe footing, large farrier skills, and harness or equipment that truly fits. They can do useful work in forestry, vineyard management, farm demonstrations, carriage driving, and rural tourism, but excess weight and underused feet are common risks when heavy horses are kept only at pasture. In France the breed is also part of rare-draft conservation, so breeding decisions often balance soundness, traditional type, fertility, and a realistic outlet for foals.

Colors: Amber Champagne, Bay, Bay Dun, Bay Roan, Black, Blanket Appaloosa, Blue Roan, Brown, Buckskin, Champagne, Chestnut, Classic Champagne, Cremello, Dun, Dun Roan, Fewspot Appaloosa, Flaxen Chestnut, Frame Overo, Gold Champagne, Gray, Grey, Grullo, Leopard Appaloosa, Liver Chestnut, Overo, Palomino, Perlino, Piebald, Pinto, Rabicano, Red Dun, Red Roan, Roan, Sabino, Seal Bay, Silver Dapple, Skewbald, Smoky Black, Smoky Cream, Snowcap Appaloosa, Sorrel, Splash White, Tobiano, Tovero, Varnish Roan, White