Poitevin Horse - Uses

Uses

As the stallions of the Poitevin breed could not be used to produce mules, they were generally sold as two-year-olds at the summer fair in Vendee and the winter fair in St. Maixent, as well as to horse merchants in Berry, Beauce, Perche and Midi. In these areas, they were used for agriculture. In Paris, they were used for pulling omnibuses, and the French miliary used the Poitevin for pulling artillery. At the beginning of the 21st century there has been a new demand for mules for leisure purposes, but this demand cannot be filled by Poitevin mares until their numbers have recovered to a sufficient level. Today, Poitevins are used mainly for driving, both in competitions and for leisure use.

They are used to pull carriages for tourists. Members of the breed can be ridden more comfortably than other draft breeds, due to the slimmer build. It is also used extensively for equine therapy in France. The Poitevin is used for light agricultural work in vineyards, and for maintenance of natural wetlands. The council of Ille-et-Vilaine acquired a herd of Poitevins to maintain the marshes in the area.

The Poitevin has been used in movies, as a mount for forest monitors in Melun, harnessed for urban work in Poitier and Niort, and for the collection of waste on the island of Re. During the second half of the 20th century, meat production was one of the only economically productive reasons to continue breeding the Poitevin, although its slow growth did not make it one of the favorites for the meat market.