Facts about Suffolk Punch

1. 08

   Mechanization and tractor adoption after 1945 caused Suffolk Punch populations to decline dramatically as farmers abandoned horse-powered agriculture across Britain.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14shareagriculturedecline20th-century
2. 07

   During World War II, Suffolk Punch horses were requisitioned by the British military to transport supplies and equipment across farms and countryside converted to wartime production.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14sharehistorymilitaryagriculture
3. 06

   Selective breeding from just one foundation sire, a horse named Crisp's Tom, established the modern Suffolk Punch bloodline in the 1760s.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14sharebreedinghistorygenetics
4. 05

   Suffolk Punch horses have docile, intelligent temperaments that made them exceptionally valuable for detailed farm work requiring responsive handling by single operators.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14sharebehavioragriculturehistory
5. 04

   Fewer than 500 Suffolk Punch horses existed worldwide by the early 2000s, making the breed one of Britain's rarest livestock.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14shareconservationpopulationbreed
6. 03

   In 19th-century England, Suffolk Punch horses were prized for pulling heavy agricultural equipment and could work productively for 20 or more years.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14sharehistoryagriculturelabor
7. 02

   The Suffolk Punch breed typically weighs between 1,900 and 2,200 pounds and stands 16 to 17 hands high at the shoulder.

   Suffolk PunchMay 14sharemeasurementbiologyagriculture
8. 01

   Chestnut coloring is so dominant in Suffolk Punch horses that the breed registry has accepted only chestnut horses since its establishment in 1880.

   Suffolk PunchMay 13sharegeneticsbreedhistory