Who can tell me about the Percheron breed? How are they under saddle and are they good riding horses? What about in the show ring? I believe they're calm and relaxed and not high strung or spooky??
There's a lady in my area who will be selling hers soon and she's so pretty!

Well, as a Percheron lover myself, all I have is good reviews. My most recent "charge" was a Percheron/QH mare. She was sooo sweet and docile. For her first time off the farm, I took her to a gymkhana meet. She paid attention and was alert, but she didn't get spooky or flighty. The same reaction when taken to a county fair in WP. Every Percheron I have met has a wonderful personality, docile demeanor, willing and able under saddle.

I have a Percheron mare but I'd guess you would say she's "different"

I got her when she was 10, supposedly broken to ride, but it turned out she wasn't at all. I've had a three year struggle with her and although she has come around now, I still haven't ridden her. She *does* get spooky, although she's a lot better than she was.

I love the breed too, and she's such a sweetheart that I kept her in spite of many problems. Who knows, one day I may get on her.

If the one you're looking at has plenty of time under saddle, she should be fine. I wish I was riding Star now, but it hasn't worked out that way yet.

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I wish I was riding Star now, but it hasn't worked out that way yet.

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But JayneP - Star looks great in the tacked photo of her trotting in your sig.

I have heard nothing but greating thing about draft temperaments. I have seen otherwise with draft crosses. As an example - (2) full sisters (percheron dam/TB sire) The 4 year old is sweet natured but is absolutely dangerous, mainly because she literally attackes the horses in the herd (mostly her full sister) and is absolutely destructive, no fence or stall can hold her.
The 3 year old is an awesome horse, very willing, patient, and calm. It is a shame that she gets beat up so bad by her sister. I keep telling the owner that one day the older horse is going to hurt the younger.

So each horse is different. But I love the draft breeds.

The only full percheron I've known personally was neglected as a youngster despite a broken ankle, which did heal albeit a bit bizarre-looking. She was rescued at 7 by a woman who started rehabbing her but couldn't keep her and my BO ended up with her as a broodmare. She didn't really lead well, didn't know how to pick up her feet, etc. but was by nature super sweet and kind. She had a pony phobia for a while which made for some interesting trips down the lane between paddocks but she got over it, learned to be polite and easy to work with, and had beautiful, wonderfully sweet and quiet foals. The farrier ended up favoring her over some of the more correctly raised horses and she learned that his hoof stand had a nice cradle to help support her arthritic leg. I rode her bareback to and from the pasture a few times although she had no training in harness or under saddle and she was always perfect and very comfortable. (All I did was walk, but I was steering a full percheron in just a halter and lead too!) So from my experience, they're great! Maybe not all inherently brave but quiet and trainable enough that you can work through any spooks.

Just like any breed there are stereotypes and exceptions to them.

As a generalization Percherons, like most drafts, are more docile and easy going than your hotter horses like TBs and Arabs. Now, depending on the breeding of the particular horse you can also have different temperaments. Many MODERN percherons are only a couple generations from full arabian on both sides so you can have a horse that looks like a gentle giant, but acts like a hot arabian. Percherons before being turned into "Drafts" to be used as field horses were war horses. Percherons are quite commonly used for carriages as well because of their beauty and refined movement.

The Percheron Horse Association of America is VERY strict about registrating, breeding, and transfering horses. So, if the papers are properly processed you can be sure you're getting an actual Percheron.

Percheron Horse Association <--the PHAOA website has a small section that talks about the disposition of the breed.

In general I've found most full blood percherons to be extremely intelligent, surprisingly sensitive, and very sweet.

The biggest problem I've noticed in crosses is when the SIRE is the hotblood and the dam is the draft. (I'm not basing this on nothing I've owned one and have known of goodly number of others.) I don't understand why it would make a difference or even if it truly does. Of course you aren't asking about a cross, but I just figured I'd throw that in there.

If I were you I'd try to get out and meet the mare at a show or trail ride or somewhere other than home, just to get an idea of how she responds to new stuff, new places, and new horses.

As far as riding they're wonderful (again each horse is different). They are noted to be wonderful movers, though some have quite a bit of natural knee action (which is great for hitch, not so great for hunters/dressage). They have fairly large strides as percherons are usually rather leggy, so if you're used to your stereotypical QHs you might feel as if they're rushing at first.

Also jumps are great, because you're already high up so the jumps don't look as tall

Good Luck

The only problem I often have with draft crosses and drafts are the owners. Because the horse is pretty laid back owners often think they will magicly pick and hold their feet up for a farrier even when the owner never picks them up.
This is the main reason most farriers do not do drafts.
They may be quieter about it but they will still lay on you and kick.

I've enjoyed riding a Perchie-QH sport horse for almost 2 years now. Occasionally, I'll ride a Suffolk Punch gelding. I like Draft horses better due to their calm nature. They're not bugged by my tight muscles. This is a good article about them: http://www.equisearch.com/breeds/draft021603/