Celebrating the Suffolk Punch Horse
12th Jun 2024
With the Farm Park focussed on showcasing and celebrating the best of our British Rare Breeds, it’s always a treat when we get to invite animals and their owners from across the country to join in the fun.
While we are thrilled to have a Suffolk Punch Horse of our own who lives on the Farm Park, at the end of June we will be welcoming these and other heavy horse breeds from across the country to take part in a special weekend of displays, classes, and shows.
This event is being hosted in partnership with the Suffolk Horse Society and is designed to shine a spotlight on a breed that (let’s be honest) most of us recognise for their size but little else.
So, how do you fancy being the most knowledgeable member of your visiting group on our exclusive Suffolk Punch weekend?
Here are just a few fun facts about the Suffolk Punch that you can share as you wander the displays and watch the shows here at Farm Park, and really impress your family and friends!
History of the Suffolk Punch
You won’t be surprised to learn that Suffolk Punch horses are the icons of the Suffolk landscape. They were largely used in farm work right up until the dawn of the Second World War – and were in fact integral in pulling guns and supplies around during the First World War.
From the Second World War onwards, however, heavy horses like the Suffolk Punch were gradually replaced with the tractors and machinery that we still use today. And while this marked a significant step forward for the farming industry, the impact on the heavy horse population was catastrophic.
Suffolk Punch horses are, as a result, considered a rare breed.
In the whole of the UK, there are now believed to be around 500 Suffolk Punch horses – a population that has required extensive investment and that we are proud to work alongside the Suffolk Horse Society in protecting.
Breed Standards for Suffolk Punch Horses
The breed standard for any animal is a set of guidelines that depict hallmark characteristics, the ideal temperament, and appearance traits. For the Suffolk Punch, these standards include the chestnut colouring and a height of between 15.75 and 17 hands.
You can read all of the defining features of a Suffolk Punch on the Suffolk Horse Society website (or why not visit the Farm Park and see our very own Suffolk Horse, where she lives alongside her donkey pals and some of our favourite rare breed sheep)!
Suffolk Punch Horses Today
With all that in mind, how are Suffolk Punch horses viewed today?
Aside from being a rare breed, the sheer size and impressively calm nature of these horses makes them a popular choice at agricultural shows and farm events. The need for diversification is such that owners of these horses will often take them to events – with an increasing number of Suffolk Horses also being used for riding, hunting, and even competing.
Help us to Protect This Rare and Wonderful Breed of Heavy Horse
There’s something incredibly impressive about the classic heavy horse breeds, with Suffolk Punch horses not only attractive to look at but graceful, well-balanced, and precise in their movement – despite their size.
As we prepare the Farm Park for our calendar of summer events, the Suffolk Punch Extravaganza offers the perfect opportunity to learn more about one of the breeds that we are most passionate about, and experience one of the widest and most versatile displays of Suffolk Punch and other heavy horses available anywhere in the UK.
Our Suffolk Punch Extravaganza is a limited one-weekend event, with tickets available on our website. Visitors can buy a day or weekend pass online with free parking available onsite on the day. Please note that an event ticket does not grant visitors access to the Farm Park.
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