Breed Standards

The Suffolk Horse Society

The Suffolk Horse Society, founded in 1877, is the breed society for the Suffolk Horse, popularly known as the Suffolk Punch. 

The Suffolk Horse Society:

• Is the breed society for the Suffolk heavy horse and defines the breed standard.
• Maintains the pedigrees of the UK population (and also of the nucleus populations in Australia and New Zealand).
• Publishes the Stud Book annually and registers animals by birth, by inspection or by a grading up scheme.
• Inspects and licenses stallions.
• Provides grants and premiums as a breeding incentive and all Suffolk horse owning Society members, from anywhere in the UK, are eligible to apply for those grants.
• Issues and registers prefixes/affixes for use by breeders
• Promotes ownership of Suffolks by encouraging attendance at shows through offering turnout grants, awards, and trophies
• Appoints judges who have passed through its probationer scheme to the Suffolk horse judging panel.
• Provides practical training, open to all, in heavy horse skills.
• Is a passport issuing organisation recognised by DEFRA.

The Suffolk Punch Horse Society contact information:

Phone: 01349 380643

Email: sec@suffolkhorsesociety.org.uk

Website: www.suffolkhorsesociety.org.uk

Colour

Chesnut - no other colour is allowed. Note: When referring to Suffolk horse, 'chestnut' is always spelled 'chesnut'.

Whole colour is preferred but a certain amount of white on the face is acceptable. A scattering of silver or white hairs on the body is allowed. 

Historically 7 shades of chesnut were defined: Dark Liver, Dull Dark, Light Mealy, Red, Golden, Lemon and Bright. However, The Society will accept Liver, Dark, Red, Light, or Bright chesnut. 

White to the fetlock is allowed but is regarded as a fault and is not acceptable for stallions being used for breeding.

Hoof colour is not prescribed so will be either pigmented or unpigmented.