The Breton is a breed of draft horse. It was developed in Brittany a province in northwest France from native ancestral stock dating back thousands of years. The Breton was created through the crossbreeding of many different European and Oriental breeds. In 1909 a stud book was created and in 1951 the book was officially closed. The breed is often chestnut in color and is strong and muscular. There are three distinct subtypes of the Breton each coming from a different area of Brittany.