We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine March 2017 | Page 13

We generally only breed one or two Sarplaninac litters per year. If you are interested in purchasing a pup from us, please visit our website to learn more: www.grazerie.com

and funny young man who rides one mare side saddle and ties three other mares to her tail as they proceed down the lane to their turnout paddock, credits his horses for giving him a long life. Emile’s love for the Boulonnais goes back decades, as he risked his life to save his precious horses.

During World War II Emile protected his horses from the Germans by hiding them in the forest and keeping them on the move.

No easy task, as many of the battles were fought over their breeding grounds. I am so thankful for brave men like Emile, as we all should be. I tell people in France that Emile is famous here, as I share his videos of his beloved Boulonnais. It doesn’t matter that we don’t know what he is saying.

My dream has sent me on my own personal mission to do what I can to save this breed and bring attention to them here in the U.S. One of our long-term goals is to establish a viable breeding program. Another one of my goals is to have a six-horse hitch of Boulonnais mares to drive in the Rose Bowl Parade. In the meantime, we will continue to educate the public on the Boulonnais, ride in parades, attend draft shows, maybe a horse pull or two, and ride. We have great hope for this breed, the sky is the limit and their future remains ahead of them.

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For more information on the Boulonnais you can visit the North American Boulonnais Association at www.naboulonnaisassociation.com or find them on their Facebook group page.

Boulonnaise competition in France