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a chesnut* horse

Once upon a time, visiting family in our native county of Suffolk, we enjoyed a visit to the Suffolk Punch Trust, a charity dedicated to the preservation of this critically endangered heavy horse breed.

 

The Suffolk Punch horse dates back to the 16th century, bred originally for farm work. Horses of this breed are always chestnut in colour, traditionally spelled 'chesnut'*.

 

I've tried in vain to find the origin of this spelling quirk but only succeeded in learning that "Punch" is an old English word for a short stout person. This breed of horse is described as a having a short and stocky build, a hard worker known for its gentle temperament.

 

 

 

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Uploaded on November 10, 2023
Taken on June 29, 2018