- Henson -

Henson horses can stand up to 15 hands high. Their coat colors can be only dun, but range from sandy to dark brown. Their manes can be black or two colored, being black and gold. They have the compulsory "mule stripe" down their backs, and white markings are not allowed. Zebra stripes are permitted. These standards that were set have not yet been fully achieved, although the babies that are born of parents meeting these characteristics can have characteristics that do not meet the breed standard.

The Henson has an average sized head, a relatively straight nose that is slightly concave, and finely shaped eyes lined with black. They have a large, rounded lower jaw, a thick neck that is large at the base and finer towards the head, and discreet withers. Their shoulders are long and straight, and their limbs have short, strong joints. They are generally fairly compact horses, despite a long back for some.

These horses are from the Bay of Somme area. Their origins come from that marshland, an area in northern France. The Henson is a rustic breed; the horses are used to living outdoors in a marine environment. The breed was developed in the 1970s by a non-profit organization called 'Les Cavaliers de la Baie de Somme', over which Lionel Berquin presided. Hensons developed from a cross between Norwegian Fjord ponies and French Saddle Horses, English Thoroughbreds, Anglo-Arabs, Spanish Horses, Quarter Horses, and Trotting horses. Norwegian Fjord ponies are one of the purest breeds of horses in genetic terms that are still in existence today. Their origins can be traced back to prehistoric times. They contributed a lot of the breed characteristics to the Henson, like their dun coat, zebra stripes, and mule stripe on the back.

The Henson was bred for leisure riding in the outdoors. Their qualities are numerous: they are calm, easy to hand, quick to react, and have a great deal of stamina. There are about 750 Henson horses officially registered in France, of which about 350 are in the Bay of Somme area.

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