Retired Quebec calèche horse finds companionship in retirement: ‘They’ve just hit it off’

A week after being retired from the calèche industry, some of the horses that were brought to a Quebec rescue farm are doing quite well.

The two Percherons — Maximus, a 25 year-old, and Frederick, 10 — were brought to A Horse Tale Rescue in Vaudreuil since Montreal’s ban on calèches came into effect on Jan. 1 of this year.

The former owner brought them to the farm where they can live out the rest of their days with other horses.

“Things are picking up, things are doing well,” executive director Mike Grenier told Global News.

He stressed that the challenge in bringing new animals into a herd is making sure they fit in.

“They want to be integrated into the rest of the herd, but we’re not gonna put them in because, you know, there could be confrontation,” he explained.

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He said that’s why the two animals are kept separated from the other horses for now — except in one case.

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Farm manager Caroline Handy noted that Maximus has found his own connection in Maggie, a Standardbred mare five years his senior.

“These two, they’ve just hit it off,” she said, grinning.

According to Handy, another thing that makes this unusual is that Maximus is a Gelding, meaning he was neutered.

“Not all Geldings have that instinct in them — the need to herd a mare,” she noted, adding that it could help with the integration process at the farm for him.

“If you can enter that horse with a companion into a herd, then the other horses are more likely to accept that horse.”

Frederick, the other Percheron who arrived with Maximus, is also doing well, according to farm management.  They claim that for now he has no companion, but that he likes being active.

“Freddy is in great shape,” Grenier laughed.

“He just wants to play. He’s a kid!”

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Grenier added that because the horse is younger, he could be available for adoption, but that has to be evaluated over time.

For now, the farm administration claims it is focused on helping the horses to continue adjusting.  They’re inviting the public to sponsor each horse if anyone would like to help with care.