<Ul> <Li> Equus ferus caballus </Li> </Ul> <Li> Equus ferus caballus </Li> <P> The Canadian horse is a horse breed from Canada . It is a strong, well - muscled breed of horse, usually dark in colour . The horses are generally used for riding and driving . Descended from draft and light riding horses imported to Canada in the late 1600s, it was later crossed with other British and American breeds . During the 18th century the Canadian horse spread throughout the northeastern US, where it contributed to the development of several horse breeds . During the peak popularity of the breed, three subtypes could be distinguished, a draft horse type, a trotting type and a pacing type . Thousands of horses were exported in the 19th century, many of whom were subsequently killed while acting as cavalry horses in the American Civil War . These exports decreased the purebred Canadian population almost to the point of extinction, prompting the formation of a studbook and the passage of a law against further export . </P> <P> Experimental breeding programs in the early 20th century succeeded in re-establishing the breed to some extent, but mechanization, combined with two world wars, again resulted in the breed almost becoming extinct . In the 1980s, concerned with the declining population numbers, interested breeders undertook a promotional program, which resulted in renewed interest in the breed . By the 1990s, population numbers were higher, and genetic studies in 1998 and 2012 found relatively high levels of genetic diversity for a small breed . However, livestock conservation organizations still consider the breed to be at risk, due to low population numbers . </P>

When were the canadian breeds ancestors imported to canada