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The Boulonnais is a heavy draft horse breed from France. It is known for its large but elegant appearance and is usually gray, although chestnut and black are also allowed by the French breed registry. Its origins trace to a period before the Crusades; Spanish Barb, Arabian and Andalusian blood were added during the 17th century to create the modern type. Originally there were several sub-types, but they were crossbred until only one is seen today. The smallest type was used to pull carts of fresh fish from Boulogne to Paris, while the larger varieties performed heavy draft work on farms and in the cities. During the early 1900s, the Boulonnais were exported in large numbers to the United States. Wars in the 20th century nearly led to the breed's extinction, but it revived in France in the 1970s as a popular choice for horse meat. From an estimated population of over 600,000 in the early 1900s, there are thought to be fewer than 1,000 Boulonnais presently in Europe, mostly in France. Studies as early as 1983 indicated a danger of inbreeding within the Boulonnais population, and a 2009 report suggested that the breed should be a priority for conservation within France. (Full article...)

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In the news

The earliest human footprints outside of Africa are discovered in the United Kingdom.
The Winter Olympics open in Sochi, Russia.
In American football, the Seattle Seahawks defeat the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII.
Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman (pictured) dies at the age of 46.
India's first monorail since independence, the Mumbai Monorail, is inaugurated.
Two previously unknown poems written by seventh-century BC Greek poet Sappho are discovered.
Scientists announce a new technique for creating stem cells.

Recent deaths: Ralph Kiner – Maximilian Schell – Arthur Rankin, Jr.

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On this day...

February 9

1825 – After no presidential candidate received a majority of electoral votes, the U.S. House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president.
1920 – The Svalbard Treaty was signed, recognizing Norwegian sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, but all signatories were also given equal rights to engage in commercial activities on the islands.
1945 – World War II: A force of Allied aircraft unsuccessfully attacked a German destroyer in Førdefjorden, Norway.
1964 – English rock band The Beatles (pictured) made their first appearance on American variety show The Ed Sullivan Show before a record-breaking audience, beginning a musical phenomenon known as the British Invasion.
2001 – The American submarine USS Greeneville accidentally collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese training vessel operated by the Uwajima Fishery High School.

More anniversaries: February 8 – February 9 – February 10

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An aerial view of Frigiliana, a town of 3,000 in Málaga, Spain.

Photo: Aqwis

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