The Comtois horse has been used in Franche-Comté for work in the fields, hauling in forests, and carriage driving since the Romans. Its massive presence during the Napoleonic wars and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 almost caused the breed to disappear. It resurfaced in the early 20th century, and the first Comtois horse breeding competition was held in Maîche, in the Doubs department, in 1910. The event still takes place nowadays and brings together lovers of a docile and rustic breed typical of Franche-Comté.