The Comtois horse has a prestigious military past. It was used to pull the heavy carriages of the 17th century and artillery cannons under Napoléon, but also as a cavalry horse by the Dragoons under Louis XIV. The Napoleonic wars, particularly the invasion of Russia, were devastating for Comtois horses and marked a clear decline for the breed. It was crossed with Percherons and Ardennais in the 18th century, and it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that the Syndicate of Comtois Horse was created (1919).