Haras national du Pin

The Haras national du Pin is France oldest national stud farm, located in Le Pin-au-Haras in the Orne department of Normandy. It was established under the administration of King Louis XIV to address a severe shortage of horses in the kingdom and to improve French equine breeds. The site was selected in 1714 for its pastures and water access, construction began in 1715, and the first stallions arrived in 1717; the estate was designed by Robert de Cotte, the Crown chief architect, in the architectural style of Versailles. The stud conducts horse breeding and genetics research, hosts international show-jumping and eventing competitions, and operates an equestrian school offering training in saddlery and blacksmithing, alongside tens of thousands of visitors a year through tours and cultural events. It has been a public administrative establishment since 2015, jointly managed by the Orne department, the regional government, and the French State, and maintains several horse breeds including the Percheron across more than 2,471 acres.