 The conformation of the Anglo @-@ Norman reflected its multiple influences . By 1861 , the French government attempted to standardize the look of various historic Norman horse types by adding large amounts of Thoroughbred blood . The resulting offspring gave rise to the Anglo @-@ Norman . However , in spite of these breeding programs , by 1909 when author Alfred <unk> studied the Anglo @-@ Norman , he described members of the breed as " hybrids from various crosses " . He distinguished three types : trotting horses used for harness racing , carriage horses , and military horses . He subdivided the military type further into heavy cavalry , light cavalry , " cavalry of the line " ( a specific type used by the French ) and artillery horses . Anglo @-@ Norman trotters were the fastest in France , and were reputed to be patient and hard @-@ working . The first official trotting races in France took place in 1836 , in Cherbourg , at the instigation of Ephrem Houël , an officer of the National Stud . He believed that trotting races were the best way to select breeding stock for producing saddle horses . The best of the Anglo @-@ Norman trotting horses emerged between 1820 and 1870 , with five major stallions becoming the foundation bloodstock for the French Trotter breed , which officially split from the Anglo @-@ Norman breed in 1906 . The continuing breeding goal of the Anglo @-@ Norman was to maintain a balanced breed with input from Thoroughbred stallions and heavier mares of the original Norman type . 
