.gif)
Belgian (horse)
Encyclopedia
The Belgian Draft horse
or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft
horse breed
from the Brabant region of modern Belgium
, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds. The breed associations are the Société Royale Le Cheval de Trait Belge (Koninklijke Maatschappij het Belgisch Trekpaard) and the Eleveurs Wallons du Cheval de Trait Belge (Vlaamse Fokkers van het Belgisch Trekpaard).
sometimes called a "sorrel
," with a flaxen mane
and tail.
On average the Belgian grows to weigh slightly over 900 kilograms (1,984.2 lb). Currently, the world's tallest Belgian Draft is Radar, a gelding
foaled in 1998 in Iowa
. He stands at 19.3½ hands
(2.02 metres) at the withers
, and weighs over 2400 pounds (1,088.6 kg).
Belgians have a high occurrence of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), an inherited genetic disorder that causes newborn foals to lose large areas of skin and have other abnormalities, normally resulting in euthanasia. A study conducted in 2001-2003 found that 17.1% of tested Belgians in the US and Canada were carriers, including 13.5% of stallion
s and 28.9% of mare
s. If carriers are not mated, JEB can be avoided, and scientists are studying the disease further in the hope of completely eliminating it. The US Belgian breed registry
requires JEB testing. Belgians have also been identified to be at risk for chronic progressive lymphedema
, a chronic progressive disease that includes symptoms of progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis
and fibrosis
of distal limbs. The disease is similar to chronic lymphedema
in humans.
The world's largest horse was a Belgian Draft named Brooklyn Supreme, who weighed 3200 lb (1,451.5 kg) and stood at 19.2 hands (1.98 m).
Belgian horses are able to pull tremendous weights. At the National Western Stock Show
in Denver, Colorado
, a team of two horses in the Heavyweight class pulled 17,000 pounds a distance of 7 ft 2 in (7,700 kg a distance of 2.18 m). The team of Belgians weighed 4,800 pounds (2,200 kg). At the Iowa State fair, the heavyweight champions in the pulling contest pulled 14,600 pounds the complete distance of 15 ft (6,690 kg, 4.6 m). The team consisted of one Belgian and one Percheron
and weighed 3,600 pounds (1,600 kg).
s in the Middle Ages
, although there is no independent evidence to support this claim. The foundation stock for the Belgian was originally known as the Brabant. Other names for essentially the same breed include the Cheval de trait Belge, Brabançon, and Belgisch Trekpaard. Until the 1940s, the Belgian and the Brabant were essentially the same breed. Following World War II, the Brabant in Europe was selectively bred to be thicker bodied and heavier, while in the United States the Belgian was bred to be somewhat taller and lighter bodied. The main use was as a farm
horse. Closely related breeds include the Trait du Nord
and Nederlands Trekpaard
.
In 1887, the American Association of Importers and Breeders of Belgian Draft Horses was founded in Wabash, Indiana to register and keep track of all Belgian Draft Horses. Today, the Belgian is the most numerous breed of draft horse in the United States.
Importation of Belgians to the USA ended in bulk after the beginning of the Second World War with Erwin F. Dygert
transporting the last Belgians out of Europe as the war was beginning.
Belgians are still used as working animal
s, but have also become popular as show horses
, and pleasure riding
horses. The Brabant and related breeds remaining in Belgium today are also desirable for horse meat
, producing a tender meat that is considered a delicacy.
, "Belgian Black" is a colloquialism
used to describe a Friesian horse
.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
horse breed
Horse breed
Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...
from the Brabant region of modern Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds. The breed associations are the Société Royale Le Cheval de Trait Belge (Koninklijke Maatschappij het Belgisch Trekpaard) and the Eleveurs Wallons du Cheval de Trait Belge (Vlaamse Fokkers van het Belgisch Trekpaard).
Characteristics
Colors normally are a type of light chestnutChestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
sometimes called a "sorrel
Sorrel (horse)
Sorrel is an alternative word for one of the most common equine coat colors in horses. While the term is usually used to refer to a copper-red shade of chestnut, in some places it is used generically in place of "chestnut" to refer to any reddish horse with a same-color or lighter mane and tail,...
," with a flaxen mane
Mane (horse)
The mane is the hair that grows from the top of the neck of a horse or other equine, reaching from the poll to the withers, and includes the forelock or foretop. It is thicker and coarser than the rest of the horse's coat, and naturally grows to roughly cover the neck...
and tail.
On average the Belgian grows to weigh slightly over 900 kilograms (1,984.2 lb). Currently, the world's tallest Belgian Draft is Radar, a gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
foaled in 1998 in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He stands at 19.3½ hands
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
(2.02 metres) at the withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, and weighs over 2400 pounds (1,088.6 kg).
Belgians have a high occurrence of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), an inherited genetic disorder that causes newborn foals to lose large areas of skin and have other abnormalities, normally resulting in euthanasia. A study conducted in 2001-2003 found that 17.1% of tested Belgians in the US and Canada were carriers, including 13.5% of stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
s and 28.9% of mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
s. If carriers are not mated, JEB can be avoided, and scientists are studying the disease further in the hope of completely eliminating it. The US Belgian breed registry
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
requires JEB testing. Belgians have also been identified to be at risk for chronic progressive lymphedema
Chronic Progressive Lymphedema
Chronic progressive lymphedema, or CPL, is a disease identified in Shire, Clydesdale and Belgian horses that resembles Scratches. It is characterized by lymphedema and symptoms include progressive swelling, thickening skin and lesions on the lower leg. The disease is most likely caused by a...
, a chronic progressive disease that includes symptoms of progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis is thickening of the stratum corneum, often associated with a qualitative abnormality of the keratin, and also usually accompanied by an increase also in the granular layer...
and fibrosis
Fibrosis
Fibrosis is the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process. This is as opposed to formation of fibrous tissue as a normal constituent of an organ or tissue...
of distal limbs. The disease is similar to chronic lymphedema
Lymphedema
Lymphedema , also known as lymphatic obstruction, is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system....
in humans.
The world's largest horse was a Belgian Draft named Brooklyn Supreme, who weighed 3200 lb (1,451.5 kg) and stood at 19.2 hands (1.98 m).
Belgian horses are able to pull tremendous weights. At the National Western Stock Show
National Western Stock Show
The National Western Stock Show is held every January at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. First held in 1906, it is the world's largest stock show by number of animals and offers the world’s only carload and pen cattle show in the historic Denver Union Stockyards.The stock show is...
in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, a team of two horses in the Heavyweight class pulled 17,000 pounds a distance of 7 ft 2 in (7,700 kg a distance of 2.18 m). The team of Belgians weighed 4,800 pounds (2,200 kg). At the Iowa State fair, the heavyweight champions in the pulling contest pulled 14,600 pounds the complete distance of 15 ft (6,690 kg, 4.6 m). The team consisted of one Belgian and one Percheron
Percheron
The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...
and weighed 3,600 pounds (1,600 kg).
Breed history
Historically, it is theoretically possible the Belgian may have had ancestors who were destrierDestrier
The destrier is the best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. It was described by contemporary sources as the Great Horse, due to its size and reputation....
s in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, although there is no independent evidence to support this claim. The foundation stock for the Belgian was originally known as the Brabant. Other names for essentially the same breed include the Cheval de trait Belge, Brabançon, and Belgisch Trekpaard. Until the 1940s, the Belgian and the Brabant were essentially the same breed. Following World War II, the Brabant in Europe was selectively bred to be thicker bodied and heavier, while in the United States the Belgian was bred to be somewhat taller and lighter bodied. The main use was as a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
horse. Closely related breeds include the Trait du Nord
Trait Du Nord
The Trait du Nord, previously known also as Ardennais du Nord or Ardennais de type Nord, is a breed of heavy draft horse developed and bred in the area of Hainaut in western Belgium and in north-eastern France. Originally considered a sub-type of the Ardennes, it became an individual breed with the...
and Nederlands Trekpaard
Dutch Heavy Draft
The Dutch Heavy Draft Horse, also simply known as the Dutch Draft, Dutch Draught, or Nederland Trekpaard, is a draft horse from the Netherlands. They were developed after World War I for heavy draft and farm work.-History:...
.
In 1887, the American Association of Importers and Breeders of Belgian Draft Horses was founded in Wabash, Indiana to register and keep track of all Belgian Draft Horses. Today, the Belgian is the most numerous breed of draft horse in the United States.
Importation of Belgians to the USA ended in bulk after the beginning of the Second World War with Erwin F. Dygert
Erwin F. Dygert
Erwin F. Dygert was an importer of horses into the United States. He brought the last Belgian horses out of Europe before the beginning of the second world war....
transporting the last Belgians out of Europe as the war was beginning.
Uses
Working animal
A working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide or service dogs, or they may be animals trained strictly to perform a job, such as logging elephants. They may also be used for milk, a...
s, but have also become popular as show horses
Draft horse showing
Draft horse showing refers to horse shows exclusively for horses of the draft horse breeds. In North America, though a small number of draft horses are also shown under saddle, the term "Draft horse showing" refers to a specific horse show competition that primarily features driving exhibitors...
, and pleasure riding
Pleasure riding
Pleasure riding is a form of equestrianism that encompasses many forms of recreational riding for personal enjoyment, absent elements of competition. Pleasure riding is called "hacking" in British English, and in parts of the eastern United States and Canada...
horses. The Brabant and related breeds remaining in Belgium today are also desirable for horse meat
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
, producing a tender meat that is considered a delicacy.
Other meanings
In BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, "Belgian Black" is a colloquialism
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
used to describe a Friesian horse
Friesian horse
The Friesian is a horse breed originating in Friesland, Netherlands. Although the breed's conformation resembles that of a light draft horse, Friesians are graceful and nimble for their size. During the Middle Ages, it is believed that the ancestors of Friesian horses were in great demand as war...
.