Draft Horse

1. 11 Responses to “What is your opinion on Belgian draft horses?”

2. By galloping . greys on Jan 12, 2009 | Reply

   Belgian Drafts are cold blooded, so you can expect their temperment to be on the calmer side.

3. By 1024 on Jan 13, 2009 | Reply

   Not necessarily true that big horses are gentler, but drafts generally have a very calm, easygoing disposition. Belgians are usually no exception! I have owned drafts but not a Belgian…I’ve worked with them, though, and here in the states they’re the least expensive, most plentiful draft breed there is. Drafts eat a lot, require special tack (which is usually more expensive) and their need a farrier experienced with drafts. Their action (gaits) aren’t as great as a Clydesdale, for example, and they aren’t generally a very flashy breed like a black Shire with four whites would be, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make lovely companions.

   Their gait is sometimes rather “ploddy”…they just kind of plod along. But not ALL Belgians/drafts do this (not by a long shot!) and I think it’s just a matter of trying a horse before you buy it to see if it’s got the movement you’re looking for. (A lot of times, a draft that was used just for driving and/or farm work may have this ploddy gait, just because there wasn’t any use for trotting and cantering under harness out in the fields hitched to another horse.)

   It’s not generally a good idea to do a lot of very strenuous and/or high jumping with a draft, because they are so heavy. Their joints are bigger than a warmbloods, but that doesn’t mean the two horses ought to be jumping the same stadium jump!

4. By jjrodeorose on Jan 13, 2009 | Reply

   My riding instructor has two Belgian mares. I love them!!
   They are both very well mannered and the calmest horses at the barn! One is 24 and a lesson horse for young kids, and the other is 4. This summer she will be used as a lesson horse. A couple weeks ago, my instructor was on the 4 year old during a cow sorting at the barn, and she was just standing in the pen with the cows watching us sort them. (It was just for fun.) My instructors 27 year old QH mare was rearing and bucking and getting really hyper, so my instructor had the 7 year old girl riding her get on the 4 year old belgian and they did amazing! Maple (the belgian) didn’t blink an eye when the cows were running into her.
   I really love them and plan on getting one myself when I have my own place.
   April (24 yr. 1/4 QH x Belgian)-%20Trl%20Dstr%20Hml%20-%20July%2022%202007/april.jpg

   Maple (4 year old Belgian) –%20Trl%20Dstr%20Hml%20-%20July%2022%202007/aneandmaples-1.jpg-%20Trl%20Dstr%20Hml%20-%20July%2022%202007/aneandmaples.jpg

5. By Charlax H on Jan 17, 2009 | Reply

   The association of the Rom with horses is almost legendary. By tradition, the gypsy horse is involved in each and every aspect of family life…faithfully pulling the vardo by day, yet sufficiently amenable and patient to be the gentle mount of gypsy children when the day is done. Often staked out alongside the road with the family wagon in all types of weather when not “on the move,” the gypsy horse lives and thrives for the most part by partaking of the grasses which happen to be growing where it is tethered. The heartiness and exceptional disposition of the gypsy horse is its trademark and such an animal is generally considered to be cold-blooded, incredibly adaptable from the moment of birth.

6. By Claire D on Jan 18, 2009 | Reply

   A horse this big is not a pet. They are nice loving animals but they are huge. Because of this they can be a little pushy with out intending to be so. They are hard to feed and will be hard on your fencing. Because of there size it is also hard to find a horse farrier that will take them and it is hard to transport them. However they are beautiful animals they are just hard to maintain and you have to ask yourself why you did this. I made this same mistake plenty of times. I have owned horses since I was five and the most important thing is to ask your self what you are going to do with the animal and then decide what type of horse will fit in your lifestyle. Not what most people like to do (and I have done) is to try to fit yourself with the horse and its lifestyle.

7. By dressage.rider on Jan 18, 2009 | Reply

   Although the drafts are normally sweet tempered, remember that some of that is due to environment and handling. I have Percherons, and they can be as hot as light horses! Careful handling and not allowing ANY agressive behavior is the key.

   Personally, I love Belgians and for the most part I have found them to be truely wonderful horses to handle, drive and ride.

8. By angelharp7 on Jan 20, 2009 | Reply

   It’s true the drafts usually have quieter temperaments, but it varies from horse to horse. The first draft that I rode was a Belgian mare who was a dream. She was very quiet, would whoa on command and was all-around bomb-proof even with only a snaffle bit. She only needed a little bit of firmness to encourage her to trot and turn.

   Our Belgian mare, Jezebel, (11 y.o.) is quiet by nature, but has an attitude. When we bought her, she’d been spoiled and she’d kick when you tried to lift her back feet. She would also try to nip. She wasn’t a bad horse; she just needed a firm, confident handler. She “likes” me and will come up for affection, pets and enjoys being hosed off in the summer, but she still tries to test me sometimes.

   Similarly, her former pasture-mate was even more “mare-ish” than Jez is. This Belgian mare wouldn’t even long-line (drive using long reins), didn’t seem to like humans, and was generally bad-natured. We sold her cheaply to a man who had had several drafts, and I warned him not to expect much from her. We had been told she had been driven in parades and weddings, but I had begun to doubt it. Within an hour’s session at his house he had her pulling his buggy. He was delighted and she seemed happy. It simply took a skilled, confident person to remind her what she was supposed to do.

   I expect that Belgian geldings would be less temperamental than the mares, as is true for most horses.

   Parting note: If you’re getting a draft to ride, be sure to ride or see the seller ride the horse before you buy it. Sometimes a harness horse that is as gentle as a kitten when hitched has never been saddled. Our 7 y.o. Percheron was absolutely terrified of saddles, yet he’d been ridden bare-back. He’s at training now to get him used to saddles. Also, many harness horses aren’t trained to the fine degree that you might want in a saddle horse. Just be sure if the seller says that the horse will “ride” he/she means “ride” using a saddle. You also need to make sure that you can make your horse stop in an emergency. (Jez recently showed me that I couldn’t make her stop with a snaffle bit if she didn’t want to.)

9. By gar_fanatic on Jan 20, 2009 | Reply

   They are sweet horses, but they forget you are there, because of their size. A family member of mine was the founder of the 40-horse-hitch (popular in the 70’s for Schlitz Beer.) That was comprised mostly of belgian horses because of their calm temperment. When I was little, they hooked the horses up one last time for a family reunion before he finally retired the hitch, and i got to ride the wagon. I was talking to one of the handlers and he stated that over the years, many handlers had received broken feet because the horse had stepped on them. They are sweet horses, but remember they are still just horses and can harm you if you are not careful.

10. By mandyliciousl on Jan 23, 2009 | Reply

    I don’t own a Belgian but I have had lots of expierence with them. They are big, loveble, calm, beautiful animals. Some act like they are just a big puppy dog, lol. I think it is true how the bigger the horse is the more calm it seems to be, but that is my opinion. I think it would be a good horse but you failed to say how much expeirence you have with horses. So it would help if you at least have a little bit of experience with them but if yoju don’t it can be easy to learn. As I said I think it would be a good horse to have. Well hope this helps and I hope if you get a Begian draft horse I hope you have a wonderful time with it

11. By letsjump! on Jan 24, 2009 | Reply

    GREAT CHOICE!

    I’ve worked with MANY belgians. they are the sweetest most easy going breed i came across. they have a great temperment and are great with children! the whole bigger the horse the calmer..isnt true. i had a chance to buy a belgian twice, but im hunter jumper and i needed a throughbred if i really wanted to get into showing circuits belgians can be seen in shows, but i usually see them in little ones, they are great pleasure horses. i highly recommend one!

12. By Saddlebreds-r-my-life on Jan 24, 2009 | Reply

    i think they are very nice and make good carrige horses. you have to keep special attention to them though, because one, they are cold blooded, so the weather might affect them, and 2, just in case they decide to do something, they are so big and powerful, you never know..
    ONE IMPORTANT TIP!! dont get your toes anywhere near them( bad experiance)

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