BELGIAN HORSE

Belgian stallion with sorrel coat and flaxen mane and tail. breed of heavy draft horse descended from the Flemish "great horse," the medieval battle horse native to the Low Countries. An old breed, Belgians were considerably improved after 1880. In 1866 the first Belgian was taken to the United States, where the breed was well accepted but was never as popular as the Percheron (q.v.). Docile and patient in nature, Belgians have thick muscles, heavy bodies, and short legs. They average 16 to 17 hands (64 to 68 inches, or 163 to 173 cm) tall and weigh 1,800 to 2,200 pounds (820 to 1,000 kg). Although the Flemish horse was black, Belgians are usually bay, chestnut, sorrel, or roan in colour. The organization preceding the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America was established in 1887. See the Table of Selected Breeds of Heavy Horses for further information.