Belgian

The Belgian is the most numerous draft horse in the United States. It comes from the Brabant region of Belgium, descended from the heavy horses of medieval Europe, and it was imported here in quantity from 1866.

The American Belgian has diverged from the European Brabant: taller, lighter bodied, and almost always chestnut or sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail and white markings, where the Brabant remained heavier and is usually roan or bay.

They are the strongest horses alive by pulling record, and they are known for a docile, willing temperament that makes a very large animal manageable.

The trade is what any draft horse costs. They eat in proportion to their size, they need farrier work suited to the load, and the breed carries a risk of chronic progressive lymphedema, a progressive and incurable disease of the lower legs.