Belgian Drafts

[cblover]

I’m after your expert advice please.

My friend has the chance of buying an 18 month old Belgian Draft filly with the view of raising her, educating her on the ground and then ridden and selling her as a 5 year old. All being well.

Her tail is docked, which I’m not keen on but there is a vets certificate in the passport to confirm it was done correctly. She’s very sweet to handle, had a rug on, picks her feet up ect.

So questions....anyone own one and can tell me about them? What demand is there in the UK for them? Selling value as a 5 year old? And anything else I need to know.

Thanks!

 

[Snowfilly]

There's a couple of dealers bringing in some less than wonderful ones who were probably destinied for the meat trade at the moment, and selling them as youngsters, so have a good look at who you're buying from.

They're lovely horses, but you may struggle to turn a profit - they're big, hungry and will cost a fortune to kit out, although they're not as bad as the American strains! Slow maturing, 5 may be pushing it for ridden work.

Demand wise, if it hacks out well I think you'd sell very easily. Just beware of novices thinking a draft is a good first horse because of the gentle giant thing.

They're not eligible for the Ridden HOYS series, or I don't think, the equifest one, so demand as a ridden show horse is lower than British heavies. They can do BD draft dressage.

I know three; one hacks and does local heavy horse shows, one works in harness and one's just a baby who goes for lots of walks and looks cute in youngstock classes.

I would look at the docked tail situation in regards to where it's going to live; it removes fly and midge defences. Some livery yards may not be happy with a docked horse as you'll be at the mercy of people walking by and complaining (friend with a shaved-tail shire has enough problems!)

All told, I'd probably buy it!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I think I know the horse you mean and know the dealer that has this horse and I wouldn't touch it for that reason alone.

 

[cblover]

I think I know the horse you mean and know the dealer that has this horse and I wouldn't touch it for that reason alone.

PM me please, I’d appreciate it

 

[hihosilver]

My friend had a nice bay I think she sold it as she wanted to do dressage and he was just too heavy for that. He however was a gentle giant and would hack all day. He did cost a fortune in rugs and bridle as they all had to be made. Extra full bridles were way too small. If you want to hack and not much else I would consider.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Lovely horses, I had to make a 68 inch girth for one and 66 inch reins once!
HUGE powerful yet quite docile, the one's I have seen were anyway, fitted a saddle to one once too, that was fun..............
Oz

 

[cremedemonthe]

This was made up for a Belgium sized horse, that plastic model head is full size, makes it look like a pony the way it's hanging off it!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I think I know the horse you mean and know the dealer that has this horse and I wouldn't touch it for that reason alone.

I think that one has been sold.

 

[cblover]

I’m in Cumbria if that helps solve the dealer mystery.

 

[SEL]

Is she on FB? Might be worth asking on the Brabant and Ardennes pages because there are very established owners of Belgian heavies on there who can advise.

They are late developers so you won't want much weight on the back at 5. They can also have surprisingly short backs for such big horses.

Given my Ardennes is under 15h and needs to eat constantly over winter told hold his weight I dread to think how much the big guys cost to feed!!!

 

[paddy555]

36% prevalence of PSSM1 and 18% of shivers in a study done by Valberg and 2 others on Belgian draughts. Those odd would be too high for me.

 

[Mule]

36% prevalence of PSSM1 and 18% of shivers in a study done by Valberg and 2 others on Belgian draughts. Those odd would be too high for me.

 

[Velcrobum]

Possibly not a good idea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_horse

 

[cblover]

Thanks for all your views, I’ll pass them on to my friend.

 

[Mule]

Possibly not a good idea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_horse

I wonder is it possible to breed out those health problems? Perhaps an injection of non purebred Belgian might help.

 

[Skib]

Lovely Belgian draughts used to be at Estes Park YMCA centre in Colorado. They drew sledges in winter and hay wains with vacationers in summer. There was a well run trail ride centre there too. The horses were all kept together. But the Belgian Draughts were driven, not ridden.

 

[Mule]

Lovely Belgian draughts used to be at Estes Park YMCA centre in Colorado. They drew sledges in winter and hay wains with vacationers in summer. There was a well run trail ride centre there too. The horses were all kept together. But the Belgian Draughts were driven, not ridden.

I find wider horses less comfortable to ride than narrower types. By wider, I mean cobs, I can only imagine what a Belgian draught would be like

 

[SEL]

They have a huge % of PSSM in the breed - it's actually thought to originate in them over 1500 years ago. BUT they aren't usually anywhere near as symptomatic as other breeds. My Ardennes is homozygous for the gene and that should mean exercise intolerance and muscle wastage. Instead he can live on grass and the only issue I have to manage is weight. Never tied up and no muscle wastage despite now being retired.

Arthritis is an issue in heavy breeds and that will be his downfall sadly.

CPL is definitely a problem as are other skin conditions around feathers.

On the plus side they have fabulous temperaments and if I had the land there would be more in my herd!

 

[sbloom]

Short backed, usually very wide, can sometimes be lucky to get a 17" on them, and the harder a combo is to saddle fit to the higher the likely budget needs to be (give or take, removing luck from the equation of course!).