The Brabant or Brabancon is also known as the Belgian heavy draft horse and is native to Belgium.
The breed has an ancient pedigree and dates back to Roman times, renown for its pulling power.
Heavy horse
It’s ancestors were warhorses known as Flanders horse and the breed had great influence in shaping and improving other breeds, such as the Clydesdale, shire, German Rhineland and the Suffolk Punch.
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.
The typical height is 16hh to 17hh (163 to 173cm).
The world's largest Belgian Horse was named Brooklyn Supreme, who weighed 3,200 pounds (1,450 kg) and stood at 19.2 hands (1.98 m).
On average the Belgian will grow to weigh slightly over 1 ton or 2,000 pounds.
They are one of the strongest of the heavy breeds.
Typical coat colours are chestnut, red roan with black points.
The breed is intelligent and good-natured.
It has a square head with a gentle expression, and strong short thick crested neck.
The back is short and strong along with hindquarters.
The shoulders are very muscled and body is deep and compact.
This breed of heavy horse is still used as working animals for farm work and harness work.
They have also become popular as show horses, and pleasure riding horses.
This breed and other related breeds remaining in Belgium today are also desirable for horse meat, producing a tender meat that is considered a delicacy.
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