The Belgian Breed is one of the gentlest, most eager to work and easiest to handle and train breeds. The Belgians in America today, descendants of Belgium's Brabant, are not as massive as the Brabant but retain proportionate muscular and bone structure and the gentle, hard working disposition of their ancestors. The Belgians were bred mainly for farm work in Belgium and imported to the United States in the 1800's for the same purpose. Although farming was the main purpose of the breed their gentle disposition, strength, and versatility has made them ideal for all other types of Draft work. The purity of the breed has been carefully guarded over the years. Careful breeding, choosing only purebreds with the most desirable traits, breeders have maintained a very desirable, versatile animal. These traits make them number one with most Draft Horse enthusiasts today. The breeding alone is not fully responsible for the Belgians gentleness and eagerness to work. The training and handling of the animal has a lot to do with what type of temperament it will end up possessing. A gentle, calm, but firm hand and kindness will reap all the benefits the Belgian breed has to offer.
I was raised around the breed most my life. My grandfather, his father and grandfather before him all used Belgians to farm in Northeast Missouri. Grandpa also raised, trained, and sold Belgians for many years. He was the one to go to if you needed a great, not just good, team of Draft horses. Before his death in 2000, he had raised and trained an untold number of horses. Belgians, although they were his favorites and most used, were not the only breed of horse he raised. The other breeds included Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and several pony breeds including Shetlands and Welsh. Grandpa's second favorite breed was the Mule, which is a cross between male Donkey (a jack) and female horse. Grandpa bred the donkey not only with his lighter weight mares but also with his Belgian mares resulting in the "Mammoth Jack." The Mules he bred inherited the gentle, hard working traits of the Belgian and the surefootedness and strength of the donkey. They were the gentlest Mules I have ever known.
In 40 years of my life, my grandfather only had two teams that he kept as his own. The very first team that I remember him having were named Queen and Barney. They were a pair of dark brown Belgians, if I remember correctly; they were half brother and sister. The two were raised and trained together from day one by my grandfather. These horses were so well trained they would have harnessed themselves if possible. They did everything else on voice command and some things just because they knew it was what they were supposed to do. Grandpa owned a 300-acre farm on which he usually kept no less than 12 to 15 head of horses but the Belgian teams were always the lead of the herd. Grandpa could step out into the yard and start calling for Queen and Barney who would appear right on cue every time with the rest of the horses following close behind. When he opened the gate, they knew exactly which stall was theirs and never failed to get it right. They would wait patiently for the feed boxes to be filled and to get on with the days work without missing a beat.
They did not need to be tied, they would stay until harnessed and told to "hitch up." They would then calmly leave the barn in order of closest to the barn door and go to the wagon that was outside; no matter which wagon was waiting they knew to go and back themselves into the tree and wait to be hitched up to the wagon. If it was the trailer or truck they were to be loaded into Grandpa would just have to say "load up" and they would know to go to the truck or trailer and they'd walk in every time. I remember grooming, leading, driving and riding them thinking I was so big and in control of such an enormous animal but it was truly my grandfather who had control of them through his training and voice commands. I say that the training has a lot to do with the type of animal that results because the second team he raised and trained for himself were just as gentle, even-tempered, and easy to control as Queen and Barney. In fact, all the horses and teams he broke, whether for himself or someone else were considered by many in the area to be some of the best. I was taught to have respect and use caution around all animals at all times but of them all, I believe the Belgians were the most trusted.
Do not be totally fooled by the amiable behavior that the Belgian displays the majority of the time. They are also very sensitive animals and can tell if the person handling them is stressed, agitated, or insecure. Those emotions can affect their behavior. Their massive size and strength can make them just as dangerous as they are gentle. They do not realize the brute strength that they possess and when frightened, startled or provoked they still posses the flight or fight instinct of any prey animal and can be just as unpredictable as any other breed in the same instance. As gentle and well trained as they were I can remember times that one or both of the team would startle, begin to bolt, rare or react in an unpredictable manner for whatever reason. A quick firm hand on the reins and a few calming words from Grandpa the situation could usually brought quickly under control.
Even though things went smoothly, most of the time there would be the occasional colt or filly that needed a bit more persuasion than the human hand alone could dole out. When these foals came along Grandpa could rely on the solid temperament and training of his older horses to put the young ones in their place. He would hitch the young one up with one of the older horses and between the two of them and many hours in the harness, the younger one soon learned his purpose and developed the desired disposition of the Belgian. If Grandpa had a real difficult foal, he would do a three hitch, with the foal between the two older horses. Considering guidance from both sides, there was not much the young horse could do but be compliant.
Grandpa and his team are greatly missed. I hope still to some day have a team of Belgians of my own. If any one were considering a team of Draft horses for work or pleasure, I would highly recommend considering the Belgians.
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