Belgian workhorse: description, characteristics and features

Despite all the achievements of science and technology, a good workhorse is still appreciated by residents of agricultural areas. Heavy-duty rocks are preferred. Around the world, many have been bred. Each has its own characteristics, but common to all is the ability to perform heavy physical work. Animals are attracted by their strength, endurance and surprisingly good-natured disposition.

Breeding history

The Belgian workhorse is one of the oldest breeds in the world. In the Middle Ages, "big horses" were considered chivalrous. Only they could carry heavy riders on their backs. They did not differ in high growth, on average 140-145 cm, but had a very strong skeleton and magnificent muscles.

The modern type began to take shape in the mid-nineteenth century. Strong horses were needed for agriculture and industry. The selection was carried out among the most massive large individuals. Unwanted stallions were castrated to prevent the quality of the livestock from deteriorating. The selection was accompanied by appropriate conditions for keeping and feeding. Most of the time the horses spent on the pastures, which greatly strengthened their health.

There are three main lines in the breed:

• Gros de la Dendre from the stallion Orange I, is characterized by a bay suit and a powerful physique.
• Greysof Hainault from Bayard stallion, is distinguished by roan, gray, red and bulan suits.
• Collossesde la Mehaigne from stallion Jean I, famous for incredible endurance, strength and strength of legs.

Systematic mass exhibitions of horses and a studentbook, which has been conducted since 1886, have made it possible to achieve the breeding of a modern Belgian breed.

Breed description

The Belgian heavy workhorse has the following characteristics:

• Torso. Massive, with well-defined muscles. Powerful long back, low and wide withers, loin wide, croup rounded bifurcated.
• Chest. Deep, unfolded, barrel-shaped, rounded ribs.
• Neck. Broad at the base, well set, arched. Short, strong and strong.
• Head. Large, broad forehead, flat, slightly flattened profile, muscular ganache. Ears are straight small, thick mane. Eyes expressive small, fleshy thick lips, wide nostrils.
• Legs. Massive, correctly set. Grandmas are covered with thick brushes, the forearm is powerful, the hocks are wide and thick, they have a good bending angle.
• Live weight on average 800-1000 kg.
• Suit. The roan of all shades, red, bay, less often salty, gray.
  

Comparison table of measurements:

They are distinguished by good health, unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention and feeding, kindness. Start working from the age of two.

Role in breeding new breeds of heavy trucks

The Belgian workhorse has the unique ability to steadily transmit its qualities to offspring. The genes and blood of the Belgians inherited:

• Shires
• kledesdely;
• Suffolk Punch
• Maracozi;
• Dutch worker;
• Russian heavy truck: stallions of the Belgian breed, wings of draft mares, the breed was officially registered in 1925;
• Soviet heavy truck: Belgian stallions were used on crossbreeds of bullies, ardenes, perchers, registered in 1952.

Working qualities

Breeding work horses is one of the areas of horse breeding. To evaluate the working qualities of horses, the following indicators were developed and adopted:

• Traction force. It determines the force applied by the animal to move the load, overcoming its resistance to movement. It is noted that the three horses create a draft force of 85%, and the eight-head harness makes only 47%.
• Power. The amount of work performed per unit of time, expressed in kilogram meters per second. Formula N = R / t, where power is N, time is t, and the amount of work is R. In practice, it can be measured in ton-kilometers, hectares. For a horse of 500 kg it is 75 kg per m / s or “one horsepower”. When tested at a short distance, individual individuals are able to exceed it by 2, or even 5 times.
  
• Speed ​​of movement. Gallop is rarely used when transporting goods or agricultural work. Trotting is allowed for movement for no more than 10-20 minutes, it depends on the quality of the road surface. On a lynx, the animal gets tired faster. 60 steps per minute are considered a normal indicator, a quicker step leads to a decrease in performance.
• Endurance. Determines how long the horse can maintain its ability to work and the rate of recovery of the body after a short rest and feeding. An indicator of an animal overfatigue is its pulse, respiratory rate, and body temperature. If after 30 minutes from the moment of stopping the work, the pulse is above 100 beats per minute, breathing is 70 and above, t -40 ⁰ - these are clear signs of a strong overwork of the horse.
• Goodness. It is characterized by the willingness and desire of the animal to work.

Any of the above qualities is important and must be taken into account when breeding horses of heavy breed. Equally significant, and sometimes decisive, is the horse’s goodwill - the absence of any aggression towards a person and his fellow tribesmen. No strongman can keep the 900-pound raging giant. The calm nature and readiness for cooperation is a prerequisite for the selection of breeding animals.

Performance Factors

The following factors affect the performance of an animal:

• traction force with the surface; horseshoes with spikes or rubber pads are used to strengthen it;
• gait, the greatest value is possible only at the step;
• straightforwardness, riding in a circle makes the horse make an extra effort to turn his own body;
• crowding, with a multi-horse harness it is important to select animals as similar as possible in height, weight, temperament;
• body type;
• fatness;
• live weight;
• involvement in work;
• physiological state (an old workhorse will not be able to carry the load performed by a young healthy animal);
• feeding and keeping conditions;
• breed;
• duration of work;
• type of higher nervous activity.
  

Modern use

The use of workhorses in modern conditions can be divided into three categories:

• Transportation of goods. The transportation of various cargoes accounts for a greater use of manpower. On livestock farms it is more convenient and cheaper to transport fodder, bedding, fuel, building materials on horse-drawn vehicles. In hard-to-reach forests, on the slopes of the mountains, no one better than a workhorse will help to stretch a felled tree. In cities, the tradition of transporting food in carts, especially beer barrels, is preserved. Numerous carnivals in many countries around the world cannot do without painted crews.
• Work with agricultural equipment. In small areas with uneven terrain or in small greenhouses, any cultivation of the land is more convenient to carry out on horses. Harvesting hay in mountainous areas, where it is impossible to deliver modern equipment, is not complete without the participation of animals.
  
• Work under saddle or packs. Work horses are often used for grazing pets. As pack horses are used in other areas of human activity: in geology, climbing mountains, archeology and others.

Curious facts

The history of the “Belgians” has more than one hundred years and many interesting facts:

• The breed is declared a national treasure of Belgium.
• The champion of the breed Brooklyn Supreme with a height of 198 cm weighed 1440 kg.
• The highest price of $ 47,500 was paid at auction for the seven-year-old Belgian Farceur.
• The Belgian horse is not the largest in the world, nevertheless it is the ancestress of the world giant record holders - shires.
• Foals of this breed are shortened at the age of several weeks.
• In the 20th century, the annual export of “Belgians” amounted to 30 thousand heads, the lion's share was in Germany.
• In 1933, one of the most famous producers, Avenir d'Erz, gave two winners of the breed exhibition: his son d'Anti and daughter Astrid Pandur won first places.
• Belgian mares most often bring stallions.
• The roan is the most common suit of the breed.
• The blood of the "Belgians" flows in the veins of most modern heavy horses.
• In 2013, the shrimp equestrian farm in Ostdunkirk was included in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, it uses exclusively the Belgian horse.
  

In many countries of the world with respect and love are a reliable assistant to a person. In Russia, in the Yaroslavl region in the village of Ivashkovo, the "Workhorse Museum" was created. An interesting and informative tour tells about the role of the horse in the history of Russia, its epic heroes. Introduces the unique breeds of Russia: Altai, Vyatka, Yakut, Bashkir and others. Visitors will learn all about harnessing and saddling horses, caring for animals.