Because Belgium was the supply upon which other countries depended for such large stock horses, all that was left was for the country to establish the breed and strengthen the genetic makeup already at hand. The breed was refined by the Belgiun government who set up a national show, the winners of which would compete in the National Show in Brussels. The country's inspection committee selected from the national the finest stallions for public services. These efforts resulted in a substancial improvement of the fixed breed type, and the Belgian horse became a national treasure.
When the Belgian was initially brought into America, they were criticized for being "too thick, too low-headed, straight shouldered, and round-boned". The American farmers soon took a shine to the Belgian horse as they were of a good disposition, eager workers and were easy to keep. As a result the Belgian stayed, the the American breeders rallied to fix any wrongs. As a result it is considered one of the most successful breeding stories ever told. The American Belgain has many good attributes including good bone and muscle structure, strong feet, a solid middle and a good disposition. He is still easy to maintain, ships well, and remains a hard and willing worker. The breeders from America produced a clean-lined horse with a greater slope to the shoulders and pasterns, and which showed an elegant appearance of the head and neck.
Description
When it comes to color, whilst the initial Belgians to be imported to America were a wide mix, about 50% were bay and bay-brown. However colour wise, there was no particular colour that was considered a defining characteristic. Through breeding, shown by American preference, the ideal for a Belgian in the U.S. A typical Belgian has a sorrel or chesnut coat with a snow white mane, a white stripe on the face and white socks. A large selection of colours can still be found in other areas of the globe.
Regarding height, Belgian horses are usually 16 hands (162.5 centimeters, or 64 inches) at the shoulder, but can exceed 18 hands (183 cm or 72 inches) to the shoulder. Belgian horses from the States typically have rather a large headsize, large hindquarters and shorter feathered legs.
The normal weight is 1600 to 2000 lbs (113.6 to 142 stones), but stallions can exceed 2400 pounds (170.4 stones).
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