The look on the guys face when you jumped on the mare bareback just like that. He was SO impressed! (so am I by the way and I'm 6 feet tall) They are so much fun to ride bareback and are incredibly sweet horses and they can really move awesome for such a big and heavy draft horse.
I replayed that on slo-mo about 5 times and I'm still not sure how the physics work on that one! I would probably just bounce off and fall on my butt if I tried it lol.
I’m from belgium and i know the reason: in the late 19th century they started doing it to the work/farm horses because the long tails could get tangled in the pulling gear the found it was handier than braiding and then they didn’t need to cut it more often … it stayed that way a long time . But 5 years ago there came a law that made it illegal to remove the tails so the younger horses all still have their long tail or just have cut it short. The older horses still have the removed tail because of this.
I’ve heard that farmers used to have issues where the tail could be hurt and possibly broken or torn off in farm equipment accidents, so they started docking them. They don’t allow it in most places anymore, luckily. I don’t agree with any kind of unnecessary body modification for animals personally.
Thank goodness they don't remove their tails any more. It would not be acceptable by many now including myself. Leave their beautiful tails alone and let them have their glory for all to see.
As a belgian who lives at the coast, closely to where they shrimp, im so proud of this tradition. Everytime i see the horses come out i just watch them and enjoy
Absolutely beautiful breed. Love the feather on the legs. So large and powerful yet very nimble. Love the range of colors especially the roans. A horse I would love to own and ride.
Loved loved the video!! I absolutely adore Belgian Drafts but didn't know they were so versatile as to go fishing! Thanks for taking us along the adventure Alyssa!
I did meet some Belgians, many years ago! They were the rusty color that seems to be most characteristic of the breed in the US, and just beautiful! The two mares were so friendly and HUGE---the first drafts I had ever seen. I was in grad school at the time, and still a horse-crazy kid at heart. I hated to leave them! Such a lovely memory.
Love, love, love this episode! Thank you for bringing awareness about how versatile this breed is. My first and only horse so far is a 19.2 hand belgian draft I rescued. Even with all the trauma he's been through, he is the sweetest, gentlest horse I've ever known. Yes, when I ride him he's happy to plod like a farm horse. But, when he wants to, he can really move. Plus he has the most beautiful collected trot I've ever seen. After owning a draft, I could never go back.
Living near Amish Country in OH, the Belgian is the favored breed to work the farm. I have been around them and they are such gentle giants. At camp we had Big Brother who was half Belgian and when he cantered it was like a gentle rocking horse.
I libe in the caribeans, but i'm from there, and it are beautiful horses. I saw them fishing a few times, about 30/35 years agoo. And you're right: in belgium you have two clases of schrimps, the pink and ghe grey. The grey cost doble, but they are 10 times better. And like you said we always thought about those horses like workhorses, because in that time i was'nt fascinated with horses. We only saw them with respect for their strength and force. Now i see them in a diferent way. Love to see how you are riding without saddle, stunning. But i don't understand why they cut their tail. But i love their feathering or socks. They are pure muscles. Very impressif to see them. You're always the best, love to learn the diferent breeds.👍💞😘
When i was younger, i've been riding a belgian mare called Emma who just looked like Elza! I loved it, i always rode her bareback or just with a blanket
I knew of the breed and the shrimpfishing tradition already and looooooove it! I am so happy to see you creating more knowledge and, like you said about the kids watching; starting life long horse obsessions (the good ones) in people. Especially highlighting the amazing calm but very aware nature of these horses. People do miss that because of the muscles and size of them. The unity a smart, willing and strong horse can have with a rider is not less when you at the same time sit comfortably as on a couch! Also the joy Elsa had in cantering and powering through the sea! The breeder who started at 50 made my heart melt a little too, just beautiful😊 This vid made my day! Thnx for making and sharing
SO am i i used to live in Oostduinkerke Fabiolaplein nr 2 by the tram lines where the horses cross 50 meters from the beach my flat is even on this video now living in England for the last 45 years but still speaking Flemish perfect. Alles is heel mooi en brengt vele herinneringen op.
I am a great fan of the "gentle giants" and was shocked and angry to learn how they are (ab)used by some Amish people in the U.S.A. After they worked hard on the fields and lose strength they end in kill pens - starving, neglected, scars on the exploited bodies. Some of them nearly look like walking skeletons. God bless some kind people (like the owners of Fletchers Farms, Amarillo, Texas) who buy the pitiful horses to give them care and the retirement on wide pastures they deserve.
We have owned 2! Very fun! I grew up in NL, we lived near Scheveningen and I rode like this on the beach and into the sea, one of my favorite things to do as a teenager! You have me missing it now! LOL. Thank you for taking us on your mission!
Was für ein tolles Video ❤! Belgien ist ein schönes Land. Das Meer, die Natur, nette Menschen. Da gibt's die leckeren Pommes Frites und ganz leckere Pralinen. Ich glaube die frischen Schrimps schmecken wunderbar . Die Pferde sind absolut toll 🐎🥰! Was für ein schöner Ausflug! Viele Grüße aus Deutschland ❤.
I indeed have experience with These breeds. When I was younger I took lessons at a close barn, there was Roan, a horse named after his Color. The well known color for a Belgian draft. He was silly, friendly, and a clown, but gentle. I loved him to death but I never ever was allowed to ride him. I was once allowed to sit on him but other than that nothing else. One day, after a long time of not seeing him I decided to look for him. I entered his stall and there he was, skinny as can be, his hip bones sticking out, he didn’t look normal and was overall just really worried looking, phasing around in his stall and alert. I left that barn, because I had no time. Later I heard he was sold unexpectedly, such a sad story.
This magnificent Belgian Draft breed, is one of my absolute favorites! The shrimp fishing on horseback, is the first time I’ve ever heard of this, how fascinating. I LOVED this video, thank you, Alyssa.
There are a lot of Belgian draft horses in my area for showing, but they are all flaxen Chestnut with pangere. I love the more natural hoof shape compared to the split Toe with massive wedges that you see more often than not. I own a North American spotted draft but his dam was a Belgian
I've owned two Belgian Draft horses. So gentle and smart. 100% reliable. Only downside is a condition called CPL. Unfortunately most drafts have this condition. It is sad, because you cannot cure it. But other than that, they are truly amazing!
@@shizukagozen777, it is sad. You can manage it though. And if managed right, horses can grow old with it. In some cases you can even reverse the damage. But only if you do it right and keep it up. If you stop, it will come back real fast and it will be worse too.
@@NienkeJoe Yeah, I read that there's no treatment for that except treating all the time. I read that they can live normal life despite everything but still... 😥
Do hope they rinsed salt off. They are a forgiving breed normally willing to stay busy. I've enjoyed riding and being pulled in a massive buggy. Gentle Giants. I wish they were protected in North America to avoid slaughter at the profit of kill buyers.
Beautiful and fantastic breed of horse power... and thank you for your wonderful work about humanities ancient times...we still value and measure our self worth with horsepower...🎉🎉❤❤❤🐎🐎🌹🌹🌹🌹🤗🤗🤗🌹🙏🙏☮️☮️☮️☮️
They are not my favorite horses but I realy enjoyed your amazing adventure . Thank you for taking is all over the world. I have 8 horses and that makes me stay at home. Thanks to you I go all over the world and see all the great horses, places and people 🙏❤
What a beautiful adventure. Such a magnificent breed and amazing to watch how calm they are. And those feathers! So much to love about the Belgium draft. 😍
That's because technically speaking the American Belgian Draft isn't the same breed, as it is quite different from the original Belgian version (not just in color, height and configuration are different too). The breed from the video is what you would call a Brabant Draft. In Europe Belgian and Brabant Draft are synonyms for the same breed (because Brabant, Belgium is where they originate), but in America those are two different studbooks.
Well Alyssa, see you then back to the Netherlands,to be exactly Zeeland, because we have Dutch Drafts, likewise breed and for the same purpose ;). Fortunately docking tails is here forbidden for any animal breed, the back of the first horse you rode was not filmed, clever! Friesians were also farm horses with long tails, no docking. Sorry to mention but docking is cruel, you can tie up their tails like they do with other work breeds/ polo horses. It's an stunning breed with their beautiful long tails intact. 👋🙂👍
What a lovely welcome you had from the Belgian Horse breeder's, the must have googled your "Passion" for horses and when they met you they must have been uplifted by it. The video was truly as I have said in your past video's up with "RU-vid' best, continue with your "Quest", stay safe and Best wishes from the U/K.
I used to own a Belgian mare named Belle. Had her from the time I was 4yrs up until she was laid to rest in 08 at the ripe age of roughly 30yrs. Watching this brought tears to my eyes as I would absolutely LOVE to own another Belgian one day.
@@hiphorse14 yes, I'm guessing that the majority of the ones that were imported to the US originally may have been chestnut, or at least those used for breeding stock. And since chestnut is a recessive gene, you always get a chestnut color when you breed two chestnuts to each other. So any other colors eventually were bred out. The American Belgians are light chestnuts that also carry a color gene for that lighter mealy coloring on their bellies and legs.
@@DustyHoney but they're really not palominos because Belgians don't carry the Cream gene. If they were true palominos, then they would produce cremellos and perlinos, or even buckskins and smoky blacks when crossbred with other breeds.
Love this breed! I owned a Belgian Draft in Australia about 10 years ago. Trekked solo with her across Victoria. Beautiful, reliable and sweet natured girl.
This was so cool to watch. Traditional shrimping, with horses, who knew? Lol Such gentle smart giants. I’m always happy to go on your adventures with you. Keep going. Just awesome . Thank you.
You should do a Paso Iberoamericano. Wonderful versatile gaited breed. I've seen one breeder in Germany but I'm sure there are more. It's a P.R.ExPeruvian Paso
our shrimps are the best in the world, that's a fact, but don't tell any further! + he was amazed how you got on that horse! and so was I . I also loved riding horses. Cheers from Bruges, whatever your name is!
I had a Belgian-hacked off tail and all-but this is the SHORTEST I've ever seen a tail whacked off. Just slickening. You can see her vulva for God's sake. Fly bait. Stupid. LOVE THE VIDEO THOUGH.
