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The Belgian Horse

Until registries are in place the Breeding Communities forum will be for players to work together towards creating or improving their favourite breeds.
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Each breed may have only one topic. The first post in the topic is to be informative. It should help explain the breed, and breeding goals; advice on how to select mares and stallions; and links to ideal Stallions available for breeding.
Keeping a directory of breeders working on the same goal is also helpful.
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Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
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The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

The Belgian Horse
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Recognized Breeders
  • Alexis of Dappled Rose Farm
    Anne of Pretty Colors Ranch
    Virgo of Zodiac Ranch
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stallions at Stud
  • Knightshade - $1,000 - Metallic Smokey Black - Top Ranked Log Pull
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Breeding Advice
  • If you are looking to join the Belgian community, this will be a great guide to starting. There are several main things that you must know about these furry-legged pals. First comes first, your Belg is most likely going to want to compete in the log pull or marathon driving events. You will also find that if you have trained your Belg, he or she will also win in the western pleasure and hunters. Note that even though he/she is successful in the log pull, they are not typically born with the stats that support this type of event. Your Belgian, if from the adoption center, will have an average-good-green intelligence and maybe good balance and/or tempo. Don't expect movement, agility, or speed to be positive at all. This will take generations of crossbreeding to change.

    In the beginning of Belgian breeding on HWO, colors were not to be found ever. If you buy from the adoption center, you will most likely get a chestnut/sorrel, with a small chance of finding a black, bay, roan, or pangare. This has now changed in the Belgian world. There are now standing studs who carry cream, champagne, and many other genes. There is not much worry about getting color in today's age. So your focus when breeding is to acquire a high body size percentage (over 73%), feathering, and enough height. Belgians are the primary source of body size in the game, so you are basically responsible for offering body size to the entire game. hehe. Crossbreeding is the culprit of decreased body size, loss of feathering, and lack of height. So please be aware of how low your body percentages get when crossing. For example, try to avoid crossing with Arabians or most Thoroughbreds. You might end up with a not-so-desirable conformation!

    Hope this guide helped out at least a little. If you have any questions, feel free to reply and ask!
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Cheval de Trait Belg
Taken from Wikipedia
  • The Belgian horse or Belgian draft horse, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon,[2] or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the Cheval de trait belge or Flemish: Belgisch Trekpaard or Brabants Trekpaard or Brabander. It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds.

    History of the Breed
    Taken from Wikipedia
    Historically, it is theoretically possible the Belgian may have had ancestors who were destriers in the Middle Ages, although there is no independent evidence to support this claim. The foundation stock for the Belgian was originally known as the Brabant. Other names for essentially the same breed include the Cheval de trait Belge, Brabançon, and Belgisch Trekpaard. Until the 1940s, the Belgian and the Brabant were essentially the same breed. Following World War II, the Brabant in Europe was selectively bred to be thicker bodied and heavier, while in the United States the Belgian was bred to be somewhat taller and lighter bodied. The main use was as a farm horse. Closely related breeds include the Trait du Nord and Nederlands Trekpaard.

    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.bToday, the Belgian is the most numerous breed of draft horse in the United States.

    Importation of Belgians to the USA ended in bulk after the beginning of the Second World War with Erwin F. Dygert transporting the last Belgians out of Europe as the war was beginning.
Last edited by Virgo on October 27th, 2015, 12:39 pm, edited 10 times in total.
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
User avatar
Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
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Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

bump
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
Anne
Posts: 104
Joined: October 10th, 2015, 4:28 pm
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Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Anne »

Well hello again. :) You can put me down as a breeder, if you'd like to. I plan on sticking around.
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Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
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Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

Anne wrote:Well hello again. :) You can put me down as a breeder, if you'd like to. I plan on sticking around.
Updated! Also, if you want me to post any studs on here, I'm trying to get a list going. :) Just name, stud fee, link, and top three traits!
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
Anne
Posts: 104
Joined: October 10th, 2015, 4:28 pm
Visit My Farm

Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Anne »

Virgo wrote:Updated! Also, if you want me to post any studs on here, I'm trying to get a list going. :) Just name, stud fee, link, and top three traits!
Let me wait on that until I have some studs that I feel will be around for a while. For now, my boys are all just stepping stones on the way to various goals, and I don't wanna have to ask you to update the list left and right as various studs retire.
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Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
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Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

Anne wrote:
Virgo wrote:Updated! Also, if you want me to post any studs on here, I'm trying to get a list going. :) Just name, stud fee, link, and top three traits!
Let me wait on that until I have some studs that I feel will be around for a while. For now, my boys are all just stepping stones on the way to various goals, and I don't wanna have to ask you to update the list left and right as various studs retire.
I know exactly what you mean. My colt by my stud Aquarius who just passed away this week is already 12yrs. :o I've been trying to breed a ton of babies with outside stallions to get some new blood and all of my horses are getting so old, so quickly. Both were/are the #1 log pull horse (based on score) and still haven't been able to breed a horse of their same caliber. :? My goal right now is to breed babies that have no negative or average stats. It's so hard! Both parents can have a ton of positive stats and you can still get junk.

Have you bred any new stud prospects? Your stallions are really good producers. I think I have like 4 babies by Tarvos now!
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
User avatar
Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
Visit My Farm

Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

Anne wrote:
Virgo wrote:Breeding Advice
  • If you are looking to join the Belgian community, this will be a great guide to starting. There are several main things that you must know about these furry-legged pals. First comes first, your Belg is most likely going to want to compete in the log pull or marathon driving events. You will also find that if you have trained your Belg, he or she will also win in the western pleasure and hunters. Note that even though he/she is successful in the log pull, they are not typically born with the stats that support this type of event. Your Belgian, if from the adoption center, will have an average-good-green intelligence and maybe good balance and/or tempo. Don't expect movement, agility, or speed to be positive at all. This will take generations of crossbreeding to change.

    In the beginning of Belgian breeding on HWO, colors were not to be found ever. If you buy from the adoption center, you will most likely get a chestnut/sorrel, with a small chance of finding a black, bay, roan, or pangare. This has now changed in the Belgian world. There are now standing studs who carry cream, champagne, and many other genes. There is not much worry about getting color in today's age. So your focus when breeding is to acquire a high body size percentage (over 73%), feathering, and enough height. Belgians are the primary source of body size in the game, so you are basically responsible for offering body size to the entire game. hehe. Crossbreeding is the culprit of decreased body size, loss of feathering, and lack of height. So please be aware of how low your body percentages get when crossing. For example, try to avoid crossing with Arabians or Thoroughbreds. It will take you generations to get the least bit of body size and you will probably never get that line to be titled as a pure Belgian


Just added this breeding advice to the post! Let me know what you think and/or if you have anything you'd like to add! If you want to include something, I will definitely put down your name so everyone knows that you are part of the contribution!! :)
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
Anne
Posts: 104
Joined: October 10th, 2015, 4:28 pm
Visit My Farm

Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Anne »

Virgo wrote:I know exactly what you mean. My colt by my stud Aquarius who just passed away this week is already 12yrs. :o I've been trying to breed a ton of babies with outside stallions to get some new blood and all of my horses are getting so old, so quickly. Both were/are the #1 log pull horse (based on score) and still haven't been able to breed a horse of their same caliber. :? My goal right now is to breed babies that have no negative or average stats. It's so hard! Both parents can have a ton of positive stats and you can still get junk.

Have you bred any new stud prospects? Your stallions are really good producers. I think I have like 4 babies by Tarvos now!
Have you considered using a second account to lock the ages of your studs? That's the only way I'm able to keep mine around for a decent amount of time.

Breeding for stats is so difficult. It seems so random! I'm debating if I might like to focus on marathon driving instead of log pull since at least the negative movement of Belgians won't come into play there, but I like the log pull body shape.

I'm getting really close to a new stud or two, I think, from my metallic line. I'm on the generation now that gives pure Belgians. I need to fix up the stats in my cream and the bodies in my champagne, and then I need to breed their COI back down to a reasonable level somehow. I'd like to breed metallic into my silver dapples when that's done.
Anne
Posts: 104
Joined: October 10th, 2015, 4:28 pm
Visit My Farm

Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Anne »

Virgo wrote:
Anne wrote:
Just added this breeding advice to the post! Let me know what you think and/or if you have anything you'd like to add! If you want to include something, I will definitely put down your name so everyone knows that you are part of the contribution!! :)
It looks good! The only thing I'd change is the last bit. Getting them back to pure Belgian, by name, is easy. Or at least, it has been for me. I've ended up with some really scraggly, dilapidated-looking Belgians. :lol:

Like this guy:
Image
User avatar
Virgo
Posts: 173
Joined: September 14th, 2015, 12:34 am
Visit My Farm

Re: The Belgian Horse

Post by Virgo »

Anne wrote:
Virgo wrote:I know exactly what you mean. My colt by my stud Aquarius who just passed away this week is already 12yrs. :o I've been trying to breed a ton of babies with outside stallions to get some new blood and all of my horses are getting so old, so quickly. Both were/are the #1 log pull horse (based on score) and still haven't been able to breed a horse of their same caliber. :? My goal right now is to breed babies that have no negative or average stats. It's so hard! Both parents can have a ton of positive stats and you can still get junk.

Have you bred any new stud prospects? Your stallions are really good producers. I think I have like 4 babies by Tarvos now!
Have you considered using a second account to lock the ages of your studs? That's the only way I'm able to keep mine around for a decent amount of time.

Breeding for stats is so difficult. It seems so random! I'm debating if I might like to focus on marathon driving instead of log pull since at least the negative movement of Belgians won't come into play there, but I like the log pull body shape.

I'm getting really close to a new stud or two, I think, from my metallic line. I'm on the generation now that gives pure Belgians. I need to fix up the stats in my cream and the bodies in my champagne, and then I need to breed their COI back down to a reasonable level somehow. I'd like to breed metallic into my silver dapples when that's done.
I would put them on a second account, but my really good studs usually compete a lot and I want the earnings and points coming over this way. :lol: I agree on the random stats comment, except it feels like the odds are less likely to be in your favor when breeding for good stats. You can have two parents that are really good for a particular stat and they'll still produce 5 foals that are average. I'm not so worried about COI for now. The #1 horse in the game has a COI of 40%+, so I feel less guilty about my 15%'ers lol. At least until I start getting foals with multiple greens.
Image
For your consideration

Knightshade
Metallic Smokey Black Belgian Stallion
#1 Log Pull and Marathon Driving Horse of All Time | RH Level 10: 54.31 ft | $5,000 LC
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