How Do You Feed A Belgian Draft Horse?

The Belgian draft horse is a breed of work horse that was developed, as its name suggests, in Belgium. It is the most popular breed of work horse in the United States. According to the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America, there are more registered Belgians in the U.S. than all other breeds of draft horse combined. With Belgians weighing as much as 1,800 to 2,000 pounds at maturity, the biggest drawback to owning them is the amount of feed necessary to maintain health. Feed your Belgian horse hay and/or grass. The equine digestive tract evolved to digest grass. According to Melyni Worth's book "Storey's Guide to Feeding Horses," regardless of breed, the average horse needs 1.5 to 2.0 pounds of dry hay or grass per 100 pounds of body weight. Provide more hay for your Belgian if you use it for heavy work like pulling a load. Like any other animal engaged in heavy labor, a Belgian will need significantly more caloric intake when working. A horse should receive at least 70 percent ...  more