Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky

Loved by American farmers, the Belgian soon became more popular than the Percheron. The predominant color is sorrel or chestnut. Lighter shades of these horses soon became known as blonde sorrels.

Their very docile nature and uniformity in coat color made Belgians ideal for pulling contests. They have a very slow motion and do not have much knee action; however, some have been crossed with breeds that have increased the amount of action in their gait. These horses are registered with the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America (established in 1887), which currently has more registered horses than other draft breed registries.