ABUSED & SCARRED DRAFT HORSE ~ GETS EMOTIONAL SESSION with THE ANIMAL CRACKER!

To say that "Keeper" had a tough life would be an understatement. Keeper had years of hardship, suffering, zero love.... and has the scars to prove it.
Keeper, is a 20 year old Belgian draft horse that was rescued and living at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, gets a little session with Dr. Doug Willen, The Animal Cracker.


The following is an excerpt from: https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/...

Origins
The familiar "blond" Belgian Draft horse that we see in the United States has its roots in the Brabant, also known as the Belgian Heavy Draft. This name has been shortened to Belgian for common usage.

During the Middle Ages it was known as the Flanders Horse (after the region of Europe in which it originated) and had great influence on the development of other draft horse breeds, such as the Suffolk Punch, the Clydesdale and the Shire.

Throughout the centuries, Belgian breeders resisted pressure to produce lighter cavalry horses and concentrated on breeding the Brabant, or Belgian Heavy Draft, which was well-suited to the climate and rich, heavy soil of the region. By not allowing foreign blood to enter the breed and by practicing selective breeding to promote desired qualities, the Belgian breeders were able to produce a versatile heavy draft horse with exceptional power.

Appearance
The Brabant, or Belgian Heavy Draft horse, is a massive horse, powerfully built and standing between 16.2 - 17 hands. The head is comparatively small and refined, with an intelligent expression. The Belgian Draft more normally seen in the United States is not as "massive" as the Brabant, but still retains the proportions of the Brabant.


The body is compact with a short, wide back and powerful loins. The quarters are massive, with a characteristic "double muscling" over the croup. The gaskins are heavily muscled and the legs are short and strong. The hooves are medium sized, for a draft horse, with only limited "feathering".

Early Belgians were mostly bay, with chestnut/sorrel and roan not far behind in popularity. However, since the 1920's breeders in the United States have bred for the sorrel and roan colors and nowadays these are by far the most common colors of Belgian horses in the US. The most prized color is the chestnut or sorrel with white mane and tail, white stripe on the face and four white socks.

Uses
The Belgian is known for it's kind temperament and is easy to handle. They are still used for all manner of draft work, including plowing, logging, pulling carriages, hitches and sleighs. In addition, the riding of draft horses is becoming increasingly popular, in a variety of disciplines from western to jumpin.


If you would like to support or adopt... here are the links below!
Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue: https://www.gentlegiantsdrafthorseres...


Gentle Friends: https://gentlefriends.org/adopt



Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue was formed to facilitate the rescue of Draft and Draft Cross horses from slaughter, abuse, and neglect.

The Primary Function of the Rescue
GGDHR promotes the benefits and uses of Draft horses of all breeds as trail mounts, schooling mounts, and competition mounts. We educate the public through the use of brochures, pamphlets, and public presentations on the topics of: horse slaughter and cruelty, the responsibilities of horse ownership, the over-population and over-breeding of horses, and how over-breeding contributes to the horse slaughter industry. Learn more about our educational outreach here.

Slaughter is a highly profitable market and most of the public is unaware that the buyers for the slaughterhouses frequent public auctions to purchase their horses. We attend the same public auctions, choose the Draft horses we feel are the most viable candidates for rescue, and then outbid the meat buyer.

GGDHR is primarily funded by adoption fees, private donations, and sponsorships which facilitate the rescue of future draft horses from slaughter.

GENTLE FRIENDS:
https://gentlefriends.org
Creating a compassionate, harmonious, and sustainable world for all animals through rescue, relationships, advocacy, and education.

Gentle Friends is a sanctuary for all animals, and we want to change your relationship with the animals in your life. Whether it is animals farmed for production, or your neighborhood crows, we want to change the way you see the animals in our shared world.

Gentle Friends makes it possible for everyone to experience knowing farm animals and appreciating our diverse and amazing wildlife. Our mobile program is available to visit your school or group. Understanding and experiencing the animals who share our world should be accessible to all.



If you want to come in for an appointment in NYC:
https://www.drdougwillen.com
Dr. Doug Willen
928 Broadway, suite 1200
NY, NY 10010

Edited by Origin Hope: https://originhope.com

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