The Belgian Trotter, , , is a Belgian breed of trotting horse. It is used mostly for racing in harness to a sulky, but may also run in saddled trotting races.
History
The Belgian Trotter originates from cross-breeding of local carriage and saddle horses with imported Thoroughbred stock, and so may also be called '' or 'half-blood trotter'. It has been influenced by the American Standardbred, the German Trotter and the French Trotter, to which it is closely similar, although it may be somewhat smaller and lighter.
Since 2009 the stud-book has been held by the Vlaamse Federatie voor Paardenwedrennen.
In 2013 the total number of the horses was estimated to be in the range , with 221 brood-mares and 81 stallions distributed among 26 breeders.
References
Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . Archived 23 June 2020.
Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. .
Breed data sheet: Trotteur Belge / Belgium (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed November 2024.
Élise Rousseau, Yann Le Bris, Teresa Lavender Fagan (2017). Horses of the World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. .
Avis Officiel – Officiele Berichten: Fevrier – Februari 2009 (in French and Dutch). Jockey-Club de Belgique – Belgische Jockey Club. Archived 23 June 2019.
Paul De Brauwer (2004). Het Belgisch trekpaard: een levend monument (in Dutch). Warnsveld: Lannoo. .