Dutch-Draft history

Closely resembling the Belgian Heavy Draft, the Dutch Draft was developed from the Zeeland horse with crosses to the Belgian and Belgian Ardennes. This breed was found in great numbers in the provinces of Zeeland and North Brabant, where it did excellent work on large arable farms in the heavy marine clay. It was also represented in fairly considerable numbers on large farms in the marine clay areas of the province of Groningen, although it did not succeed in out doing the Groningen horse, whose qualities were more in keeping with the character of the farming population. In the province of South Holland, and more particularly on the island, on large farms where practices were influenced by those of Zeeland and western North Brabant, the Dutch Draft horse was also used.