The Ultimate Sport Horse - The Belgian Warmblood

The Belgian Warmblood or BWP has achieved legendary status in the equine sport world in a very short period of time. Up until the 1950's it was illegal in Belgium to breed light weight horses as the government wanted to concentrate on the purity of its famous Brabant bloodlines. The BWP was born in 1953 after the Minister of Agriculture gave his approval and a rigorous breeding programme involving imported mares and stallions from all over Europe began.

The result was a highly successful sport horse of sturdy conformation and robust health. The BWP has a compact, well built body with broad hindquarters and strong hind legs. The average height of the BWP is 16 to 17 hh and the breed has proven its worth in many different disciplines such as dressage and show jumping.

The breeding programme is strictly regulated and only horses that fall under the stringent requirements of the breed are allowed to be bred. This has resulted in a strong bloodline that boasts the likes of Big Ben, Darco and Sapphire.

At the age of 3 or 4 BWP stallions are subjected to a "Hengstenkeuring" (stallion evaluation test) which involves an inspection of the horses' confirmation and loose jumping ability. The horse also undergoes a veterinary evaluation and finally the horse is evaluated under the saddle. Horses that do not pass this test are not eligible for breeding. Mares are also evaluated but are not required to undergo an evaluation under the saddle.

The goal of the BWP registry is to produce horses that are easy to ride, that have pleasant personalities and can be used as riding horses as well as for participation in international sports events. Health and confirmation are important aspects of the breed.

The BWP comes in a wide range of colours such as chestnut, grey, black, bay and brown with a few pintos.

The BWP has proven itself to be a highly successful dressage horse, show jumper and all round sport horse and the breed has gained worldwide popularity due to its versatility and good health. It is a force to be reckoned with in virtually all the equestrian disciplines.

The versatility of the Belgian Warmblood has enabled the breed to become one of the world's most successful and sought after sport horse breeds in a very short period of time. The BWP has taken the equestrian world by storm in almost every discipline and the future is very bright for the breed.

Stal Amani has a selection of high quality BWP dressage horses and show jumpers for all levels, from novice to Grand Prix. We also have the perfect facilities to enable you to try before you buy and if we don't have what you're looking for we can find the perfect horse for you through our extensive and trusted network of contacts. http://www.stalamani.com