BLIND DRAFT HORSE gets BODYWORK from the ANIMAL CRACKER!

Yoda is Belgian Draft Horse who is completely blind. Yoda worked as a plow horse for many years and had a very physical life. He was blinded by a case of uveitis, that had less than optimal treatment. Yoda's companion is the other horse in the video Rune, who is also completely blind. In this video, animal chiropractor, Dr. Doug Willen, does a gentle treatment of body work and light chiropractic. Working on muscle imbalances, narrow base, and overall stress reduction.



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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.

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.

We transport the horses to our facility, where the horses are quarantined for a minimum of 21 days for illness. During that time, we begin to evaluate each individual horse and learn its personality and training level on the ground and under saddle. We ride the horses under many different circumstances, and evaluate for what level of rider the horse would best be suited. During this time, the horse also receives any necessary veterinary care, farrier care, dental care, and training.

When the horses have completed their quarantine, they are available to be placed into adoptive homes under a strict contract. The horses are advertised on our website and on the internet to help find suitable adoptive homes. Each horse is evaluated with its prospective adopter, and if we feel the horse and rider are a suitable match for one another, then the adopter may apply to adopt that horse. At that time, GGDHR would perform a background and reference check, and may at times also conduct home visits, if deemed necessary.

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.