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| Ryanna Spero (3 months) checks out a baby Belgian. Tanner Warner holds the reins as Darren Spero holds baby Ryanna |
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| Five-year-old Summer Spero looks up at an adult Belgian. Darren and Ryanna Spero (left) and Tanner Warner holding a baby Belgian. |
“I like their temperament the best,” Warner says. “To be so big and so quiet is amazing. ”
Warner owns Warner Ranch and Pumpkin Farm, in Niagara Falls, along with her husband Bill. She says when people first see a Belgian they are in awe.
“They are just amazed at the size; especially the kids. When you hold a little kid up to one of the horses they’re only the size of the horse’s head. A lot of kids that come here have never seen a real horse, so to see a Belgian first they are pretty amazed.”
Belgian horses are the heaviest of all horse breeds, and are usually about 2000 pounds and 18 hands high.
At an impressive 3200 pounds , a Belgian named Brooklyn Supreme holds the Guinness world record as heaviest horse.
Warner says their large size and strength makes them perfect as working horses.
“We own tractors, but we do hook the horses up to plows and rock pickers just so they get used to the different sounds behind them. Mennonites still use them to farm to this day.”
Not only are Belgians strong, they are also durable.
“They can go all day,” she says. “Belgians are a work horse. They can work from sun up to sun down. We’ve even logged with them.”
Belgians are the only horse Warner and her husband raise and they currently have 20 of them on the farm.
“We have 20 Belgians right now, but it should be 21 any day. One of our horses is a week overdue so we’re just keeping an eye on her.”
Warner has a camera set up in the barn so she can keep an eye on the mother at all times and be prepared for when the baby comes.
“They’ve been doing it for centuries on their own, but we like to be here in case there is a problem when the baby comes. Belgians are known to have a thick placenta and if it’s over the baby’s nose they can’t breathe. My husband and I took a birthing course so we are ready just in case.”
Warner says the babies are typically born in the middle of the night, but she remembers a time when their family had an unexpected delivery- during her son’s 7th birthday party.
“Tanner had a birthday party and a horse was born right in the middle of it,” she laughs. “So we had to get all the parents and say ‘who doesn’t want their child to learn the facts of life because we have a baby coming!’ Usually they’re born at about 2am because it goes back to prehistoric times so the dinosaurs can’t eat the babies. So for a horse to be born in the middle of the day is very rare.”
She feels fortunate because many people have never seen a horse being born.
“We know people that have raised horses for forty years and have never seen a horse born. And here was one coming right in the middle of a birthday party!”
Warner says she and her husband have been raising Belgians for 20 years and chose the breed because of their gentle nature and also family tradition.
“This will be our 20th year with Belgians, and at the farm. My husband’s grandfather had Belgians, so that’s what he wanted. When we got married he bought a harness and I thought ‘what’s the harness for?’ because we didn’t even have any horses yet. So he bought the cart before the horse.”
Belgians have made an impact historically as they were used, not only for farming and hard work, but as war horses.
“They were the horses used by knights in armour,” says Warner.
Warner says people have the opportunity to come out to the farm to see a Belgian and even enjoy a horse drawn hay ride.
“We’re getting ready for Easter right now. Anybody who wants their own Belgian hay ride can come out. We’re also having Easter egg hunts, pony rides, a petting zoo and lots of other fun things for the kids. Easter is late this year so it will be warmer than usual too.”
They will be running full day activities each day from April 22-25th.
Warner Ranch and Pumpkin Farm is located at 7705 Schisler Road in Niagara Falls.
For more information visit www.warnerranchandpumpkinfarm.com or call (905) 384- 2684.
Published in Niagara Farmers' Monthly - April 2011
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