I had the pleasure of meeting David Mouland at the Devon County Show a couple of years ago and have caught up at Bath & West Show and other shows every year since. He's a true horseman and his beautiful Belgian Drafts are absolutely incredible. when David agreed to booking a photoshoot I was so excited to show the other side to these gentle giants.

Close-up view of red wooden wagon wheels and horse hooves on grassy field during a traditional carriage event.
Close-up view of brown draft horses with red harnesses and bridles pulling together in a row.
A vintage red Mouland horse-drawn carriage with wooden wheels shown from multiple angles in a grassy field.

I thought I would start this blog by showing David doing what him and his team of incredible Belgian Drafts doing what they do best! These were taken at the Bath & West Show earlier this year after an incredible show, we caught up after this at the Thatchers Bar and after him admiring my work at stands the last couple of years, I managed to convince him to set a date to get in front of the camera himself.

Vintage red horse-drawn wagon and Clydesdale horses on display at a heritage festival event.

On the 12th June, I made my way to Fordingbridge in Hampshire for a beautiful morning photo shoot with David, the sun shone and the morning flew by. Like many of my clients, David is not one for being in front of the camera but knew how precious the results would be.

A person in overalls stands beside a large draft horse in a rural field setting during golden hour.

Knowing this, we kept things super relaxed and mostly about the horses. I actually photographed just a handful of David's horses on this occasion, he has another team of Belgian Drafts in America too and flies over several times each year to compete them there too!

Profile view of a chestnut horse wearing a black bridle against a blurred green background.
A chestnut horse stands gracefully in a sunlit meadow with wildflowers and trees in the background.
Chestnut horse with white blaze stands at wooden fence while being visited in a sunny outdoor setting.

David started driving heavy horses from a young age alongside his Dad, who competed in ploughing competitions with shires and Clydesdales. Eventually, David decided to buy his own horses, starting with shires x clydesdales before moving on to the Belgian drafts after falling in love with them in Canada.

A group of people lead horses along a trail through a wooded area on a sunny day.

In Davids words the Belgians are like Ferraris compared to Clydes and Shires, although they are gentle giants they’ve got so much power and if you aren’t careful you can get hurt whereas with the Clydes you could lead six in from the field on a quad bike – you wouldn’t do that with one Belgian; you have to respect them.

A person in blue shirt and jeans stands with a brown and white draft horse in a grassy field with trees.
Close-up profile sequence of a chestnut horse wearing a bridle and halter against a blurred natural background.
A series of photos showing a person in blue shirt sharing a tender moment with a chestnut horse by a wooden fence.

The sheer size of these incredible animals is breathtaking. Belgians range from a whopping 19 hands to over 20 hands and the power behind them, is phenominal. You truly don't realise how big they are until you stand next to them!

A series of black and white photographs showing a horse and rider in different poses during an equestrian session.

In all honesty, the photo's don't do the size of these massive majestic horses justice.


Their shoes alone cost £200 per set and are completely handmade.


Make sure you head to the heavy horses stables at the Bath & West Show to say hello and get up close with Davids big friendly giants. He's not far from my stand so I'm more than happy to point you in the right direction and David is an incredible man to talk to with so much knowledge for the breed.

A chestnut horse nuzzles affectionately with someone in a blue shirt while standing near a wooden fence.
A chestnut horse and person interact playfully through a wooden fence in a pastoral setting.
A beautiful palomino horse with white socks stands next to a tree while being petted in a lush green field.
A chestnut horse with a white blaze stands in a stable while being attended to by someone in blue.
A brown horse stands near a tree trunk in a lush green summer field with soft natural lighting.
A chestnut horse with white socks stands gracefully in a sunny pasture with wooden fencing in the background.
A sequence of photos showing a person standing next to a large Clydesdale horse in a barn setting.
Five profile views of a chestnut Belgian draft horse with a light mane showing different poses and expressions.

They really are the most beautiful animals and seeing them work is breathtaking, David likes to drive them in teams of 6 when he can. It gives him the biggest challenge but the most fun too!


All it takes is for one to misbehave and it can all go wrong but when it's going right it's the best feeling ever!

A black and white photo series showing tender moments between a person in dark clothing and a horse.
A series of black and white photos showing a tender moment between a person and their horse in an outdoor setting.
A black and white photograph showing horses in stables with their handlers and wooden stall dividers.
A black and white photo series showing a dark horse standing in tall grass under trees in a pastoral setting.
A close-up portrait of a dappled gray horse with expressive eyes looking sideways in black and white photography.
Black and white photo series showing tender moments between a horse and someone in a dark shirt beside a tree.
A black and white panoramic sequence of horses drinking water from a wooden trough in a pastoral setting.
A series of black and white photographs showing horses grazing in a pastoral landscape.