OUR BELGIAN HARE:

The Belgian Hare is a fancy breed of domestic rabbit, that was developed through selective breeding to closely resemble the wild hare in physical appearance, and is believed to be one of the most intelligent and active breeds of domestic rabbit. Averaging 6 to 9 pounds in weight, the Belgian Hare is characterized by its long, slender body and agile legs that closely resemble a hare, and can live up to five years or more.

The first Belgian Hares were bred in Belgium in the early 18th century out of selective breeding between domestic and wild European rabbits, with the intent of creating a practical meat rabbit. In 1874, they were imported to England and called the "Belgian Hare." English breeders made the Belgian Hare appear more spirited, like wild English rabbits. Fourteen years later, E. M. Hughes of Albany of New York brought the first Belgian Hares to America, where it immediately rose in popularity, giving rise to thousands of Belgian Hare clubs around the country.

The Belgian Hare is most known for its distinctively close resemblance to a hare, with a long, fine body with muscular flank, and distinctly arched back with loins and well-rounded hind quarters. Their head is long and their tail straight and carried in line with the backbone. The fore feet of a Belgian Hare is usually long and fine-boned and perfectly straight, while their hind feet long are fine and flat. They are believed to be the only breed of domestic breed featuring a deep red, rich chestnut color of the Belgian Hare, together with black ticking of a wavy or blotchy appearance and an extended down the sides.

Due to their size and energetic nature, it is recommended that the Belgian Hare be provided with a large hutch or cage to enable them to move freely. For an outdoor rabbit the ideal home is a wooden hutch made of a heavy wood with a waterproof roof, and raised off the ground. If the rabbit is going to live indoors then a wooden hutch can also be used or a cage. The Belgian Hare has a short coat and if kept clean, requires little grooming other than an occasional rub over to remove any dead coat. When in moult the coat benefits from a good combing through every other day to remove the old coat. This will help bring the new coat through faster and minimize the old fluffy undercoat matting up when it's on its way out.

The Belgian Hare is one of the most intelligent and energetic rabbits. Rabbits can become trained to learn their name. Due to their active nature and alert temperament, they can very easily be startled by sudden noise or movement, and a recommended practise by owners of this breed is to have a radio constantly playing near them, so they can get used to noise. As a result of their active personality, they have been called "the poor man's racehorse". The Belgian Hare is known to be responsive to handling, particularly when trained from an early age, however, it is recommended that the Belgian Hare should not be handled by children mainly due to their large size and speed that may cause injury.