High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Trait du Nord, previously known also as Ardennais du Nord or Ardennais de type Nord, is a breed of heavy draft horse developed and bred in the area of Hainaut in western Belgium and in north-eastern France. Originally considered a sub-type of the Ardennes, it became an individual breed with the opening of a stud-book in 1903. Developed in the rich Flemish grasslands, it was bred for size and pulling power for agricultural work. By 1855, the horses bred near Hainaut were considered superior by some veterinarians to other Flemish draft breeds. The Trait du Nord continued to be used heavily for agriculture through World War II, but after the war this usage declined as farming became increasingly mechanized and by the 1970s the breed, along with many other European draft breeds, was in danger of extinction.