Follow Hilse De Groote and Elixir who are exploring Belgium at walking pace – connecting people, landscapes, and history in the most authentic way. Update: they have completed their trek!
Regular readers will know I have a soft spot for Belgian draft horses; gentle giants that are beautiful yet powerful, huge animals. This summer, Hilse De Groote and Elixir, a majestic Belgian draft horse, are traveling across Belgium to honor the legacy of a true icon: Brillant, the legendary stallion from Vollezele who helped put Belgium’s draft horses on the world map. Their journey will culminate on August 31, 2025 at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Museum of the Belgian Draft Horse in Vollezele. (See update at end).
Brillant wasn’t just any horse. He was a multiple-time international champion whose offspring were exported across the globe. His legacy led to the founding of the Royal Society of the Belgian Draft Horse. Now, one of his descendants – Elixir – is making a symbolic return home, retracing history, step by step.
Joining him is Hilse De Groote, granddaughter of museum founder Philippe van Dixhoorn. A filmmaker by training, Hilse grew up hearing passionate stories about the Belgian draft horse from her grandfather. This summer she is traveling with Elixir across Belgium in a unique, slow journey of personal discovery.
At the start of their journey, Hilse and Elixir barely knew each other. Elixir is a powerful, sensitive animal; Hilse was fairly new to the world of draft horses. But step by step, day by day, their connection has grown into a warm and close friendship.
Their route is guided not by GPS, but by serendipity, local invitations, and the occasional change in weather. The goal? To travel through all five Flemish provinces and maybe into Wallonia – meeting people, exchanging stories, and inviting others to reconnect with this important Belgian heritage.
The journey isn’t choreographed or commercialized. There are no rigid schedules, just open roads and open hearts. The emphasis is on spontaneous visits, chance encounters, and moments of unexpected beauty.
They have already been on the road for over a month now. Through June, the plan is to visit the East Flanders towns of Moerzeke, Sint-Niklaas, Bazel, Melsele, and Zwijndrecht. And who knows – maybe your own town? So why not look out for them and say hello along the way? Whether you’re a lifelong horse lover or simply curious about the quiet strength of one of Belgium’s most iconic animals, you would be welcome to greet Hilse and Elixir on their journey. Share a smile, snap a photo, ask a question.
The adventure is unfolding in real time, and you can follow Hilse and Elixir on their social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram. Or put their final stage into your agenda: August 31, at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Museum of the Belgian Draft Horse in Vollezele.
And while you’re there, why not spend some time exploring this region of Belgium, which is called Pajottenland. It really is an attractive part of the country, with rolling hills, extensive farmland, pretty villages, breweries, and small towns. There are some beautiful B&Bs too to help you enjoy your stay, such as:
- B&B Hof te Spieringen, Langestraat 42, 1570 Vollezele: “Perfect! The place is beautiful and very comfortable. Our room was spacious and warm. The evening meal was delicious, as was breakfast.”
- B&B Hof Ter Haegen, Crijnemstraat 10, 1570 Vollezele: “Beautiful B&B, very hospitable and friendly welcome, breakfast nice care, comfortable room (wheelchair accessible and spacious room and bathroom).”
- Groot Genoegen – 50 North, Pausleenstraat 23, 1540 Herne: “The location was quite picturesque. The room was great and the bed was the most comfortable we have slept on during any vacation.”
- B&B Wisteria, Spoorwegstraat 67, 1540 Herne: “Beautiful B&B with friendly hosts. Gardens are beautiful to enjoy a drink from the bar. Breakfast was fantastic with great selection of food.”
- B&B De Pepelinck, Steenhout 18, 9400 Denderwindeke: “Absolutely beautiful large room, comfortable super king-size bed. Hair dryer and toiletries provided. Super host.”
Use the link below to find other accommodation possibilities in the Pajottenland:
Update: They have completed their trek!
Well they did it! After a journey of 4.5 months across Belgium, Hilse De Groote and her Brabant draft horse Elixir arrived in Vollezele on August 31. Their arrival was celebrated in style: they were accompanied by around 40 other majestic Brabant horses.
Reflecting on the trip, Hilse describes it as “an experience I will never forget.” She admits there were moments of stress – after all, Elixir weighs 900 kilos – but thanks to the generosity and support of people across the country, they never lacked help or hospitality. Even the weather played along: only four days of rain in nearly five months.
I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.
Marvelous story, Denzel.
What a wonderful thing to do. I’m not a rider but draft horses are something special. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Denzil. I’ll follow along on Instagram.
This is how I dreamed of travelling, though perhaps with a slightly smaller horse!
Perhaps something for next summer Annie?
Unfortunately my other half isn’t at all interested in horses of any size, so it will remain a pipe-dream. Interestingly, something keeps popping up on FaceBook about a lady called Annie Wilkins (Wilkin was my maiden name) who rode across America in the year that I was born.
What a beautiful horse and a wonderful journey!
This is what I call a road trip. What a nice way to acknowledge the history of these special horses. I hope lots of people come out to welcome them along the way.
Yes, and we forget that that’s the way a lot of country folk travelled all the time.