Clydesdales

By Mary Jo Zanolli

The Clydesdale is familiar to many people as the "Budweiser horse" because Clydesdales pull the famous beer wagon! This extra large horse breed has an interesting past and is one of the most popular breeds of draft horses in the United States. Clydesdale crosses are also a wonderful choice as a riding horse as they are very versatile and can excel in multiple disciplines.
Heavy horses originally were developed to carry knights into battle. Eventually the Clydesdale was developed from the original warhorse, as farmers in Scotland wanted to breed a horse with enough size and substance to plow fields and pull. The history of the Clydesdale can be traced back to Scotland in the early 1700’s. Two stallions are recognized as the foundation of the breed, Lord Darney and Prince of Wales, and it is said that all Clydesdales can be traced back to these two sires. The Clydesdale Society was formed in 1877 and is still actively promoting the breed today.
Clydesdale characteristics include a height of between 16 and 19 hands tall. A nineteen-hand horse would stand at over 6 feet tall at the withers! These horses weigh in at up to 2,400 pounds. Clydesdale coat colors are most commonly bay, but brown, chestnut, roan and black are found as well. White face and leg markings are often seen, as are black legs. A common trait of Clydesdales is the feathering, which is all the long hair on the fetlock area of the legs. Clydesdales usually have huge hooves, up to twice the size of a Thoroughbred hoof!
Due to their sweet nature Clydesdales can make great riding horses. Clydesdales are known for being willing to please and gentle. Clydesdales are also often seen in parades pulling wagons, or as carriage horses offering horse and buggy rides. It is not uncommon to find Clydesdale crosses in the show arena, as crossing a Clydesdale with a more refined breed like a Thoroughbred can result in a horse with a good natured disposition that’s easy to ride and work with, but with lighter more rideable gaits.
For more information on the Clydesdale breed and its history visit www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com.