Clydesdale Draft Horse

Submitted by Gregg Banse on August 10, 2005 - 4:28pm. Draft Horses

Origin: Scotland
Height: 16.2-18 hh
Colors: Generally either bay or brown, with white blaze and legs (stockings)
Build: Long neck, deep girth, strong rear legs, flat hooves and sloped shoulder

Attributes: Showy, calm, elegant

History of the Clydesdale Draft Horse

The origins of the Clydesdale are in the Clyde Valley in Scotland. In the early 18th century the Clydesdale was developed by the 6th Duke of Hamilton. Large draft horses were required because the Clyde Valley was so difficult to farm, however the only native drafts were too small for the job. To resolve this problem the Duke imported large Flemish horses and bred them to the smaller native breeds. This was the foundation of the Clydesdale. Another man by the name of John Paterson of Lochlyoch also imported Flemish draft horses during the early 18th century, and bred them to the native horses. Both of these strains formed the modern Clydesdale horse.

Later in the 1800s two men, Lawrence Drew and David Riddell, set about to improve the breed. They made two great contributions to the Clydesdales. First, in 1883 they founded the Select Clydesdale Horse Society, to register and keep track of Clydesdales. Second, they bred Clydesdale stallions to Shire mares. The infusion of Shire blood into the breed increased the elegance and grace of the horses and is likely the cause of the beautiful feathering on the Clydesdales legs.

The foundation sire of the Clydesdales is Glancer 335. However two famous 19th century sires, Prince of Wales 673 and Darnley 222, were also bred into the line. To gain the most from these amazing stallions, breeders put the best daughters of one to the best sons of the other. This reduced the amount of inbreeding and produced the gorgeous horses that we see today.

Clydesdales became popular all over the world, and by the late 19th century they were found to be a favorite at livestock shows. Apparently Clydesdales were so cherished not only because of their strength and size, but also for their flashy style and elegant movement. As the 20th century began draft horses faced the great danger of the industrial revolution. Many breeds declined to near extinction, but not the Clydesdale. The Clydesdale survived - in part - because Anheuser-Busch chose the horses to pull its Budweiser beer wagon. When the family realized that it was becoming difficult to find the horses in the United States they began to import them from Scotland and breed Clydesdales themselves. Because the family bred for certain attributes (18 hh, 1,800 to 2,300 pounds, and bay with white stockings and a blaze) the Clydesdale population in the States is more homogenized than in Scotland and England. However in America, thanks to Anheuser-Busch, the Clydesdale became an icon and will ever be famous for its great elegance and grace.

Characteristics of the Clydesdale Draft Horse

Appearance and Conformation of the Clydesdale Draft Horse

The most famous attribute of the Clydesdale is its flashy movement. The Clydesdale horse society describes the breed as having a "flamboyant style, a flashy, spirited bearing and a high stepping action that makes him a singularly elegant animal." The Clydesdale is not renowned for its appearance alone, it is also one of the largest draft horses, with extremely strong and durable legs and feet. The Clydesdale's shoulder should have a medium slope to it, shallow enough to allow for a strong stride, but deep enough so that the stride does not get in the way of the harness. As with all good draft horses the Clydesdale's hocks should be slightly cow hocked (turned in) because this gives them more pulling strength, although the Clydesdales tend to have longer legs than other draft horses. The feet are very large and flat, ideal for pulling heavy loads along roads. Clydesdales have a great deal of feathering on the back of the cannon and around the top of the foot. Finally, the feet should be lifted very high. For example, a person standing behind the horse should be able to see the inside of the shoe when the foot is lifted up.

Temperament of the Clydesdale Draft Horse

The temperament of the Clydesdale is celebrated. Clydesdales are known to be very gentle and kind. Draft horses in general are calm, however the Clydesdales are especially docile. Fortunately this does not reduce their enthusiasm; Clydesdales are willing and strong workers.

Uses for the Clydesdale Draft Horse

The most common use of the Clydesdale is as a wagon horse. In part because of the Clydesdale's elegance they were claimed early on for carriage horses in cities. Clydesdales were also very common on the farm, but they were not the most popular farm horse because their feathering was easily snarled and matted, which could cause infections and required a great deal of maintenance. Clydesdales were not popularly used in plowing because their large hooves would not fit in the furrows. Today the Clydesdale is primarily used for driving, logging and used on ranches to cut and haul hay to cattle in the winter.