Clydesdale Breed History

The Clydesdale originated in the Clyde Valley, Scotland, and is the youngest of all the United Kingdom heavy breeds, finding its full development in the last 150 years. In the late 1700s, Native horses of Lanarkshire were put to Flemish horses, imported by the Duke of Hamilton, to increase their height and bulk.

Clydesdales were imported throughout the world and helped build the cities and towns of Canada, Australia and America. Today, they are extremely familiar in the United States because of their use in advertisements by Anheuser Busch. Teams of ‘Budweiser’ horses are kept and displayed at Anheuser Busch theme parks throughout the United States.

Breed Characteristics

Clydesdales stand from 16 to 18 hands and can be bay, brown, roan, black or gray, with white feathers and white markings. The Clydesdale is a flashy, high-stepping horse with strong, large feet. In fact, their feet were so big that in days past farmers couldn’t fit them in plow furrows. Therefore, Clydesdales were often worked in towns rather than farms.

For more information on the breed, check out the Clydesdale Breeders of the U.S.A. (CBUSA). The organization is the member organization for the breed, and is open not only to breeders and owners but to all those with a love for the Clydesdale horse that are interested in its advancement.

Further Reading:
10 Biggest Horses: Giants of the Equine World

This article originally appeared in Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Quick Clydesdale Facts appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The first Saturday in May is an iconic date for Kentuckians and fans of Thoroughbred racing. Since 1875, the Kentucky Derby has been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and May 4, 2019, will be the 145th running of America’s most famous race. But for fans of all equine kind, the Derby brings something extra special this year. The Budweiser Clydesdales are making their first-ever appearance on the track for the Kentucky Derby celebration. They’ll be decked out in their own version of the Derby’s blanket of roses, with roses braided into their manes in honor of the “Run for the Roses.”

Get a sneak peek of the Budweiser Clydesdales’ trip to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby in the video below, and tune into the Kentucky Derby broadcast on NBC starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4.

Coverage of the Kentucky Oaks and other Derby Week races and celebrations will air on NBC Sports Network. Tap here to view the broadcast schedule.

The post Featured Video: Budweiser Clydesdales at the Kentucky Derby appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Michelle Speck of Hillsboro, Mo., is a supervisor at historic Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, Mo. Owned by the Busch family, Grant’s Farm is 281 acres of rides, shows, food, animals and even meet-and-greets with the Budweiser Clydesdales.

A lifetime horsewoman, Speck rides her own Quarter Horses in all-around events in her time off. Horse Illustrated chatted with her for a behind-the-scenes look at her job working with the world’s most famous horses.

Horse Illustrated: How did you get started working at Grant’s Farm?

Michelle Speck: I started part-time as a Clydesdale handler in the merchandise department between my junior and senior year of college, where I studied animal science. I would work with the Clydesdales, but I also coordinated photos with guests and worked in the gift shop. I did that for about five years, and in 2010 I came on full-time as a handler. Just recently I became a supervisor, but I still work with the horses.

What was your first impression of the Clydesdales?

They are powerful and majestic. I was amazed at how quiet they are.

What do you do with the Clydesdales?

They come to Grant’s Farm when they’re 6 months old until the end of their 3-year-old year. With the young ones, we teach them how to stand for the farrier, we give them baths, work on loading and unloading, catching them in the pasture—we really work on basic ground manners.

When they’re 3 years old, we start teaching them how to wear a bit and rig so they can get used to the harness. At the end of their 3-year-old year, we send them back to our other location in Boonville, Mo., to start the hitch training.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love working with the babies, and then being able to see them when they’re out on the road, at parades and on the big screen in commercials. It’s really cool to be able to recognize them in the commercials.

Why do you think Clydesdales are so magnetic to so many people?

They’re just iconic. They’re so pristine and majestic coming down the road. You can hear the hoof beats on the pavement and you can feel it in your heart. Everybody is in awe when they see them—no matter if you’re a kid or an adult.

What’s the most common question people ask about the Clydesdales?

They ask how much the horses weigh—and the answer is 2,000 pounds.

How can guests see the Clydesdales at Grant’s Farm?

They can see them out in the pasture and around the barn, and we have Clydesdale Experience tours where guests can get up close and personal with the horses.

What’s it like to work with them?

They’re a little different from other breeds. They’re actually a lot easier to work with. Even though they’re bigger, they’re gentle giants, and they’re a lot quieter. They’re fun to be around. Each one has their own personality, like other horses do. They’re just a little bigger.

Budweiser Clydesdale Facts:

• Each horse can pull twice its body weight—4,000 pounds per horse.
• Anheuser-Busch has around 125 Clydesdales at any given time.
• The horses’ most distinctive feature is the hair around their legs and feet, called feathers.
• A Clydesdale’s hoof is about the size of a dinner plate.
• In 1933. August Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch gifted two six-horse hitches of champion Clydesdales to their father in celebration of the repeal of Prohibition, and Anheuser-Busch has been connected with the breed ever since.
• All of their harnesses are custom-made for Anheuser-Busch.
• They travel in three custom semi-trucks around the country.
• There are three traveling hitches and the Clydesdales live at two base locations in Missouri.

This article originally appeared in the February 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated.

The post Clydesdale: King of Breeds appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Budweiser has released its commercial that will be aired during the 2019 Super Bowl on Sunday, February 3, and the Clydesdales make an appearance. Watch the 2019 Super Bowl Ad featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales.

The famous Budweiser Clydesdales have been relegated to the background of Anheuser-Busch’s Super Bowl ads for the past couple of years as the company focused its messaging more on the beer and less on the mascots. This followed a trio of famously emotional Super Bowl ads from Budweiser that ran in 2013, 2014, and 2015, featuring the Clydesdales, their kind-hearted caretaker, and an impossibly adorable puppy.

Prior to those, the Bud ads were known for being among the most entertaining of the Super Bowl commercial lineup, and often featured supporting players like dalmatians and donkeys alongside the majestic Clydesdales.

This year’s 2019 Super Bowl ad makes use of a cute puppy and some gorgeous scenery with the iconic Budweiser Clydesdale hitch. Budweiser is using this 30-second spot to promote its use of renewable wind power to brew its beer. Anheuser-Busch says that Budweiser is now brewed with 100% renewable electricity from wind power.

Need more Clydesdales? Check out these videos:

• The Budweiser Clydesdales Will Rock You
• The Budweiser Clydesdales’ Super Bowl Party
• Budweiser Clydesdales at the Kentucky Horse Park

The post Watch Budweiser’s 2019 Super Bowl Ad Featuring the Clydesdales appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

When Anheuser-Busch merged with InBev, the new management benched the Clydesdales. They were still given supporting roles in some of the ads, and even had online-only airtime to appease the fans, but they were no longer treated as the MVPs they once were.

It doesn’t look like this horseless trend is going to change with the 2019 Super Bowl. However, the magic of the internet allows the regal Budweiser Clydesdales’ reign to continue on, as it does in the 2016 spot above, where a band of the Budweiser Clydesdales cover Queen’s “We Will Rock You” in their own music video.

The spot aired in Russia, and a mocumentary about the making of the band is available online. Yes, it’s in Russian with no English subtitles, but it’s still pretty amusing even if you don’t speak the language.

In the likely scenario that Budweiser does not bring back the Clydesdales for a featured spot, at least we can still occasionally find some evidence of their ongoing adventures from around the globe.

The post Featured Video: The Budweiser Clydesdales Will Rock You appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

A beloved and iconic part of American culture, the Budweiser Clydesdales made their first-ever appearance on April 7, 1933 as a gift from August Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch to their father in celebration of the repeal of Prohibition. Long before this, the Clydesdale was finding its beginnings on the farms of Scotland.

Descended from the warhorses of the Middle Ages, the Clydesdale had been given the task of working the fields of Scottish farms.

These early Clydesdales were present throughout Scotland’s tumultuous history, dutifully plowing the land while wars for the country’s independence were fought all around it.

It wasn’t until the 18th century that the Clydesdale began to look just as it does today. The breed’s official debut under the name “Clydesdale” (which is the former name of modern-day Lanarkshire, where the breed was developed) was in 1826 at the Glasgow Exhibition.

In 1877, the Clydesdale Horse Society was founded in Great Britain. Just two years later, American farmers in the Midwest who were using the breed to plow and haul heavy loads joined together to form the American Clydesdale Association. The name was later changed to the Clydesdale Breeders of the USA, and now includes members in both the U.S. and Canada.

While not as popular as the Belgian and Percheron, the Clydesdale was in some demand in America during the late 1800s. It was not until the arrival of mechanized machinery that the Clydesdale’s popularity—along with that of the other draft breeds—begin to slip. Powerful workhorses were replaced on farms by motorized tractors, which did not have the same maintenance requirements as the big horse, and could do a lot more work in less time.

As the need for Clydesdales lessened, the breed’s numbers began to dwindle. A handful of breeders dedicated to the breed hung on, however, and continued to keep the Clydesdale alive as a show and exhibition horse. This is a job that the Clydesdale continues to excel at today.

Today’s Workhorse

While the Clydesdale’s original job of hauling coal and plowing fields has ended for the most part, Clydesdales still have an important place in the horse world. People dedicated to the breed love to show off the beauty and strength of these horses at Clydesdale shows.

The most popular competitive events for Clydesdales involve hitches, where teams of anywhere from one to six horses are harnessed to demonstrate their abilities. There are numerous classes in this category, including single cart, tandem, team hitch, and a hitch called a “unicorn,” which is a team of three horses: one in front and two in back.

Halter classes are also a big part of Clydesdale shows. The size, substance and quality of each Clydesdale is evaluated by a judge in the halter ring. Clydesdales can be ridden, too, and there are classes that demonstrate the breed’s talents under saddle, from dressage to trail obstacles.

While the show ring is the most popular place to see a Clydesdale, there are still a number of them doing traditional draft work to earn their keep. Although the Belgian is the favored workhorse among the Amish, some families still use Clydesdales to work their fields.

A lot has changed for the breed since the early part of the century. After almost disappearing when tractors took over on American farms, the breed’s numbers have grown steadily. Six hundred new Clydesdales are registered each year with the Clydesdale Breeders of the USA. While the breed’s growth has been slow, it is constant as more people discover the charms of this very special breed.

This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Clydesdale appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

What you may not know about Budweiser is that they also make beer, and in recent years they have stepped away from making Clydesdale movies in order to focus on the marketing of that beer, much to the chagrin of horse lovers everywhere.

For Super Bowl LI, Budweiser used its ad spot to showcase its own history by following the journey of company co-founder Adophus Busch as he left his native Germany to come to America, ultimately landing in St. Louis. So while the Clydesdales are taking an indefinite hiatus from starring in commercials, what are they doing? Watching the game, of course.

Fans could go to Facebook or Periscope to watch three of the Clydesdales–Rascal, Chief, and McGee–chowing down on their favorite Super Bowl snacks from their cozy living room during the first half of the game. It doesn’t look like they’re paying much attention to what’s happening with the game, but that’s understandable. It wasn’t all that exciting until the very end.

For those of you who were looking out for horses during the commercial breaks, you may have noticed an equine presence beyond the Clydesdales’ brief cameo in the Budweiser ad. Luxury car maker Alfa Romeo had about a half-second of a show jumper in slow motion in the middle of its 60-second spot. One of the fabled King’s Horses appeared in the latest chapter of an ongoing ad campaign by TurboTax. Meanwhile, all that build up for the Snickers live ad was for nothing, at least as far as horse sighting goes.

Feeling let down? Check out this ad for water, or this ad for Lloyds Bank to see horses front and center in mainstream advertising.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com

The post The Budweiser Clydesdales’ Super Bowl Party appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Budweiser introduced the colt into the world with a press release on the day of his birth. Check out the first photos of this cute little guy.

Budweiser has run ad campaigns touting its “macro” status, differentiating itself from trendy microbreweries that have increased their market share in recent years. Mac’s name comes from that campaign. According to Budweiser:

Mac’s name is a nod to the iconic legacy of the Budweiser Clydesdales, the most macro of all icons, representing Budweiser’s quality for more than 80 years.

With Mac’s arrival so close to the Super Bowl, fans are undoubtedly wondering if they’ll be seeing the horses in another iconic ad this year. The Clydesdales will likely make an appearance, but probably not in the starring role they’ve had in the heartstring-tugging ads of the past few years. In fact, it looks like last year’s “Beer Run” ad has been given a bro-y voiceover to fit in with the company’s #ActLikeIt campaign.

Miss the cute dog-and-horse ads of past years? We do, too, and we’ve got you covered.

Watch recent Budweiser Clydesdales Super Bowl ads here.

Watch throwback Budweiser Clydesdales Super Bowl ads here.

Check out exclusive photos and video from the Budweiser Clydesdales’ visit to the 2015 CP National Horse Show here.

Leslie Potter is Sr. Associate Web Editor of horseillustrated.com. Follow her on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.

The post The Newest Budweiser Clydesdale Foal is Mac, and He’s Adorable appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

This video compiles all of the Budweiser Clydesdale Super Bowl ads from 1996 through 2010 into one 15-minute clip. There might even be some in there you forgot about or missed entirely. So take an afternoon break and enjoy some quality time with the Clydesdales.

The post Featured Video: Throwback Budweiser Clydesdale Commercials appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The traveling hitch spent some time at the Park during the 2015 CP National Horse Show from October 27- November 1 where they presented demos in the Alltech Arena in between sessions of hunter, jumper and equitation competition. Visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park had the rare opportunity to see the horses up close in the Park’s Big Barn during their stay.

With an average height of 18 hands and weighing in at approximately 2,000 pounds each, the Clydesdales are a sight to behold. The eight-horse team pulls the 3.5-ton Budweiser wagon, guided by a driver who communicates with each pair individually.

In addition to the eight horses that make up the iconic hitch, a reserve pair travels with the team in case a horse is unable to perform. Each traveling hitch also has a Dalmatian mascot. The dog riding along with the hitch at the CP NHS is Barley, a 10-month old Dalmatian who joined the team in the spring of 2015.

Find out when you can see the Clydesdales in your area by checking their touring schedule.

Want more from the 2015 CP National Horse Show? Check out our video from the Accumulator Costume Class >>

The post Video: Budweiser Clydesdales at the Kentucky Horse Park appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.