Horses of the Clydesdale breed (Scottish draft horse): photo, description, history of origin

If you've ever seen a horse-drawn Budweiser parade, you've probably admired the majestic steeds. This is a powerful representative of the Clydesdale breed (Clydesdale Horse) is one of the most recognizable breeds of heavy horses.

These animals are easy to spot due to their large stature, signature fur around their legs and high gait. But, despite their impressive size, they are very soft, flexible and trainable horses that are a pleasure to work with.

History and origins of Clydesdales

Clydesdales were developed in Scotland in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in what is now known as the Lanarkshire area. The River Clyde flows through the area and gives the Clydesdale breed its name.

This breed first appeared in North America when Scottish settlers brought horses to Canada. In the late 1880s, King Horses were introduced to the United States, where they were used for plowing fields, powering, pulling wagons, and other tasks that required their enormous strength and endurance.

When machines began to replace heavy horses in industry and agriculture, making true horsepower unnecessary, Clydesdales came very close to extinction. Their conscription into the army in World War I also contributed to the decline in numbers.

The Clydesdale Horse Society was formed in 1877 as a breed registry. Currently, breeders and enthusiasts are working to ensure the survival of Clydesdales. The largest number of horses is found in the United States, where approximately 600 additional horses are registered annually. The UK, Canada and Australia follow the US in population of this breed.

Interesting Facts

The history of the Clydesdale horse breed is not so long, but during this time the animals were on the verge of extinction more than once. The species was preserved only thanks to the efforts of Scottish and English breeders.

The current population of these animals is no more than 5,000 horses. At the same time, most of the horses of this breed ended up outside the UK. Their stock is supported by breeders from the United States and Canada. In these countries, heavy draft animals continue to be used for agricultural work.

Clydesdale horses are considered native not only to Scotland, but also to New Zealand. This explains the great popularity of this breed on the Australian continent, where Clydesdale horses occupy the top lines in all sorts of popularity ratings.

Breeding and use of Clydesdales

Animals were bred to work hard and for long periods of time. In their early history, they were used as war horses, carrying heavily armed soldiers. They pulled farm implements, hauled logs in forestry, pulled freight and milk cars, and performed other general transportation tasks.

Today they are used for both trail riding and riding, and are often crossed with Thoroughbreds to develop strong, even-tempered sport horses.

They are still sometimes used in farming and logging, but they have largely been replaced by machines. They can often be seen at fairs and exhibitions.

Clydesdales are also often used as parade horses. Each horse carries two drums, which weigh over 55 kg each, along with an officer who rides on horseback. The animal selected for this purpose must be at least 170 cm tall.

Additionally, with their calmness, agility and strength, they make excellent tracking horses. These same traits make them valuable therapy horses.

How are Scottish heavy trucks used today?

From the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century, these mighty horses were used to transport goods - timber and coal, they were harnessed to heavy carts. Today, Clydesdales continue to serve the benefit of rural people in different countries. Their strength is needed where technology cannot, such as in the forests of Canada and in mountainous areas.

Some representatives of the breed demonstrate their power and beauty at various exhibitions and festivals. The Scottish draft horse is unsuitable for sport - the animals are too heavy and slow.

Scottish draft

Colors of the Clydesdale breed

The animals are most often bay in color, although they can also be black, gray or chestnut. Their coat may be a solid color or have several roan markings or spots. White stockings on the legs are common, but solid colored horses are also found. They often have broad white patches or markings on their faces, resulting in eye-catching combinations.

Clydesdales often receive a premium, especially when they sport white muzzle markings and the familiar white stockings. Roans are generally the least preferred, but breed associations do not make that distinction. In their opinion, no color is undesirable, and they readily accept horses with spots on their bodies.

Lifestyle in nature

To successfully breed the Clydesdale breed, it is important to understand what affects the condition of horses in nature:

1. Animals need fresh air. In unfavorable conditions, the horses' immunity will weaken. The optimal ambient temperature for keeping heavy trucks is 15 °C.
2. High humidity leads to diseases.
3. Sunlight is vital for giants. Ultraviolet rays help fight microbes, absorb vitamins and activate physiological processes. But extreme heat can lead to heatstroke. Therefore, it is important to organize shaded areas for relaxation in hot weather.
4. It is easier for Clydesdale horses to go without food, but they need to drink plenty of fluids regularly.

See also

What can and cannot be fed to a horse and rules for preparing a dietRead

The combination of all factors will have a beneficial effect on animal health.

Clydesdale care

Clydesdales need extra care. First, they take longer to care for simply because of their size. Additionally, the hair on their feet needs to be shampooed regularly to remove dirt and debris, and it needs to be completely dried to prevent skin irritation. Clydesdales also require daily inspection and cleaning of their large hooves and require much larger shoes than normal.

pros

• Smart
• Calm disposition
• Easy to learn

Minuses

• Requires additional care
• More expensive to own than an average sized horse

Links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clydesdale .

1. Barbara Riszkowski, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Animal Genetic Resources Databank, an appendix to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. As of January 2022
2. ^ abcde Breed passport: Clydesdale / Great Britain (Horse). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Domestic Animal Diversity Information System. As of April 2022
3. Horse Watch List. Trust in the survival of rare breeds. As of April 2022
4. ^ ab Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J. G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Breeds and Livestock Breeding (Sixth Edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
5. Elisa Rousseau, Yann Le Bris, Teresa Lavender Fagan (2017). Horses of the world. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691167206.
6. ^ abc Alvin Hartley Edwards (2016). Encyclopedia of Horses
   . New York, NY: DK Publishing. ISBN 9781465451439.
7. ^ abcd "Clydesdale". International Horse Museum. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
8. ^ abcde "History of the breed". Clydesdale Horse Society. Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
9. ^ ab Hendricks, pp. 133–134
10. Biddell, pp. 75-76
11. McNeilage, page 73
12. ^ abc Edwards, pp. 284–285
13. ^ abcdefghi Dutson, pp. 348–351.
14. ^ab "Watchlist". Trust in the survival of rare breeds. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
15. "Our goal" . Commonwealth Clydesdale Horses. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
16. "Our History - 1900-1930". Commonwealth Clydesdale Horses. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
17. Jump up
    ↑ Hayes, p. 361
18. "Our history - from 1970 to the present". Commonwealth Clydesdale Horses. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
19. "Watchlist - Horses". Trust in the survival of rare breeds. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
20. "Conservation of Priority Horse Breeds 2010" (PDF). Conservation of American Livestock Breeds. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
21. "Clydesdale horse". Conservation of American Livestock Breeds. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
22. "Clydesdale Horse - Breed Standards". Commonwealth Clydesdale Horses. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
23. "Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) in draft horses". University of California at Davis. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
24. "Archival copy". Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2022.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
25. ^ ab "Sabino spotting". American Paint Horse Association. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
26. Brooks, Samantha; Ernest Bailey (2005). "Exon skipping in the KIT gene causes spotting in horses." Mammalian genome
    .
    16
    (11): 893–902. DOI: 10.1007/s00335-005-2472-у. PMID 16284805. S2CID 32782072.
27. ↑
    Roy, Bruce (August 16, 2010).
    "Stable Conversation". Project equestrian magazine
    . Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
28. "Modern Clydesdale". Clydesdale Horse Society. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
29. ^
    Reid, Melanie (31 March 2010), "Digger, the horse who grew up to join the army",
    The Sunday Times
    , retrieved 24 January 2011.
30. "Drum Horse". Household cavalry. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
31. ↑
    Edwards, pp. 374–375
32. Dutson, pp. 117-118
33. "The basis of the breed". Clydesdale & Heavy Horse Field Days Association Inc. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
34. Dutson, page 294

Is the Clydesdale breed right for you?

The greatness of the breed is complemented by a carefree disposition. These gentle giants make very good family horses, even for people with limited riding experience. Their intelligence and calm demeanor make them quite easy to train, and they are often described as happy horses that prance and play. They are also quite hardy horses, even in cold weather.

But the animals are more expensive to keep than most other breeds due to their size. They eat more food, shoeing can cost more than an average sized horse, and they require more space. A stall of 7 by 7 meters is considered the minimum size for a Clydesdale to be produced daily. A larger stall is required for those who make less frequent outings.

Character

Despite their large size, Clydesdale horses demonstrate calmness and a good-natured disposition. Strong and hardy animals willingly do any hard work without showing their temper to the owner. A distinctive feature of the breed is the rapid maturation of foals, which is not characteristic of all heavy draft breeds.

Breeders often call these animals phlegmatic. Clydesdale horses become very attached to their owner and become his devoted companion. Horses are ready to adapt even to harsh climates. In return, they need to be provided with a warm stall, good care and good nutrition.

Further reading[edit]

• Biddell, Herman (1894). Draft Horses: Breeds and Management. London, Vinton and Co.
• Dutson, Judith (2005). Storey's Illustrated Guide to the 96 Horse Breeds of North America
  . Storey Publishing. ISBN 1-58017-613-5.
• Edwards, Alvin Hartley (1994). Encyclopedia of the Horse
  (1st American ed.). New York: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 1-56458-614-6.
• Hayes, Captain M. Horace, FRCVS (2003) [1969]. Horse Spectacles
  (7th Revised Edition). New York: ISBN Arco Publishing Company, Inc. 978-1-59333-000-2.CS1 maint: multiple names: list of authors (link)
• Hendricks, Bonnie (2007). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds
  . University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3884-8.
• McNeilage, Arch. (1904). "Scottish authority on the bonus system". In National Livestock Association of Canada (ed.). General Agreement Questions 1–3
  . State Press Bureau.
• Smith, Donna Campbell (2007). The Draft Horse Book: The Gentle Giants Who Built the World. Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-1-59228-979-0.

Belgian draft

This horse breed originates from the Brabant region in modern-day Belgium. Its tall stature and massive build make it one of the strongest breeds in the world, widely used for draft work. These tough horses can pull a cart weighing up to 3,600 kg and are also capable of working 8 to 10 hours a day.

The Belgian draft horse has gained enormous popularity these days as riding and show horses. Unlike other draft horses, this breed, fortunately, is not endangered.

The temperament of this Belgian breed is calm, obedient, kind, sympathetic and balanced. Foals are very playful. The Belgian Draft has a straight profile with a muscular neck, powerful loin and broad back. Slender and strong legs with little hair. The coat is primarily chestnut and roan with snow-white markings on the legs, face, mane and tail. Black and gray colors are rare. The weight of stallions can reach 900 kg, height - 173 cm. Brooklyn Supreme (1928-1948) is the largest Belgian draft horse. The stallion's weight was 1,451 kg and his height was 198 cm.

External links [edit]

• Clydesdale Horse Society
• Clydesdale Breeders USA
• Clydesdale Horse Society
• Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada

vtehorses of the British Isles breed
Horses	Cleveland Bay Clydesdale Gypsy cob Hackney Irish draft Irish sport horse Shire Draft horse Thoroughbred Welsh Cob
Pony	British spotted pony Connemara Pony Valley Dartmoor pony Eriskey pony Exmoor pony Pony fell Hackney pony Highland Pony Pony Kerry God Lundy pony New Forest Pony Shetland ponies Welara Welsh pony
Types	cob Hack Hunter Polo pony Pony riding Windsor Gray
Extinct	Galloway pony Irish hobby Norfolk Trotter Old English black Yorkshire trainer horse Yorkshire gray horse