Five Interesting Facts About the Famous Clydesdale Horses

-Long before Clydesdale horses became popularized as a beer mascot for Anheuser-Busch, this distinctive breed was noticed by Queen Elizabeth II, who saw a colorful Clydesdale pulling a milk cart and was so impressed with the animal that she pressed it into royal service as a drum carrier to haul a 90-pound silver kettle used by the Household Cavalry band. To this day, large colorful horses such as Clydesdales are still sometimes referred to as drum horses or gypsy horses.

-In addition to their impressive stature and unique coloration, another distinctive physical trait of Clydesdale horses is their uniquely abundant 'feathering', which is a term used to describe the long hairs that fall from just below the knees to cover the hooves.

-Size-wise, Clydesdales usually stand about 17 hands high and can weigh upwards of 2000 pounds! Color-wise, they come in myriad varieties, including bay (brown), chestnut (sorrel), black, piebald (black & white), and skewbald (bay or chestnut & white). Isn't skewbald a nifty word?

-Clydesdales were derived from farm horses in Scotland and the breed is thought to be over 300 years old. At one time, there were at least 140,000 Clydesdales known in Scotland. However, by 1949 just 80 animals were licensed in England and by 1975 the breed was listed as "vulnerable". Clydesdales have since seen a resurgence in popularity and population, resulting in the breed's status being reclassified favorably as "at risk" with an estimated global population of 5,000 individuals.

-Used as warhorses and farm horses in the past, the highest presence of present-day Clydesdale horses is in parades and other exhibitions, including for advertising purposes (such as the Budweiser mascot Clydesdales). In a very different kind of usage, though, the Clydesdale is also playing a significant new role in the 'green' world. It has long been recognized that logging and timber extraction in environmentally sensitive areas can damage delicate ecosystems. One solution has been to return to literal 'horse power' for such such roles, helping to minimize the damage while still carrying out necessary maintenance and extraction. Due to its size and strength, the Clydesdale is a horse breed that is being utilized in this capacity.

***

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clydesdale_(horse)

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/clydesdale-horses.shtml

http://www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com/index.html