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Clydesdale horse

Country Of Origin	Scotland
History and Background	The Clydesdale takes its name from Clydesdale, the old name for Lanarkshire, noted for the River Clyde. In the mid-18th century, Flemish stallions were imported to Scotland and bred to local mares, resulting in foals that were larger than the existing local stock. These included a black unnamed stallion imported from England by a John Paterson of Lochlyloch and an unnamed dark-brown stallion owned by the Duke of Hamilton. Another prominent stallion was a 16.1 hands (65 inches, 165 cm) coach horse stallion of unknown lineage named Blaze. Written pedigrees were kept of these foals beginning in the early 19th century, and in 1806 a filly, later known as "Lampits mare" after the farm name of her owner, was born that traced her lineage to the black stallion. This mare is listed in the ancestry of almost every Clydesdale living today. One of her foals was Thompson's Black Horse (known as Glancer), who was to have a significant influence on the Clydesdale breed. The first recorded use of the name "Clydesdale" in reference to the breed was in 1826 at an exhibition in Glasgow. Another theory of their origin, that of them descending from Flemish horses brought to Scotland as early as the 15th century, was also promulgated in the late 18th century. However, even the author of that theory admitted that the common story of their ancestry is more likely. A system of hiring stallions between districts existed in Scotland, with written records dating back to 1837. This program consisted of local agriculture improvement societies holding breed shows to choose the best stallion, whose owner was then awarded a monetary prize. The owner was then required, in return for additional monies, to take the stallion throughout a designated area, breeding to the local mares. Through this system and by purchase, Clydesdale stallions were sent throughout Scotland and into northern England. Through extensive crossbreeding with local mares, these stallions spread the Clydesdale type throughout the areas where they were placed, and by 1840, Scottish draught horses and the Clydesdale were one and the same. In 1877, the Clydesdale Horse Society of Scotland was formed, followed in 1879 by the American Clydesdale Association (later renamed the Clydesdale Breeders of the USA) which served both U.S. and Canadian breed enthusiasts. The first American stud book was published in 1882. In 1883, the short-lived Select Clydesdale Horse Society was founded to compete with the Clydesdale Horse Society. It was started by two breeders dedicated to improving the breed, who also were responsible in large part for the introduction of Shire blood into the Clydesdale. Large numbers of Clydesdales were exported from Scotland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with 1,617 stallions leaving the country in 1911 alone. Between 1884 and 1945, export certificates were issued for 20,183 horses. These horses were exported to other countries in the British Empire, as well as North and South America, continental Europe and Russia. World War I saw the conscription of thousands of horses for the war effort, and after the war breed numbers declined as farms became increasingly mechanised. This decline continued between the wars. Following World War II the number of Clydesdale breeding stallions in England dropped from more than 200 in 1946 to 80 in 1949. By 1975, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered them vulnerable to extinction, meaning there were fewer than 900 breeding females in the UK. Many of the horses exported from Scotland in the 19th and 20th centuries went to Australia and New Zealand. In 1918, the Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse Society was formed as the association for the breed in Australia. Between 1906 and 1936, Clydesdales were bred so extensively in Australia that other draught breeds were almost unknown. By the late 1960s it was noted that "Excellent Clydesdale horses are bred in Victoria and New Zealand; but, at least in the former place, it is considered advisable to keep up the type by frequent importations from England." Over 25,000 Clydesdales were registered in Australia between 1924 and 2008. The popularity of the Clydesdale led to it being called "the breed that built Australia". In the 1990s, the breed's popularity and numbers began to rise. By 2005, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust had moved the breed to "at risk" status, meaning there were fewer than 1,500 breeding females in the UK. However, by 2010 they had been moved back to vulnerable. The Clydesdale is considered to be at "watch" status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, meaning that as of 2010 fewer than 2,500 horses are registered annually in the USA and fewer than 10,000 exist worldwide. As of 2010, there are estimated to be around 5,000 Clydesdales worldwide, with around 4,000 in the US and Canada, 800 in the UK and the rest in other countries, including Russia, Japan, Germany and South Africa.
Use Today	Agriculture work, Work horse, Competition horse
Height	16.1 to 18 hands high (or 64.4 to 72 inches in height)
Colour	Bay, Black, Chestnut
Characteristics	The Clydesdale horse is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. These horses have a huge built and can weigh up to 2000 pounds. These horses grow up to 16 - 17 hands high and have a strong chest and beautifully well defined bone structure. They have feather like structures around their hooves which enables us to identify this breed easily. This strong animal is also very graceful. The way it trots forward talks a lot about the grace of this animal. It lifts the foot daintily and places it forward taking a long stride. They eyes of the Clydesdale horse which are dark and large, reflect the intelligence of this animal. These horses are found predominantly in Scotland and can survive the harsh weather in that place thanks for the feathers in their legs and a heavy coat with a thick mane. The underbelly of this horse is generally white in color and their hooves are striped in black and white. The muzzle of the Clydesdale horse is generally covered in white with the region of the chin and lips having black spots
Personality and Temperament	The Clydesdale is a spirited and intelligent horse. However, it can also be tender and gentle-hearted, especially the Budweiser Clydesdales, which are required to have a gentle temperament.