History of the Clydesdale Horse
The Clydesdale one of the breeds commonly referred to
as "heavy horse" or "draft horse" developed in
Scotland. It closely resembles the Shire horse, although it is not
as heavy. Its type was evolved by the farmers of Lanarkshire, through
which the River Clyde flows. The old name for Lanarkshire was Clydesdale.
It was bred to meet not only the agricultural needs
of these farmers, but the demands of commerce for the coalfields of
Lanarkshire and for all types of heavy haulage on the streets of Glasgow.
The breed thus developed and soon acquired more than a local reputation.
In time, the breed spread throughout the whole of Scotland and northern
England.
The district system of hiring stallions was an early
feature of Scottish agriculture and did much to standardize and fix
the type of the breed. The records of these hiring societies go back
in some cases to 1837. The Clydesdale Horse Society was formed in
1877 and has been an active force in promoting the breed not only
in Great Britian but throughout the world, including in Australia.
The modern Clydesdale horse stands between 16 and 19
hands tall, depending on their breeding, and is characterized by its
graceful, springy step and affable, calm disposition. They can weigh
from 600kg to well over 1 tonne when in work and well muscled. The
outstanding characteristics of this renowned horse are a combination
of weight, size and activity, and what is looked for first and last
by a Clydesdale enthusiast is the exceptional wearing qualities of
feet and limbs. The feet must be round and open with hoof heads wide
and springy, for any suspicion of contraction might lead to sidebones
or ringbones. To some extent, the further requirements of this breed
vary somewhat from the orthodox and should be noted. The horse must
have action, but not exaggerated, the inside of every shoe being made
visible to anyone walking behind. The forelegs must be well under
the shoulders, not carried bull-dog fashion, in fact must hang straight
from shoulder to fetlock joint, with no openness at the knee, yet
with no inclination to knock. The hind legs must be similar, with
the points of the hocks turned inwards rather than outwards, and the
pasterns must be long. Distinctive long, silky hair below the knees
and hocks draw attention to the stylish lifting of the feet at the
trot.
The head must have an open forehead, broad across the
eyes, the front of the face must be flat, neither dished nor roman,
wide muzzle, large nostrils and a bright, clear, intelligent eye.
A well-arched and long neck must spring out of an oblique shoulder
with high withers, while the back should be short, with well-sprung
ribs, and, as befits a draught horse, the thighs must be packed with
muscle and sinew. The most common colors in the Clydesdale breed are
bay, black and brown. Roans (solid body color with white hairs throughout
the coat) are also seen with some occasional chestnuts. White is seen
on the face and legs with white often running into the body. The show
ring does not discriminate on color with light roans and horses with
dark legs being considered equally with horses of the more solid colors
and traditional markings.
The Clydesdale Horse is increasingly popular as a pleasure
horse, playing an ever expanding role in the field of recreation.
Owners of acreage, businessmen, farmers and light horse enthusiasts
are ever more aware of the challenge offered in breeding, foaling,
developing and training a Clydesdale.
For more information, particularly information about
the breed in Australia, visit the Commonwealth
Clydesdale Society.
