cohophysh

I love these big animals

clearwaterms

knowing nothing about horses, can you compare a Normal riding horse to a clydesale? difference in size? strength?

Caincando1

I guess first you'd have to define "normal" horse. I'm assuming your talking Quarter Horse or Arabian which you see a lot of people pleasure riding and showing. When I get time, I'll have to dig around on the internet. I'm sure there are pleny of pictures out there.

Halthane

Clydes are much larger in terms of all dimensions. They aren't going to be as fast as your "riding horses" but they are very very much stronger. They were bred as draft animals for towing cargo and or plowing fields, etc. Things where sustained high strength were needed rather than fast speed.

solveg

A friend of mine in KS has draft horses, but not Clydes. These horses were so huge, I don't think anyone could mount them without climbing on something. Their hooves are as big as my head. Normally I'd go and pet a horse, but I stayed on the other side of the fence with these guys.

Jynx

They are usually over 6 feet tall and over 2,000 pounds in weight.

BeckyW

When I was a kid, I had a neighbor/friend with horses, and I loved riding. I'd feel sorry for the horse that had to carry me at my current weight, though, so I've assumed it's not an option until I've lost quite a lot (gotten under 200 lbs). I wonder if there are stables that have some of these for riding?!

Tom Stormcrowe

Clydesdales were bred as Knights Chargers, as were Morgans and Belgians. A Knight in full plate armor weighed in at around 550-600 pounds, counting the armor and weapons, so I don't think there'd be any problem with you riding one You'd likely find the back a bit broad though.

East Hill

I don't think it would be easy finding a stable that would have draught horses for hire, but I have seen both draught horses and mules trained for dressage. Also, many guide outfitters have riding horses that are actually small draught horses. The various draught horses by necessity have VERY calm dispositions, and so they are perfect for big and heavy novice riders.


Clydesdale


Belgian


Percheron (I have seen Percherons trained for dressage)


More Clydesdales

The Puyallup Fair was just a week ago... .

East Hill

unixpro

Of course, the most famous clydes of all were used to pull Beer wagons.

The Budweiser Clydes

v1k1ng1001

When I lived in PA I used to pass by a couple of clydesdales on my regular daily ride. They're enormous. Even the yearling was a monster. Now that I'm spending a couple months back in North Dakota I've had to make new friends.

airbrake

If you ever get the opportunity to see the Budweiser clydesdales live and in person, do it. They are beyond awesome when the full hitch is going down a street. I seen them last year in a parade. the are so well groomed and the 1903 wagon was beautiful. Their theme music plays from the wagon. They stayed at the fairgrounds that our MUP goes through and everything about their care is top notch. each one is groomed 5 hrs a day. Even the trucks the travel in are like show quality.

Stujoe

We actually have a Clydesdale farm not too far from my house. I will have to ride by it one day and try to get a photo.

BigBlueToe

Is there some reason all the pictures are of horses' arses? The subject is "our name sake". One could conceivably take the emphasis on hind ends personally.

(FLASHBACK - I used to visit the Puyallup Fair as a kid. Wonderful! Do they still have the giant wooden rollercoaster? At least it seemed giant back then.)

cohophysh

hahaha, that is where I got my clyde picture....that same barn

East Hill

Actually, photos of draught horses are often of the hindquarters, as the point is to show the tremendous muscling. They are work animals, after all .

Giant wooden rollercoaster...? I don't think so, but I don't hang out at the Midway at all. cohophysh may be able to answer that question.

East Hill

East Hill

You are absolutely correct. If you are very lucky, you may see them moving in a trot. There is nothing like the spectacle of seeing the hitch in full trot, with the feathers flowing back from the hocks. It seems that nowadays they are kept to a slow trot, but many years ago I saw them really moving along. It wasn't the speed so much as the noise from the harness and the hooves, plus the rumble of the wagon.

East Hill

cohophysh

Oh ya, the wooden roller coaster is still there

East Hill

Really? Where is it? I'll have to look for it next time.

East Hill

cohophysh

It is in the midway section I think. I know you can see it from the freeway going into puyallup

foehn

and the height is usually measured at the shoulder. These are very large, very impressive animals.

Does anyone remember the article in National Geographic (or was it Smithsonian?) magazine that was about a man that decided to ride a draft horse through Europe on the route the Crusaders would have used to the Holy Land? Turns out the purebreds are uncomfortable to ride, but the adventure sounded interesting.

These heavy draft horses are sometimes crossed with lighter breeds to get heavy-hunter type horses (for going over fences and jumps of many sorts). Some of these horses are so tall that they hardly have to do anything to jump a 4 ft. fence but be in motion and lift their legs up.

Tom Stormcrowe

East Hill

Oh, that's great!

Do you think that they were all Clydes pulling, though?

East Hill

Stujoe

Darn fence was in my way and cut off his head.

BeckyW

stujoe, that is a COOL picture Makes the horse look about 20 ft tall!