History
This heavy draft horse traces its roots to the early 19th century in the Lanarkshire (formerly Clydesdale) district of Scotland. There was a strong need for this large horse not only in the agricultural area but in the commerce area as well. The horses were used in the coalfields of Lanarkshire and for hauling wagons in the streets of Glasgow.
To achieve the desired traits of a horse with a longer stride and larger feet, that were necessary on draft horses who worked on the soft soils of the Scottish lands, English and Belgian stallions were imported and bred with the smaller local mares. The result was the founding line of the modern-day Clydesdales.
The breed’s reputation grew to the point that Scottish breeders began exporting them to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. Today the Clydesdale is almost exclusively the only draft breed in its native Scotland, and is still favored in the other four countries as well.
In fact there is one very large and popular brewery in the United States which uses Clydesdales, exclusively, for pulling replicas of its original beer wagon in parades and at special events...