Clydesdale

The Clydesdale is a Scottish breed of draft horse. It is named for its area of origin, the Clydesdale or valley of the Clyde River, much of which is within the county of Lanarkshire.

The origins of the breed lie in the eighteenth century. The first recorded use of the name “Clydesdale” for the breed was in 1826; the horses spread through much of Scotland and into northern England. After the breed society as formed in 1877, thousands of Clydesdales were exported to many countries of the world, particularly to Australia and New Zealand. In the early twentieth century numbers began to fall, both because many were taken for use in the First World War, and because of the increasing mechanization of agriculture. By the 1970s, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered the breed vulnerable to extinction. Numbers have since increased slightly.

The Clydesdale breed is quite versatile, they are used in many different disciplines. They are most commonly known for pulling wagons but they also make incredibly solid minded partners under saddle. Some have even excelled at dressage and low level jumping. When crossed out with light horse breeds they become even more versatile and fanatic arena horses with both athleticism and brains!