Bibliography - Clydesdales

REFERENCES

•	Anthony, David, Dimitri Telegin, and Dorcas Brown. "The Origin of Horseback Riding." Scientific American 265(6), December 1991, pp. 94-100.
•	Bongianni, Maurizo. Simon & Schuster's Guide to Horses and Ponies of the World. New York: Simon & Schuster/Fireside Books, 1987.
•	Coleman, Alix and Steven D. Price. All the King's Horses: The Story of the Budweiser Clydesdales. New York: Viking Press: 1983.
•	Edwards, Elwyn Hartley, ed. Encyclopedia of the Horse. New York: Crescent Books, 1990.
•	Hayes, M. Horace. Points of the Horse. New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc., Seventh (Revised) Edition, 1976.
•	Hughes, Christine E. and Robert Oliver. Practical Stable Management. London: Pelham Books, 1987.
•	MacDonald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File, 1984.
•	Sayer, Angela. The Young Rider's Handbook. New York: Arco Publishing, Inc., 1984.
•	Telleen, Maurice. The Draft Horse Primer. A Guide to the Care and Use of Work Horses and Mules. Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1977.
•	Walker, Ernest et. al. Mammals of the World. Volume 2. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press, Fifth Edition, 1991.

Frequently Asked Questions - Clydesdales

FAQ'S

•	What is the history of the Clydesdale breed?
	Farmers living in the 19th century along the banks of the River Clyde in Lanarkshire, Scotland, bred the Great Flemish Horse, the forerunner of the Clydesdale. These first draft horses pulled loads of more than one ton at a walking speed of five miles per hour. Soon their reputation spread beyond the Scottish borders.
	In the mid-1800s, Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to the United States where the draft horses resumed their existence on farms. Today, the Clydesdales are used primarily for breeding and show.

•	When did Anheuser-Busch acquire the famous Budweiser Clydesdales?
	They were formally introduced to August A. Busch Sr. and Anheuser-Busch on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. August A. Busch Jr. wanted to commemorate the special day. To his father's delight, the hitch thundered down Pestalozzi Street carrying the first case of post-Prohibition beer from the St. Louis brewery.

•	What are the qualifications to be a Budweiser Clydesdale?
	To qualify for one of the six hitches (five traveling and one stationary), a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age. He must stand 72 inches, or 6 feet, at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face, and a black mane and tail.

•	How much food and water do the Clydesdales need?
	Each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.

•	Where are the Budweiser Clydesdale hitches located?
	Five traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis, Missouri; Menifee, California; San Diego, California; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and San Antonio, Texas.
	The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis, Merrimack and Ft. Collins, Colorado.
	The Budweiser Clydesdales also may be viewed at Grant's Farm, the 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, in St. Louis and at the following Anheuser-Busch theme parks: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, and at the SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; and San Antonio, Texas.

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Who schedules where the Clydesdales will appear?

Based in St. Louis, Clydesdale Operations is responsible for maintaining and scheduling the five traveling hitches. Events are typically sponsored in part by the local Anheuser-Busch wholesalers and thousands of requests for the "gentle giants" are received each year. Each request is evaluated on the type of event, dates, history of appearances in that particular area and other input from Anheuser-Busch management representatives.

•	Where is the official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales?
	The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis. The building is one of three located on the brewery grounds that are registered as historic landmarks by the federal government.

•	Who travels with the Clydesdales?
	Expert groomers travel on the road with the hitch. They are on the road at least 10 months every year. When necessary, one handler has night duty to provide round-the-clock care for the horses, ensuring their safety and comfort.

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How do the Clydesdales get to all of their appearances?

Twelve horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor trailers. Cameras in the trailers (with monitors in the cabs) enable the drivers to keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport. The team stops each night at local stables so the "gentle giants" can rest. Air-cushion suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the rigors of traveling.

•	Is driving the hitch a difficult job?
	Driving the 12 tons of wagon and horses requires quite a bit of strength and skill. The 40 pounds of reins the driver holds, plus the tension of the reins, equals 75 pounds. All hitch drivers are put through a rigorous training period before they are given the reins.

•	Can you describe a Budweiser Clydesdale's harness?
	Each harness and collar weighs approximately 130 pounds. The harness is handcrafted from brass and leather. Pure linen thread is used for the stitching. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.

•	Do the Clydesdales have names?
	Duke, Captain, Mark and Bud are just a few of the names given to the Budweiser Clydesdales. Names are kept short to make it easier for the driver to give commands to the horses during a performance.

•	How big are the Clydesdales' horseshoes?
	Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about five pounds - more than twice as long and five times as heavy as the shoe worn by a riding horse. A horse's hoof is made of a nerveless, horn-like substance similar to the human fingernail, so being fitted for shoes affects the animal no more than a manicure affects people.

•	Why does a Dalmatian accompany the hitch?
	Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s. The Dalmatian breed long has been associated with horses and valued for their speed, endurance and dependable nature. Dalmatians were known as coach dogs, because they ran between the wheels of coaches or carriages and were companions to the horses. Today, the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon, seated next to the driver.

The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale Teams - Clydesdales

HISTORY

1. The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales were formally introduced to August A. Busch Sr., President of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., by his son on April 7, 1933. Prohibition had just been repealed, and to commemorate the event, the hitch thundered down Pestalozzi Street in St. Louis, carrying with it the first case of post-Prohibition beer from the St. Louis Anheuser-Busch brewery.

DALMATIONS

1. Dalmatian dogs have traveled with the hitch since the 1950s. 2. In the early days of brewing, dalmatians were bred and trained to protect the horses and guard the wagon when the driver went inside to make deliveries. The black and white spotted dogs were swift enough to keep up with the wagons, and their light colored bodies and distinctive marking made them easy to see during twilight hours.

HITCHES

1. To qualify for one of the traveling hitches, an Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale must be a gelding (neutered male) at least four years of age. He must be 18 hands (6 ft. or 1.8 m); weigh between 1,800 to 2,000 lb. (817 - 907 kg); be bay in color; and have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face and a black mane and tail. 2. Groups of ten Clydesdales travel together as a hitch team. Eight Clydesdales are hitched together to pull the wagon. Two horses travel as alternates. 3. The physical ability of each horse determines its position in the hitch. Wheelhorses (the pair closest to the wagon) must be large and strong enough to start the wagon's movement and to use their weight to help slow or stop the vehicle. The body (second position) and swing (third position) pairs must be agile to turn the wagon. The leaders (the pair in front, furthest from the wagon) must be the fastest and most agile pair.

WAGONS

1. The wagons are Studebaker wagons (circa 1900) that were converted to deliver beer. 2. The wagons have two braking systems; a hydraulic pedal device that slows the vehicle for turns and descents down hills, and a foot brake that locks the rear wheels when the wagon is stationary.

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HARNESS

1. Each set of harnesses weighs 130 lb. (59 kg). 2. There are several major components to the harness. • Blinders prevent the horse from becoming visually distracted. • The bridle consists of the headpiece, browband, cheek straps, noseband, bit and reins. These allow the driver to direct the team. The reins alone for the eight horses on the hitch can weigh over 40 lb. (18 kg). • A martingale prevents the horse from raising its head to avoid the action of the bit and bridle. • Collars are individually fitted to each horse. The straps and reins run through the collar and to the driver.

Longevity & Causes of Death - Clydesdales

LONGEVITY

1. Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties.

AGING

1. Tooth examination is one of the most reliable methods for aging a horse. As a horse ages, the tablelike surfaces on the teeth gradually wear down. The front teeth will tend to bow out toward the lips. 2. As Clydesdales reach their middle teens some develop more white on their faces.

CAUSE OF DEATH

1. Colic - sharp abdominal pains and flatulence are often symptoms of an obstruction created by a mass of hard food or feces in the bowel, which can lead to twisted intestines and death. 2. Calcified materials called entroliths can cause gut blockage and death. 3. Domestic horses often die of old age. Their hearts and kidneys often fail.

Birth & Care of Young - Clydesdales

BIRTH SEASON

1. Most foals are born in early spring.

FREQUENCY OF BIRTH & NUMBER OF YOUNG

1. Clydesdales generally have one foal per year.

YOUNG AT BIRTH

1. At birth, foals average 3.5 ft. (1.1 m) and 125 lb. (57 kg). 2. Male foals are called colts, and female foals are called fillies.

NURSING & CARE OF YOUNG

1. Foals nurse from their mother's groin area. 2. A foal spends its first six months at its mother's side, growing rapidly as it nurses. Toward the end of that time the foal is weaned to a mixture of feed and other nutrients. 3. The skeletal and muscular systems of a horse are sufficiently developed to allow a foal to walk and follow its mother within a few hours after birth.

Reproduction - Clydesdales

SEXUAL MATURITY

1. Clydesdales reach sexual maturity at approximately three to four years.

GESTATION

1. The gestation period for Clydesdales is 11 months.

Diet & Eating Habits - Clydesdales

DIET PREFERENCE

1. All horses are herbivores (plant eaters). In their natural environment, they almost constantly graze. 2. Clydesdales are fed hay and feed. The feed is a mixture of beet pulp, oats, bran, minerals, salt, molasses and water.

DIET AMOUNT

1. Each Clydesdale consumes approximately 20 quarts (19 l) of feed, 40 to 50 lb. (18 - 23 kg) of hay and 30 gallons (114 l) of water every day. 2. Each Clydesdale on a hitch team is fed grain twice a day and hay four to seven times per day. They are given water every two hours.

METHOD OF GRAZING

1. Highly prehensile lips gather food and work with the sharp front teeth when cropping grass. 2. The tongue pulls food to the back teeth.

DENTITION

1. Depending upon the breed, horses have 40 to 48 teeth that continually grow throughout their lifetime. 2. Cheek teeth have high crowns for grinding. This grinding breaks plant cell walls to release the digestible contents. 3. Rear teeth have table-like surfaces crossed by ridges that form a grinding surface between the upper and lower jaw. The jaw moves in a sweeping transverse motion, in contrast to the more up and down motion of other mammals such as humans.