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TRANSPORT
”Ten 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.” VIDEO: Budweiser Clydesdales: Handling Travel Stress.
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 1 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.”
DRIVERS:
“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.”
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.”
FEED:
”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.”
WAGON:
”Turn-of-the-century beer wagons have been meticulously restored and are kept in excellent
repair. The wagons are equipped with two braking systems: a hydraulic pedal device that
slows the vehicle for turns and descents down hills, and a hand brake that locks the rear
wheels when the wagon is at a halt.”
DALMATIANS:
”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.”
“Many of the Clydesdales owned by Anheuser-Busch are raised at Grant's Farm near St. Louis. The Budweiser Clydesdale Stables at Grant's Farm house approximately 35 mares, stallions and foals, with an average of 15 foals produced each year. Anheuser-Busch owns a total of about 250 Clydesdales, kept at various locations throughout the United States, one of the largest herds of Clydesdale horses in the world.” READ MORE
