The Clydesdale

See also:

Shire Horses | The Suffolk Punch | The Cleveland

The Percheron | Dales and Fell Ponies

This is a more active horse than the Shire and the Suffolk, and is said "to have more sky under its belly." Its long raking stride enables it to walk at 5 m.p.h., making it useful for roadwork.

The essence of the horse, is that it is as tall, but less massive in build than its southern heavy relatives. It was founded upon Flemish imported horses and the local Galloway and Garron stock, together with Friesians used in Britain by the Romans. Colours are predominantly bay and brown, but roans are popular and often there is a large amount of white on the head, legs and the underside of the body. The withers are very pronounced and the hocks are close together, (cow-hocked).

The Clydesdale Horse Society was formed in 1877, and apart from the Percheron, is the most successful breed to be exported all over the World, and especially in Canada and Australia.