---
title: "Clydesdale Horse (Equus caballus) | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "A Scottish farm horse first bred in the mid-1700s for heavy hauling, with males standing up to 19 hands on feathered ankles."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/clydesdale-horse-1.webp"
published: "2026-08-31"
updated: "2026-09-17"
---
# Clydesdale Horse (*Equus caballus*)
> **Status**: Checked against 5 sources, listed under Sources below.
> **Tagline**: A Scottish farm horse first bred in the mid-1700s for heavy hauling, with males standing up to 19 hands on feathered ankles.
> **Soundtrack Vibe**: Sludge Metal & Abyssal Doom // Electric Wizard, "Funeralopolis"
> **Soundtrack Links**: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/6rQG8QH1rGoCOeGHdrnYhb) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdlEIlq9nZg)
> **Vibe Match**: Massive low-end tonnage and tectonic, crushing rhythmic strides, for a draft horse whose action lifts each foot cleanly off the ground.
## Biological Superpowers & Stats
- **Taxonomy**: *Equus caballus*
- **Danger Level**: Medium
- **Conservation Status**: Not Evaluated ([IUCN Red List](https://www.iucnredlist.org/))
- **Superpower**: An immensely strong, barrel-chested body, bred for hauling and farm work
- **Habitat**: A draft breed from Lanarkshire, Scotland, exported between 1850 and 1945 to Australia, New Zealand, the Americas and parts of Europe
- **Diet**: Like other domestic horses, grazes mainly on true grasses and is often fed grains such as oats and barley, sometimes with vitamin and mineral supplements
- **Tags**: mammal, herbivore, ungulate
## Natural History & Behavior
## From Scottish Farms to the White House
The Clydesdale (*Equus caballus*) is a draft horse breed from Lanarkshire, Scotland, named after the River Clyde. In the mid-1700s, native Lanarkshire horses were bred with Flemish stallions to make them bigger and heavier. The first of those stallions was imported by the Sixth Duke of Hamilton, who let his tenants use it free of charge. The Clydesdale Horse Society formed in 1877, and the breed's registry records go back to the 1830s. The breed reached North America in the 1840s. Between 1884 and 1945, the society issued 20,183 export certificates, for horses bound as far as Russia and South America.
In the 1930s, Anheuser-Busch began using a hitch of Clydesdales to celebrate the end of Prohibition. The hitch was an instant sensation when it delivered the first post-Prohibition beer to the White House. The company has kept a Clydesdale breeding program since 1953.
## Built for the Job
An adult male stands 17 to 19 hands at the withers, about 1.7 to 1.9 meters, and averages 771 to 998 kilograms. Females are a little smaller, at 16 to 18 hands and 680 to 771 kilograms. Bred for hauling and farm work, the Clydesdale is an immensely strong, barrel-chested horse with long, well-muscled quarters. Its gait is distinctive: each hoof lifts cleanly off the ground, so the bottom of the foot shows from behind. Long white hair called "feather" grows on the ankles.
> **A Shoe Built for a Giant** A full-grown Clydesdale's horseshoe measures more than 51 centimeters end to end and weighs about 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds). That is more than twice as long and four times as heavy as a riding horse's shoe.
## A Gentle Giant
Despite its giant size, the Clydesdale has a laid-back, "happy" temperament, says The Livestock Conservancy. It calls the breed intelligent and easy to train, and a good family horse, even for beginners. Like other domestic horses, it grazes mainly on true grasses and is often fed grains such as oats, barley and corn, sometimes with vitamin and mineral supplements. Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties. The most common coats are bay and brown, though some may be gray, black or roan, and white markings on the face and legs are typical.
## A Breed Worth Watching
During the Second World War, British farms had to produce as much as they could, and that took tractors: horses were replaced by machines. Breed numbers dwindled in the 1960s and early 1970s, and in 1975 the Rare Breeds Survival Trust rated the Clydesdale "vulnerable". Numbers have grown over the years, and the rating is now "at risk". In North America, numbers rose for decades, but a sharp decline began around 2010, prompted by an economic downturn across the horse market. The Livestock Conservancy, a US nonprofit, lists the Clydesdale as "Threatened" and estimates fewer than 5,000 worldwide.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### How big does a Clydesdale get?
An adult male stands 17 to 19 hands at the withers, the top of the shoulders (about 1.7 to 1.9 meters), and averages 771 to 998 kilograms. Females are a little smaller, at 16 to 18 hands and 680 to 771 kilograms. One hand equals 10.2 centimeters. The breed was originally bred for hauling and farm work. *(Source: [SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment]())*
### How long do Clydesdales usually live?
Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties. Examining the teeth is one of the most reliable ways to tell a horse's age: as a horse gets older, the flat surfaces of its teeth gradually wear down. As Clydesdales reach their middle teens, some develop more white on their faces. *(Source: [SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment]())*
### Is the Clydesdale a rare breed?
It is well known but not common. The Livestock Conservancy, a US nonprofit, lists the Clydesdale as "Threatened" and estimates fewer than 5,000 worldwide. North American numbers rose for several decades, but a sharp decline began around 2010, prompted by an economic downturn that hit the whole horse market. *(Source: [The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds]())*
### Why are Clydesdales linked to Budweiser beer?
In the 1930s, Anheuser-Busch began using a hitch of Clydesdales to celebrate the end of Prohibition and to represent its products. The "Budweiser Clydesdales" were an instant sensation when they delivered the first post-Prohibition beer to the White House. The company has kept a Clydesdale breeding program since 1953, and The Livestock Conservancy says its support in the 1950s and 1960s was critical to the breed's survival in North America. *(Source: [The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds]())*
## Sources
1. [All About the Clydesdale: Physical Characteristics. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.]()
2. [All About the Clydesdale: Longevity & Causes of Death. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.]()
3. [Clydesdale Horse. The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds.]()
4. [Breed History. Clydesdale Horse Society.]()
5. [Equus caballus (horse). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.]()
*Published August 31, 2026. Last updated September 17, 2026.*
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@graph": [
{
"@type": "Article",
"@id": "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/clydesdale-horse/#article",
"isPartOf": {
"@id": "https://animaltracks.wiki/#website"
},
"headline": "Clydesdale Horse (Equus caballus) | AnimalTracks.wiki",
"description": "A Scottish farm horse first bred in the mid-1700s for heavy hauling, with males standing up to 19 hands on feathered ankles.",
"image": [
"https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/clydesdale-horse-1.webp"
],
"datePublished": "2026-08-31",
"dateModified": "2026-09-17",
"author": [
{
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "AnimalTracks.wiki Editorial Team",
"url": "https://animaltracks.wiki"
}
],
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"@id": "https://animaltracks.wiki/#organization",
"name": "AnimalTracks.wiki",
"url": "https://animaltracks.wiki",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://animaltracks.wiki/icon-512.png"
}
},
"mainEntityOfPage": "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/clydesdale-horse/",
"citation": [
{
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "All About the Clydesdale: Physical Characteristics",
"url": "https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/clydesdale/characteristics/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment"
}
},
{
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "All About the Clydesdale: Longevity & Causes of Death",
"url": "https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/clydesdale/longevity/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment"
}
},
{
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "Clydesdale Horse",
"url": "https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/clydesdale-horse/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds"
}
},
{
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "Breed History",
"url": "https://www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com/breed-history",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Clydesdale Horse Society"
}
},
{
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "Equus caballus (horse)",
"url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Equus_caballus/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan"
}
}
],
"about": {
"@type": "Taxon",
"name": "Clydesdale Horse",
"scientificName": "Equus caballus",
"description": "An immensely strong, barrel-chested body, bred for hauling and farm work"
}
},
{
"@type": "FAQPage",
"@id": "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/clydesdale-horse/#faq",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How big does a Clydesdale get?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "An adult male stands 17 to 19 hands at the withers, the top of the shoulders (about 1.7 to 1.9 meters), and averages 771 to 998 kilograms. Females are a little smaller, at 16 to 18 hands and 680 to 771 kilograms. One hand equals 10.2 centimeters. The breed was originally bred for hauling and farm work.",
"citation": {
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "All About the Clydesdale: Physical Characteristics",
"url": "https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/clydesdale/characteristics/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment"
}
}
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How long do Clydesdales usually live?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties. Examining the teeth is one of the most reliable ways to tell a horse's age: as a horse gets older, the flat surfaces of its teeth gradually wear down. As Clydesdales reach their middle teens, some develop more white on their faces.",
"citation": {
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "All About the Clydesdale: Longevity & Causes of Death",
"url": "https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/clydesdale/longevity/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment"
}
}
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Is the Clydesdale a rare breed?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "It is well known but not common. The Livestock Conservancy, a US nonprofit, lists the Clydesdale as \"Threatened\" and estimates fewer than 5,000 worldwide. North American numbers rose for several decades, but a sharp decline began around 2010, prompted by an economic downturn that hit the whole horse market.",
"citation": {
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "Clydesdale Horse",
"url": "https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/clydesdale-horse/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds"
}
}
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Why are Clydesdales linked to Budweiser beer?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "In the 1930s, Anheuser-Busch began using a hitch of Clydesdales to celebrate the end of Prohibition and to represent its products. The \"Budweiser Clydesdales\" were an instant sensation when they delivered the first post-Prohibition beer to the White House. The company has kept a Clydesdale breeding program since 1953, and The Livestock Conservancy says its support in the 1950s and 1960s was critical to the breed's survival in North America.",
"citation": {
"@type": "CreativeWork",
"name": "Clydesdale Horse",
"url": "https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/clydesdale-horse/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Breeds"
}
}
}
}
]
},
{
"@type": "MusicRecording",
"name": "Funeralopolis",
"byArtist": {
"@type": "MusicGroup",
"name": "Electric Wizard"
},
"genre": "Sludge Metal & Abyssal Doom",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/track/6rQG8QH1rGoCOeGHdrnYhb"
}
]
}
```