Using The "CLYDESDALE" Horse on the Homestead
When my daughter turned 5, I took a group of her friends out to a Farm for a Birthday Party. Her birthday is in March so there was snow. The farm where I had taken her had a group of the Majestic Clydesdale Horses, that offered sleigh rides through a winter wonderland. After the ride we got to feed them carrots. This past week I had the opportunity to re-visit the farm where I had taken my daughter many years ago. Olly the horse that was there has long since past but, the farm has gained new faces. I spoke in great lengths with the farmer who owned the horses, and inquired as to the use of the Clydesdale on his homestead. This post is dedicated to this beautiful creature and how it is used today to help around the farm.
With technology advancements, the need for the Clydesdale is not as prominent as it had once was. The work is now being done with fancy tractors and farming machinery. But this old gentleman farmer, still uses his horses to plow his 1 acre garden in the spring, and still offers sleigh rides to the public, at a small cost. His wife operates the homestead kitchen offering its patrons who come for sleigh rides and good old fashion meal of homemade breads, and soups.
These horses can pull loads of more than one ton, with a walking speed of five miles per hour. Today sadly these horses are bred more for the purposes of show horses, carriage services and breeding purposes. However sometimes when it is too muddy for the machinery to get to the loads that are required to be hauled out such as wood or other, the Clydesdale horse don't get stuck in the mud. The Spring is a popular time to employ the horses.
Hauling Coal was another popular use of the these horses back in the day when coal was more widely used for home heating.
A Clydesdale stands 16.2 to18 hands high at the withers, which is 1.6 to 1.8 metres or 5½ to 6 feet. It weighs an average of 800 to 900 kilograms, or 1600 to 1800 pounds.
This was just a post for fun. This grand animal is and was a most valuable resource on the homestead. Budweiser has adopted The Clydesdale as its informal mascot.
Happy "Clydesdale" Trails Folks
Image Source:
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/john-r-park-homestead-to-celebrate-harvest-horses-at-oct-1-festival
https://www.horsejournals.com/popular/history-heritage/history-draft-horse-muscle-men-horse-world
https://modernfarmer.com/2015/12/how-much-can-a-horse-pull/
I love Clydesdale, they are so magestic. I have heard stories of my grandfather working with them but, unfortunately, he passed before my time so I never experienced them myself. I think knowing how to work with animals and old technology are useful skills should todays equipment ever fail. -Aimee
Agreed. If an EMP were to ever strike, good luck getting the gas to fill the machinery to work the land. That is why having these beauties is perfect. Thanks for the support.
I remember my grandad using Clydesdales on the farm when I was young. Jessie and Bonnie were a working pair and to a 5-year-old1 they were ginormous! They were gentle giants that liked to eat carrots...
They're lovely big beasts! Strong and versatile too by the looks of them...
Living off grid and being able to work the land with these horses is the ultimate in preppers resources
beautiful animals, from my point of view, if it's good that horses do not work.
Majestic and powerful animals!
Wow. I find things like this so fascinating. That this guy still uses horses for his one acre is awesome! I can't imagine how much work that must be, but I am in LOVE with history and it would be so incredible to get to go visit that farm and talk with his wife (and maybe help with the cooking!)
This is a great post. Thanks for sharing!
@byn
I love these horses! Draft breeds in general are such amazing creatures, often very gentle and wanting to work. I'd be in heaven if I got to hang out with this little herd of Clydesdales for an afternoon. Thanks for the post! ;)
Horses are good animals. I love them...
Magnificent creatures.
How lucky you are to them nearby.
The old ways are beautiful to witness in action, something vital is lost when we mechanize.
Indeed majestic is the right adjective for these beautiful animals. Its good to see Budweiser adopted them as their mascot.