The Clydesdale Horse Society was established in 1877, almost a century and a half after the breed first began to evolve. The primary purpose of the breed was literally as a farm work horse - true horse power prior to mechanisation. 

From the early days the reputation of the horse grew considerably and the horse fairs held over several days in the Lanarkshire area attracted buyers from far and wide looking for draught horses to fulfill a variety of roles in the haulage field. 

The major cities of Scotland and the North of England and Northern Ireland .probably housed as many Clydesdales as the agricultural areas did - Clydesdales were used for both short and long distance haulage and delivery everywhere. A considerable export trade also developed to the expanding North Americas and the Commonwealth.

 

Early drawings of Clydesdales show a chunky, solid coloured horse, short and close coupled and by the time photography came in, early examples were also mainly dark coloured horses with four dark legs, still short coupled and very powerful. Gradually white legs became fashionable and the breed as you see it now became more clearly defined. The vast majority of Clydesdales are solid coloured bay or brown with four white legs, the long, silky feathering around the feet being a distinct feature, with soft, not coarse hair. As the white colouring was introduced for the legs, in some instances this 'spread' and resulted in a roan animal, which for a time was frowned upon by the purists. However nowadays these animals have a much wider acceptance and indeed the main female prizewinner in 1997 at the Royal Highland Show was a roan mare.

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Photographs and article kindly supplied by Kate Stephen of The Clydesdale Horse Society

FURTHER INFORMATION

Clydesdale Horse Society
3 Grosvenor Gardens
Edinburgh, Scotland EH12 5JU

Telephone +44 (0)131 337 0923   Fax +44 (0)131 337 7678
Email: secy@clydesdalehorse.co.uk
 Web site:  www.clydesdalehorse.co.uk

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