CLYDESDALE MYTHS DEBUNKED
Part of our business at JFP Equine is taking one or multiple Clydesdales to regional events for photo ops. It might be a winery or a corporate event or maybe even a wedding.
We love it. Watching individuals young and old interact with this amazing breed of horse is pretty cool (sometimes it even gets emotional … we’ve seen tears multiple times … seriously!).
We hear stories about the first time they saw a Clydesdale or how they have never seen a horse this big.
But we also hear some assumptions about the breed that may be widely believed, yet aren’t necessarily true.
Want to know the three biggest myths we encounter?
Here’s a quick look:
MYTH #1: ALL CLYDESDALES ARE BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES
You would be surprised at how many people think ALL Clydesdales are Budweiser Clydesdales.
Or, maybe you wouldn’t. Maybe it’s something you yourself thought as well.
We actually get to see it firsthand at every event we take a Clydesdale to, whether it’s a winery, festival, corporate event or wedding.
It usually goes something like this …
An individual will walk up to our Clydesdale. Pet him. Take a picture with him. And then ask us if he is stabled down at the brewery, or if he has been in one of the Budweiser commercials.
When we tell them no, he is from a private farm in Waterloo, IL, many are shocked.
They had no idea that all Clydesdales are not necessarily Budweiser Clydesdales.
And they have no idea that Budweiser didn't create and trademark the entire breed.
I don't blame them.
Anheuser-Busch, for years, did a tremendous job of marketing and advertising, perfectly and permanently affixing "Budweiser" and "Clydesdale" together in the minds of consumers.
Heck, my dad Jim was a part of it when he was with Budweiser Clydesdale Operations for 25 years.
With constant television ads and multiple Budweiser Clydesdale 8-horse hitches criss-crossing the country to hit every key event possible in a year, what do you expect.
It's kind of like any and all facial tissue being called "kleenex." (I know I am guilty of that every once in a while.)
The truth is Clydesdales are a breed, Budweiser is a brand, and the two have had an amazing partnership for nearly 100 years.
But there are hundreds and hundreds of individual Clydesdales breeders across the U.S., and an estimated 3,000-3,500 Clydesdales in the USA (at least that’s what Google said the last time I asked) that don’t live at a brewery or haul a beer wagon.
MYTH #2: YOU CAN’T RIDE A CLYDESDALE
Au contraire.
Clydesdale riding is a thing, and it’s actually kind of on fire.
At an event with the general public though, it’s tough for many to fathom …
“What? No way. Someone actually gets up that high and rides that giant horse?”
The truth is that most individuals who purchase a Clydesdale from us these days prefer or REQUIRE them to be broke to ride.
Some actually find it more comfortable. Some like the power. And some like the special personality that comes with a Clydesdale.
And let’s not forget a main reason why the Clydesdale breed developed in the first place back in Scotland during the Middle Ages - to carry heavily-armored knights into battle.
I’ll be honest though. I don’t ride Clydesdales myself. Never have, and probably never will.
I’m more of a traditional ‘throw some harness on and let’s drive’ kinda guy.
And honestly, a decade or two ago, I would never have imagined that riding Clydesdales would become as popular as it has.
But it’s great to see. It’s spread a newfound popularity to the breed. And it’s quickly putting a dent in the common belief that Clydesdales are around simply to pull, haul or work.
MYTH #3: ALL CLYDESDALES ARE BOY HORSES
Yes, we actually get this a lot.
“Are all Clydesdales boys?”
I’m not really sure why this is an assumption by some.
Maybe it’s because Clydesdales are so big and powerful and the natural assumption is that this is a ‘male’ thing?
I dunno.
But it does come up at nearly every event we go to.
It would certainly make for an interesting story if all Clydesdales were born males. I’m not quite sure how that would go … if they would just hatch from magic Clydesdale eggs or if they would somehow just grow that way on trees (with heavy duty branches of course).
But the truth is there is no magic here and baby Clydesdales need to come from somewhere … and yes, that does involve males AND females.
So there you have it, the three most common Clydesdale myths we encounter at various events we take part in.
Honestly, it’s kinda fun to hear and address some of these assumptions.
We just appreciate the interest in this wonderful breed and anything we can do to help generate awareness and keep the conversation going, we’re in!