The Clydesdale of the 1900's is only markedly different from that of the 1800's in that it has more white hair in evidence. the horse has been 'engineered' by breeders who have injected various new blood lines into the breed from time to time.
It is to be admitted that the Clydesdale and Shire breeds (the Shire being the English counties equivalent of the Clydesdale) have been inter-related to the mutual advantage of both breeds, although today when you see a good example of either breed, it is very clear which is which. Clydesdale breeders used the Shire breed to inject a bit more size and to give the white leg hair that you see today. Once this had been perfected, the Shire breed came back to the Clydesdale to fine down and make their leg feathering more silky and to get rid of skin problems on the lower leg that the Shire had developed.
As more white was introduced to the breed, genetics not being an exact science, the white hair occasionally strayed onto the Clydesdales' body, giving an animal of a roan colour. The purists frowned upon these animals, believing that only a good solid colour was correct. However most people today believe that a good horse cannot be a bad colour, so roan horses and horses with white areas on the body are acceptable.
The horses of today are also bigger than their original counterparts, 17 hands high and above is not at all uncommon. These are not big ungainly ugly animals, the Clydesdale is a horse of quality with a fine head, intelligent eye, excellent paces and a fluidity of movement. They have the most wonderful, willing temperament and they truly do epitomise the phrase 'gentle giant'.
The Clydesdale is a Rare Breed, classified as 'at risk' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. However having the reached rock bottom in the 60's and 70's, there are more people breeding these wonderful animals today and numbers are remaining steady, if not increasing slightly.
The majority of Clydesdales throughout the world today are kept for breeding and showing, they do not have to work for their living any more. So, go to any breeder in the UK today and you will usually go to a family farm where the horses will very likely be the descendents of those kept by the preceding generation that ran that farm. They are not there to earn their keep like the dairy cows, beef cows or sheep that they may share a field with. They are there to breed and to be shown at the various Agricultural Shows held during the summer. They are a hobby (if an expensive one!) for the farmer.
Increasingly the PR power of these lovely animals has been recognised and people are now using the horses to pull drays and carts which can be used as advertising vehicles for a variety of businesses. Breweries and whisky companies were the first to latch on to this and now you see their names emblazoned across the carts. City Councils such as the ones in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, keep Clydesdales for work within the cities and parks departments and for use as 'publicity tools'. Clydesdale horses have also joined the 'wedding industry', getting dressed up in their finery to pull the bride in a cart to the church, making a memorable day even more so.
The Clydesdale is also playing a significant role in the 'green' world. It has long been recognised that timber extraction and logging in environmentally sensitive areas can do untold damage to delicate ecosystems. The solution has been to return to the horse for the 'horse power', so minimising any damage whilst carrying out necessary maintenance and extraction.
Increasingly today, Clydesdales are being ridden just like any other breed of horse. They can be seen occasionally on the dressage arena, taking part in endurance rides, carrying a minister in Kintyre on his rounds, or simply being enjoyed as a gentle hack, possibly for the larger figure! Cross bred Clydesdales can also be found at the top of all the equestrian fields, as hunters, three day and one day eventers, show jumpers and so on. They seem to have an inbuilt spring and impetus that makes them good jumpers and they do possess the quality of movement that is so necessary.
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