Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466 
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 3:18:34 GMT
I got to see the full hitch of the Budweiser Clydesdales after work this evening. It was so awesome seeing them up close and in person! Watching them come down the road right in front of me - amazing! They are such big, strong, beautiful horses, and it was just incredible to get to see them!
Their rig was pretty impressive too! 
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Aug 22, 2014 8:32:25 GMT
They are one of my favourite breeds. Beautiful pictures. Thanks
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Post by horselover4life on Aug 22, 2014 9:59:06 GMT
Aren't they just magnificent!!! 
Did you get to see their temporary stabling area?
Temporary to them is better than most of us have for everyday!
Years ago I drove a team of 2 Percherons in competition and for other community projects.
The teams farrier was the same man that shod the entire Budweiser pulling horses... **
He introduced us to the "Bud men & women" at the Danbury fair in Connecticut. What a honor it was for me to be asked/allowed to climb up on the seat, take the many reins and actually drive the team all of about 1000 feet or so. I was in awe and my arms were exhausted from the weight of all those reins... Their "driver" sat beside me with his hands also on those reins behind mine as I had never handled so many lines before..
Give that man a lot of credit for controlling that horseflesh as they do...they make it look so easy and it is not. The power you can feel through those reins....to die for in feeling.
As well trained as they are they do crash occasionally and get tangled up...there is a video out there with footage taken in Texas I believe recently...
Absolutely incredible to watch happen and then watch the untangling of thousands of pounds of scared horseflesh and they all walked away unscathed!! Broken hitch, but horses fine!!
Talk about training....
** my age will show when I say this happened near about 30 something years ago. **
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 22, 2014 12:33:14 GMT
They are amazing. They come down here for Mardi Gras every year and do a few parades. And HL4L is right about their temp housing - it is probably one of the most exclusive barns within a 100 mile radius.
A girl who works for my vet has a few "rejects" from their breeding program. If they don't have the exact right look or they don't pull well, they sell them for fairly cheap, you just have to go pick them up. Maybe one day...
HL4L - what an amazing experience!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 22, 2014 12:46:20 GMT
Here's the link to the accident HL4L referred to. It happens just after 4:00 (although what they do with the team in the beginning of the video is amazing and worth watching too). www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUt1c_2v0fw |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 13:41:16 GMT
HL4L - what an incredible experience that must have been! They had some informational signs up in the temporary stabling area, and I was surprised to learn how much weight the driver is holding in those reins, and I can only imagine the power he's feeling through them!
They brought 10 horses with them, so while 8 were hitched, there were still 2 in the temporary stabling area. This one is named Rock. I was actually quite surprised at how small their temporary stalls are! They have these huge horses in 10' x 10' stalls. The stalls in my barn are 12' x 12', and my horses are obviously nowhere near as large as these guys are.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 13:54:07 GMT
Here's the link to the accident HL4L referred to. It happens just after 4:00 (although what they do with the team in the beginning of the video is amazing and worth watching too). www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUt1c_2v0fw
Thanks for sharing this link. Oh that wreck, but wow, I was amazed at how calm those horses were while they worked to get them untangled! Magnificent!
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Aug 22, 2014 14:19:20 GMT
They really get around. They're at the Calgary Stampede every year, too. They're really impressive in person. I LOVE their commercials.
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Valhallanite
Junior Member
Dutchess County, New York
Posts: 826
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Post by Valhallanite on Aug 22, 2014 14:26:56 GMT
Oh they are gorgeous!! Thanks for the pictures Terry.
HLFL, I just saw some Percherons at the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck on Tuesday, they were beautiful. I didn't have a camera with me though, so no pictures.
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Post by horselady on Aug 22, 2014 14:54:34 GMT
Thanks for sharing those photos and yes they are huge.
I have a clyde tb cross . she looks clyde but not as big. even her feet are smaller than the pure breeds.
and Val you went to the fair without a camera> ??
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Post by horselover4life on Aug 22, 2014 14:55:29 GMT
I think a "home base" for some of their operations is in Orlando Florida The stalls I have seen at Sea World in Orlando {owned by Budweiser} in their barn are incredible...
I would guess at 14'x14' or easily larger..
The last time I was their was many years ago and there was a foal...about 6 weeks of age with mom scampering around in a grass paddock...what a sight to see. Mom was 16+ hands I think and that baby was no little baby like we think of...but LARGE befitting a Clydesdale!
Their was a team there that day {don't know if they are always there} and they paraded through Sea World...
My husband and I got to talk to some of the people handling the horses/grooms...amazing stories to listen to and shared willingly. We asked about our friend the farrier..he still shod the horses and we missed him by an hour or so that day in the "off-limits" area of the barn. Would of loved to have seen him....
Of course after touring the "stable" we went touring the tiny brewery.... preferred the stable myself!
When I lived on LI the team came and stayed at Clare Rose which is the islands Budweiser distributor. At the time they were located in Patchogue...
The trucks were kicked out of the garage area to stable the horses. The horses were on the island for I think 2-3 weeks...
The stalls they made for them were guessing 12'x12' at least with shavings over mats about 10" deep.
Each horse appeared to have a personal groom to prepare them with braids and harnessing them for a exhibition performance.
They are just magnificent animals...
If the Clydes are anything like the Percherons in temperament, gentle giants is a very fitting name for them...
For their incredible size they are a very, very sweet nature and gentle to handle...
I know from speaking to those in the know that the horses that make the hitch are near carbon copies of each other in looks, size, coloring. Trained incredible... I have seen some "rejects" in other places... those "rejects" are still some incredible looking magnificent animals and only not on the hitch many of them because they don't have enough carbon copy look to them...otherwise they would be pulling and parading world-wide!!
Their truck haulers are incredible transportation for the animals too. Besides stalls, they have a working blacksmith shop fully stocked, equipment to fix the wagon, spare parts and extra hitch pieces... yup, when you know and rub elbows with the right people you get rewarded with seeing things most never have...
Today many of those I knew are gone, retired or in some cases now deceased. But it was eye-opening GREAT to have experienced it.
I know they had multiple teams that traveled throughout the USA and Canada. When you think about a "good-will" ambassador and name recognition who doesn't put BUDWEISER BEER and their famous hitch together...
The company is now owned by a German brewing company, it was sold some years ago from the original family... but thankfully they have kept the horses and their hitch going... there would and was a outrage if they were to disband it like there was talk of.
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Post by horselover4life on Aug 22, 2014 15:16:12 GMT
For shame Val...no pictures.....  As for the commercials they do...most bring tears to my eyes. They are some of the most lovely stories and tributes I have ever seen. My favorite{s}... After 911 the horse were used in a tribute to all those who perished. They knelt and bowed together in silence at the edge of the harbor looking toward the vacant space and the burial ground of thousands... makes me cry even just remembering it. It aired only once that I know of..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3eQmzw6n3kAnd my other favorite is of the little horse given to become a BUD horse......he never forgot his original owner, saw him at a parade and escaped after unhitching and ran to see him. It was a touching tribute to love.....And of course the puppy... www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTbLBL2P6YA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvV1yRF7xzk
 Budweiser ....
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 18:41:44 GMT
Since I can't ride today because it's been storming and pouring down rain all day, I decided to go back and see the Clydesdales again today. 
Today all 10 were in their stalls, and I even got to meet Clyde, the Budweiser Dalmatian dog!
Me and Clyde 
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 22, 2014 18:58:34 GMT
Love the picture of you and Clyde. Can you get close enough to the horses to pet their noses?
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 19:08:19 GMT
No, unfortunately they don't allow you to get close enough to pet the horses. They have a chain barrier set up several feet in front of the stalls. Even when I was with the full hitch yesterday, if the handlers felt you were getting too close to the horses, they quickly came over and moved you away (I saw several people get moved back while I was there). I wanted so badly to be able to pet the horses, but I guess I understand why they don't allow it. I was thrilled to get to hang out with Clyde, though! What a beautiful dog he is!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 22, 2014 19:09:52 GMT
I would love to be one of their handlers! Maybe when my son goes off to college? :-)
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 22, 2014 19:16:29 GMT
Wouldn't that be cool?!?!
This was about as close as I was allowed to get to the horses. Not as close as I would have liked, but close enough!
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Aug 23, 2014 0:47:11 GMT
Oh the Budweiser CLydes! They are so amazing. I got to be a guard at the Minnesota State Fair Coliseum and hold crowds back as the horses entered. It was absolutely stunning, their power and force as the loped by all of them like that. I was beyond words I tell you. And I have to admit, I cry over those two ads too. And boy did I cry when I watched that accident. I just started bawling, of course it is the end of a really gruesome day at work, so I guess i deserve it. But yeah, the calmness, oh my goodness, how grateful I am. And that announcer, isn't he skillful, huh?
Oh dear, I think I better just go to bed, I have another big day tomorrow and even Sunday, I'll sure deserve the three day weekend coming up!
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Post by horselover4life on Aug 23, 2014 12:10:57 GMT
Terry, I love the picture of you standing next to the team and the horse "clowning" in pose for his picture.... talk about a ham!! 
Did you get to see their harness before it was on them?
Their collars are near as tall as you...
Shiny and gorgeously maintained harness...they are cleaned after every use.
Trust me, we did not clean our teams harness enough. {I wish I had or could find photos...I was usually driving!}
Our harness was nothing like the clydes either...more functional it was. We had some brass "tacks", lots of brass tacks that tarnished and needed to be scrubbed with a toothbrush to get off that green ick. With a group of about 10 {mostly kids} cleaning the harness it still took us about 4 - 5 hours of hard work... then we had a bar-b-que and pool gathering happen in celebration of it being finished. We only had 2 horses.. imagine doing 8 horse hitch of harness! 
...Oh, those animals, harness, wagon, and pup are just so magnificent!!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 23, 2014 14:43:25 GMT
Thanks, HL4L. I was so glad my daughter agreed to meet me there after work so I could have some pictures taken of me with the full hitch. It was a dream come true!
I did not get to see them preparing the horses to be hitched up, so no, I didn't get to see the harnesses before they put them on the horses. They certainly do appear to be quite large, though, and from what I read, those harnesses actually weigh more than I do! I drove over straight from work and was just lucky enough that the team was running a little behind schedule, so I was able to be there when they came down the road. I could just feel the power as they went by just a few feet in front of me! It was such an awesome experience!
I have seen the Budweiser Clydesdales in person once before years ago, but they were in their temporary stalls. While that was nice, it just wasn't the same as seeing the full hitch, so when I found out that I was going to have the opportunity to see them hitched up and pulling that wagon in person and up close, I jumped at the opportunity, and I'm so glad I did! It's a memory I will always cherish, and I'm glad my daughter was there to share it with me.
These are only a small sampling of the pictures I got. Any of you who are on my Facebook Friends list can see my entire album of pictures with the Clydesdales if you are interested.
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Budweiser ....
