When people think of draft horses, the image of the Clydesdale often springs to mind. Despite this, they are actually the youngest of the United Kingdom's heavy breeds. They originated in the Clyde Valley of Scotland, but prior to the 18th century none of the horses native to Scotland were heavy enough for the job they had to do. So in the 1700s native horses of Lanarkshire were bred to Flemish horses. This resulted in a horse with considerable bulk and height. This horse would eventually become the Clydesdale.
Though the Clydesdale didn't fully develop until the tail end of the 19th century, it spread quickly throughout the world. This draft breed was used to build most of the cities that rose from the 19th century onward, including cities in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Today, they are famous, but not for their contribution to the industries of the world. Instead, they achieved fame through the advertising campaigns of Anheuser Busch. You will find teams of these powerful horses (commonly referred to as "Budweiser Horses") at Anheuser Busch theme parks all across the United States.
The Clydesdale can present in a variety of colors. Bay, roan, black, brown, or grey are all common, as are the white feathers and white marking so characteristic of the breed. These horses are the showoffs of the draft horses and have a flashy, high-stepping motion. They stand 16 to 18 hands high and have huge feet.
The feet are of particular interest. In fact, it should be noted that their feet are larger than almost any other draft horse. So large that in the days of horse-driven farming, their feet did not fit into the plow furrows. Because of this, they tended to be used more in cities and towns and less on the farms, but there are exceptions to this rule.
Besides their presence at Anheuser Busch theme parks, you will find Clydesdales throughout the world. They are often used for historical or hobby farming, but they are more impressive as a driving horse. You'll find them pulling wagons and sleighs in all weather. They are a prime choice for the popular horse-drawn carriage, mostly because they are so beautiful and move with such quick precision.
The Cleveland Bay horse is one of the oldest breeds of horse which are native to the United Kingdom and originated in northeast England. The Cleveland area of Northern Yorkshire, to be exact. This breed was around in medieval times when it was used as a packhorse, primarily by the Church. The Cleveland Bay ferried goods to and from convents and monasteries all over Europe. Though traditionally a draft horse, the Cleveland Bay was used as a coach horse when the first roads were laid down across the Continent.
Today, the Cleveland Bay is one of the rarest and most endangered horse breeds in the world, even with the efforts to preserve the breed. The Royal Family in England has been breeding them for about one hundred years, but they still remain rare. Despite this, they can be seen in general riding and driving events around the world, if you look carefully enough.
Standing 16 to 16.2 hands high, the Cleveland Bay is almost always bay in color with a black mane, tail, and legs. Occasionally, however, you will see a chestnut horse, though this is not desirable. Even though they've been used as a coach horse, they're really draft horses, so they're aren't as high stepping as you might think. Their motion varies from long, flowing movements to short strides, but they rarely move with the fluidity of most coach horses.
The Cleveland Bay is now promoted by several societies around the world, including the Cleveland Bay Horse Society and the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America. This breed has a grace and style not often seen in the more ancient breeds and has gained respect on the world stage at many points in the last century.
The Chincoteague pony, sometimes referred to as the Assateague, live on the barrier island of Assateague between Virginia and Maryland. The popular theory is that these horses are descents of those steeds who swam to the island after Spanish shipwrecks, probably in the 1600s, but we really have no way of really knowing how these horses got to Assateague.
This small island is not known for its comfort, so the horses had to adapt to their new environment. Facing a hard life and having to feed on marsh grass and whatever they could find on the beach, they changed and adapted, eventually becoming the Chincoteague we know today.
Today, the Chincoteague ponies are divided into two groups. Those on the Maryland side are owned by the Maryland Park Service and are generally left alone. Those on the Virginian side are owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department. Each year, these horses are swum across the channel into Virginia. The foals are auctioned off and the stallions and mares are returned to the island to continue their lives.
Made famous by Marguerite Henry’s book Misty of Chincoteague, the Chincoteague ponies are generally not found in sporting events. They are, however, ridden by many horse lovers around the world. They can be found sporting either English or western tack and are considered a joy to own.
The Chincoteague is a result of its harsh island environment. They have thick manes and tails for warmth and light fetlock feathering. A sturdy little horse, their hooves are exceptionally strong and ideal for clamboring around on the rocky island. They can be found in almost any color, though bright pintos are the most common. Strawberry roan on white and palimino on white are the most desireable, but all colors suit this little pony. A fully grown Chincoteague stands from 12 to 14.2 hands high.
Sometimes, a breed that was thought to be lost is preserved by nature itself. Such is the case with Caspian horses. The Caspian is a rather small horse that was thought to have gone extinct 1300 years ago. But in 1965, an American living in Iran discovered a Arabian-like horse in the Elborz Mountains. The American (a woman named Louise Firouz) named the small horse Caspian.
Eventually, though various bone, blood, and DNA tests, archeo-zoologists were able to prove that Caspian, the tiny horse from the mountains, was actually a descendant of the small Mesopotamian horse of antiquity. It turns out that these little horses had found sanctuary between the mountains and the Caspian Sea. There they'd survived, untouched by humans and forgotten by most of the world.
Because they lacked any outside interference from either man or other types of horses, the Caspian horse has several unique characteristics. The scapula, for example, is wider at the base than at the top and there's an extra molar in the top jaw. They look a little like Arabians, but they're smaller with almond-shaped eyes and tiny but graceful tipped-in ears. They come in any color and stand a mere 10 to 12 hands high. Because of their small size, they are sometimes called Caspian ponies, but they're horses.
Today, Caspians are found in any sport that needs both sturdiness and speed. These sports include carriage driving, specifically scurry driving, and occasionally in barrel races. The Caspian Horse Society of the Americas is currently one of the few bodies devoted to preserving the blood line and integrity of this unique and sweet breed.
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