9 Facts About The Budweiser Clydesdales

Budweiser’s marketing icons will be walking through historic Bristol Borough Monday. In advance of the Budweiser Clydesdale’s visit, we look at nine interesting facts about the horses.

1. Clydesdales first came to America in the mid-1800’s.

Originally used for work, the horses are now used for breeding and show primarily.

2. The first Budweiser Clydesdales were a gift to commemorate the repeal of prohibition in 1933.

The horses were then taken on a tour from New York through New England and other Mid-Atlantic states. In the decades since, the Budweiser Clydesdales have traveled the country and appeared in some of Budweiser’s most iconic TV ads.

3. The horses official home is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis.

According to the Anheuser-Busch website, the building is one of three buildings on the brewery grounds that is a registered historical landmark. The horses also have another stable in Merrimack, New Hampshire. When traveling, the Budweiser Clydesdales stay at local barn.

4. Since the 1950’s, Dalmatians have accompanied the Clydesdales.

This will continue on Monday, when the Budweiser  Clydesdales make their trip through Bristol Borough.

5. The Budweiser Clydesdales are on tour for the majority of the year.

Although the horses have an official home in St. Louis and New England, the horses are on tour for about 10 to 11 months out of the year. There are more than one team of horses used by Budweiser to tour the nation.

6. The look of the Budweiser Clydesdales is especially distinctive.

In order to qualify, the horses must be a gelding and be at least four years old. The horses must be at least 18 hands tall (6 feet tall) when fully matured, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face and a black mane and tail.

7. The first Budweiser Clydesdale born in 2016 is named Mac.

Mac was born on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

8. The Budweiser herd of Clydesdales in one of the world’s largest.

The Budweiser herd has around 250 horses between the company’s facilities.

9. The Clydesdales have had a long history of appearing in pop culture.

Whether the horses are appearing in annual Super Bowl commercials, acting as an icon for the beer company or are simply on the minds of fans of the beer, the horses seem to always be present.

Most recently, the Pokemon Company announced that a monster from their upcoming game will be called Mudsdale and is a “Draft Horse” Pokemon. If that isn’t an explicit reference, it would greatly surprise me if it were purely coincidental.