94 TYPES AND BREEDS 



THE CLYDESDALE 



This breed takes its name from the Clyde River in Scotland, 

 in the valley of which, especially tlie counties of Ayr and Lanark, 

 it has been developed. The Clydesdale district is characterized 

 by a rather broken surface and a stiff clay soil. The earliest 

 history of horses in Britain describes a horse akin to the Scandi- 

 navian ponies, the size of Avhich Avas systematically increased, 

 by royal edict, after the importance of greater size in war horses 

 Avas impressed u])on the Britons by the Boman conquest. While 

 the original British stock Avas more or less composite, there is no 

 evidence to contradict that the blood of the British draft breeds 

 was derived, essentially, from the Flanders source. 



The imj^ortation of Flemish stallions into both Scotland and 

 England in numbers as great as one hundred at a time, as in the 

 case of King John, is a. matter of record. Furthermore, the 

 interchange of horses across the border is acknowledged, even 

 up to comparatively recent times, so that the distingiiishing dif- 

 ferences between the three British draft breeds must be ac- 

 counted for in other ways than by their origin in blood, Avliich 

 it must be gTanted had much in common. The conditions of life 

 surrounding these breeds during their formative period, and 

 especially the variance in the notion of Avhat constitutes a draft 

 horse, as expressed by the Scotchman and the Englishman, are 

 ample to account for Avhatever differences in type there may be. 



The Scotchman's standard attaches especial importance to 

 tlic locomotory apparatus, legs, pasterns, and feet, and the way 

 a horse moves. A free, springy stride executed Avith a AA^onder- 

 ful degTce of trueness and as much flash as is consistent vdth. 

 poAver haA^e receiA^ed primaiy consideration. As a consequence 

 of the inevitable law of coiTelation, there has come to be asso- 

 ciated Avitli this character of stride more length of leg and back, 

 less Avidth and massiveness, and a somcAvhat shorter rib than 

 is characteristic of the extreme draft ty]3e. 



Characteristics of Clydesdales. — ^Miile Clydesdale and 

 Shire grades, and CA^en pure breds, Avhich depart somewhat from 

 the true type, may have much in common, there is no difficulty 



