Who doesn’t love seeing the Budweiser Clydesdales in a parade!  I don’t care how jaded you are, that is some spectacular site!

I came across some interesting facts about the big guys that I thought you would find as fascinating as I did:

• The clydesdales were introduced to August A. Busch Sr. and Anheuser-Busch on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.  It was a way to parade the fact that the beer was back.
• There are six hitches in the United Sates.  Five of them travel and one of them is stationed in St. Louis.
• There is a strict  set of rules to become a Budweiser Clydesdale.  He must be a gelding at least four years of age. He must stand 18 hands when fully mature, 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.
• Each hitch horse will eat as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.
• Five traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis, Missouri; Menifee, California; San Diego, California; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and San Antonio, Texas.
• Twelve horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor trailers. Cameras in the trailers allow the drivers to keep an eye on their precious cargo during transport.
• Driving the 12 tons of wagon and horses requires quite a bit of strength and skill. The 40 pounds of reins the driver holds, plus the tension of the reins, equals 75 pounds.
• Each harness and collar weighs about 130 pounds. The harness is handcrafted from brass and leather. Pure linen thread is used for the stitching. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.

I hope that you learned something new today about these amazing hitches!