Across The Fruited Plain: 10-11-2021 Columbia, MO

We had a few days of sunshine so I guess we deserve rain, now. And rain it did. A red cell moved right over our park and the puddles are about two inches deep.

Nevertheless, we may never pass this way again. Warm Springs Ranch, where the Budweiser Clydesdales are bred, born and raised is located in Boonville, just a quick 25 mile drive from this park and we are scheduled for a tour today at 1 PM. Outfitted for the chilly, nasty weather, off we go.

Just leaving the farm as we
were arriving

The barn where a lot happens!

On approach to the farm

The farm from the distance

Brothers August and Adolphus Busch decided to surprise Dad, August Sr., with a new “ride,” in 1933 and presented him with a team of six Clydesdale horses pulling a beer wagon to celebrate the repeal of prohibition. The team pulled a beer wagon around the New York area drawing crowds of thousands and, while they were at it, delivered a few ceremonial cases to the White House to mark the occasion.

In 1950, the hitch number was increased to eight. The horse’s weight ranges from 1,800-2,300 and one eats about 50 pounds of hay each day. To qualify to be a member of the hitch, one must have certain markings, be a certain color, have the white fluffy feet and the white ‘blaze” on the front of the face.

Stan The Man - A superstar! He
is a stud, a hitch horse and
stars in a lot of Bud commercials.

A stud stallion

Stan The Man is actually
falling asleep. I think he's bored!

Only geldings (“fixed” males) are used and they must stand 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Since this is the breeding ranch, our guide explained how this process works. Every 8 years, they acquire 6 new stallions. When the mare is in the mood, as it were, they put one of the stallions in with her in the breeding room, lower the lights, put on some mood music and they get busy doing the deed. They don’t get any privacy, though. A human holds on to each horse so that they don’t hurt themselves. Once the mare is pregnant, she goes into the exam room where veterinarians perform bloodwork and ultrasounds to be sure all is well. Eleven months later, she gives birth to a baby tipping the scales at 150 pounds. Mom and baby stay together until baby is strong and can be weaned. Then, the baby is moved to the “weanling in training” stables.

Baby J and Mom, J-Lo

Baby J is only
two weeks old. We are
told he has all the
markings to be a
hitch horse.

You are probably asking yourself what the difference is between a foal and a colt. “Foal” is a generic term for babies, like saying, “the kids.” A “colt” is a boy baby and a “filly” is a girl baby. You determine that by looking underneath to see if it’s an innie or an outie, not by asking how the foal feels about it. Mares are bred for the first time around the age of 3 and they get to do it for about 10 years. The horses’ lifespan is about 20 years so, since the girls are not allowed to be a part of the hitches, all they do is make babies. And eat. And get pampered, brushed, shampooed and get manicures and pedicures. All the floors in the barns, stalls, breeding and exam rooms and even in the trailers are covered with rubber cushions for the comfort of the horses and so as not to damage their hooves.

Rob with Bethany, a
"weanling in training"

There you see the comparison
in hoof sizes

A Clydesdale horseshoe.

There are hitches stabled in New Hampshire (to cover the east coast), St. Louis (central USA) and Colorado (to cover the west coast). There are always 2 hitch drivers on the beer wagon who switch duties because the reins weigh 40 pounds and that along with tension creates a 75 pound load that the driver must handle, sometimes for long hours of performing. Each horse has a load, too. The collar and harness weigh 130 pounds. The shoes are 10” across and weigh 5 pounds each. (Not that it matters to the horse but each horse’s rig costs about $15K.)

Each transport truck carries 4 horses
and their gear

Inside the transport truck

Typical harness

These pampered, gentle giants want for nothing at the farm. Because their roots are in Scotland, they love the cooler weather and today was a perfect day for them. The magnificent horses and the ponies were roaming and frolicking in the green pastures. They are poetry in motion. The Budweiser Clydesdales are a legend and a national treasure. It was a wonderful, happy day. Our whole tour group got complimentary Buds, freshly tapped, cold and frothy! It just doesn’t get much better’d’n’iss!