Anyone own a Clydesdale?

[Storminateacup]

Hi, was just wondering if anyone owns a Clydie on this forum and what the general opinion is of them as a riding horse for a tall heavy rider. I would love to hear your experiences of them especially mares and also your pictures, does anyone show them, in hand, under saddle or Driven?
My other half has ridden them before and is rather keen, and I've had two rides on a very nice one recently, but apart from that I do not have a lot of experience with them as a breed, though I've always had large horses in my life. 16.3hh ++. with not much bother, apart from the shoeing and transport costs!!!

 

[Mongoose11]

I don't own a clydie but I am pretty sure that she is at least half! She has certainly got the back end of one! She is the safest, most reliable, fun, forward ride I have ever had and she is a sturdy weight carrier. I vote yes to the Clydie- I can feel it in her when she gets strong and tanky buy she can also be light and responsive when required. I am sure some Clydie owners will be along soon to help!

 

[Chopandchips]

I have one on part loan ... bloody love her

As a ridden horse she is a fab, forward going hack, she doesn't like the school so it hasn't been pushed.

She's a good weight carrier as she's short coupled with good bone, sweet natured although can be a little rude on the ground and I think she could take the p if inexperienced with heavies.

She isn't a particularly big girl, 16.1hh but rides bigger as she had a high head carriage, she eats a lot (equiv of a full bale of hay a night in winter) and isn't a very good 'doer'

Farrier wise is all good, a trim ever couple of months costs £30, they need a big stable (she's in a 16'x14') and decent turnout, tack is mainly bog standard XF / XW usually fits

I must admit I am drawn to Clydies, I think with the right training they can turn their hoof to most stuff within reason (Abbijay on here has an amazing example )

so .... IMO GET ONE!!!!!!! xx

 

[JennBags]

I *think* Hovis is half-Clydie. There's a recommendation if you need one

 

[quirky]

siatc - How the devil are you and your youngster?
You can't pop up and ask questions without filling us in .

Sorry, can't help on your Clydie question!

 

[charmeroo]

I have a Clydie x WB who did elementary dressage! The best horse I will ever own! 17.1 - and big everywhere except being very well-proportioned! Xfull size tack - tho not always xwide saddle. Big rugs! Big feet - but I would shoe regularly as with any horse they can have problems! My boy is very gentle on the ground - as good as gold! He has manners to burn! To ride he is forward going and enthusiastic and whilst strong I only ever hacked in a french link snaffle! My vote is yes yes yes!!

I also know of a full clydie and he is just the same! Kind, reliable, solid and dependable but lots and lots of fun!!

 

[Storminateacup]

siatc - How the devil are you and your youngster?
You can't pop up and ask questions without filling us in .

Sorry, can't help on your Clydie question!

We are fantastic, I sent him to James Roberts Foundation Station in Wiltshire for a re-start in May, up until then we had been doing Parelli up to Level 2 at home, and I already was getting a lovely well mannered sensible horse. He had two and a half weeks re-start with James a 4* Parelli Professional and then when I arrived on the Monday I was able to watch all his training with James apprentices for the Tuesday and Wednesday, and then was invited to get on that day for the start of a two day handover. Gambit was amazing, I've never felt so proud and confident, riding round with long reins, on a Parelli halter! The steering was fab, the one rein stops (lateral flexions) amazing, hindquarter and forequarter yeilds so easily (turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches- to conventionals) and even got sidepass in trot, without trying. Gambit was the picture of calm obedience and willingness. I then stayed on for an Experience week, where you join a group of others and get have lessons every day with James. I learnt so much, I saw such amazingly light balanced horses, that can do flying changes without appearing stressed or being strapped down with martingales, grackles, flash nosebands, comfort (joke) nosebands and all the other paraphenalia seen at the avarage trainers or local horse show, horses that were fit and flexible, ( no ironing boards) and mostly ridden in Parelli hackamores. Horses ridden bridleless , steered only by the body position/weight and riders focus. The wonderful thing is I am able to do some of that on Gambit already!
The training was outstanding, no wonder some very illustrious riders send their young horses to him to be started!
Now I am home I am able to ride my young horse on his own, in a muddy sloping field in just a hackamore! I could not recommend a better trainer to send a young horse to, my boy stands rock steady to mount and is calm and confident.
My best day at the end of the Experience Week was a pub ride via a hack out on Sailsbury Plain. I was the only one in the group on a newly started horse and it was a blast.!!

Now I know have a fabulous partner for life, I thought it was time to find something suitable for my lovely hubby who made all this possible, so we are looking...............

 

[Mince Pie]

I very briefly owned a part clydie, absolutely bombproof mare but a bit of a grump and a bit bargy to start with although when she knew I wouldn't take any nonsense she settled down. Lovely horse and I was sorry to see her go

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I have a pure bred registered Clydie who is 17.1hh and 8 years olf. He is a fabulous horse though a real big baby. He can also be quite sensitive at times bit definately has a carthorse mrntality. However, I find him versatile and the most loving horse I have ever owned. Everyone should have one..!!!!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Should also say that Im 5ft 11" so he suits me fine. Lives on fresh air but shoeing/trimming is expensive as is tack and rigs x

 

[quirky]

Fab news about Gambit, I know you had your struggles with him!
I hope you find a lovely partner in crime for your husband and Gambit.

 

[jeeve]

We are fantastic, I sent him to James Roberts Foundation Station in Wiltshire for a re-start in May, up until then we had been doing Parelli up to Level 2 at home, and I already was getting a lovely well mannered sensible horse. He had two and a half weeks re-start with James a 4* Parelli Professional and then when I arrived on the Monday I was able to watch all his training with James apprentices for the Tuesday and Wednesday, and then was invited to get on that day for the start of a two day handover. Gambit was amazing, I've never felt so proud and confident, riding round with long reins, on a Parelli halter! The steering was fab, the one rein stops (lateral flexions) amazing, hindquarter and forequarter yeilds so easily (turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches- to conventionals) and even got sidepass in trot, without trying. Gambit was the picture of calm obedience and willingness. I then stayed on for an Experience week, where you join a group of others and get have lessons every day with James. I learnt so much, I saw such amazingly light balanced horses, that can do flying changes without appearing stressed or being strapped down with martingales, grackles, flash nosebands, comfort (joke) nosebands and all the other paraphenalia seen at the avarage trainers or local horse show, horses that were fit and flexible, ( no ironing boards) and mostly ridden in Parelli hackamores. Horses ridden bridleless , steered only by the body position/weight and riders focus. The wonderful thing is I am able to do some of that on Gambit already!
The training was outstanding, no wonder some very illustrious riders send their young horses to him to be started!
Now I am home I am able to ride my young horse on his own, in a muddy sloping field in just a hackamore! I could not recommend a better trainer to send a young horse to, my boy stands rock steady to mount and is calm and confident.
My best day at the end of the Experience Week was a pub ride via a hack out on Sailsbury Plain. I was the only one in the group on a newly started horse and it was a blast.!!

Now I know have a fabulous partner for life, I thought it was time to find something suitable for my lovely hubby who made all this possible, so we are looking...............

They have some talented instructors.

We have a clydie cross, and she is fab, but young and green. My son has just had an op, and cannot ride. Have a very experienced lady coming and riding her in the meantime, and she has fallen in love with her.

 

[MollyMoomin]

Molly is clyde x welsh, has the sweetest temperament with humans (anyone can handle her on the ground) but is less impressed with equine company. She is working at elementary/medium dressage and loves to jump - she'll hop over anything up to 3'6 with a confident rider (I say confident, competant would probably be more accurate. I have truly channelled my inner dressage rider now and hate jumping anything over a foot high).

She will plod round with a beginner and do walk/trot and she will canter if they're balanced. With anyone a bit more, able, shall we say will up her game and do her tricks (which at the moment are half steps and then stonking off in a huge medium trot roud: ) if they're asked for. For someone she thinks(!) needs bringing down a step or two she'll either refuse to move or will channel her welsh side and become a snorting, spooky little madam :lol:

I wouldn't swap her for the world, she's perfect.

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

I *think* Hovis is half-Clydie. There's a recommendation if you need one

Hovis is indeed half clydie.
Best horse I've ever known, nippy, fun, jumps, can do passable schooling when he's in the mood, lives on fresh air, never sick or sorry.
The downsides; can be v v strong when he wants, has to have injections for mites twice a year, is a bit more expensive to shoe and getting rugs to fit is a nightmare.

Hubby rides him and he's a v big bloke. Hovis could (and has) carried him all day out hunting with no bother at all.

 

[Storminateacup]

Thanks everyone for your lovely replies, no one has a bad word to say about them it seems so that is great and going by my limited experience of the clydie in question, she fits the bill, as although rather green she will hack out alone and has a lovely, loveable trusting nature.
She also rides like a huge warmblood, so you feel rather grand on her.
She's very pretty and gentle, and I would agree sensitive, but also solid. She doesn't appear to go anywhere when worried. Will be riding her again tomorrow. She looks gorgeous in my black Parelli Bridle ( was my other horses but it was wrong colour with his new Equiflex Western saddle) and we also have a Draft horse Western saddle for her which she looks magnificent in.
Also as I ride Parelli, and am 56 y.o I feel that bit safer in a Western saddle on green horse!

 

[Storminateacup]

I have a pure bred registered Clydie who is 17.1hh and 8 years olf. He is a fabulous horse though a real big baby. He can also be quite sensitive at times bit definately has a carthorse mrntality. However, I find him versatile and the most loving horse I have ever owned. Everyone should have one..!!!!

Do you have any pics HeavyHorseHugger, he sounds magnificent!!

 

[JessPickle]

I have a Clydie x, he has a heart of gold, can adapt to any rider and is an all round good egg He jumps, He does a bit of dressage and generally tries anything. He does a bit of RDA as well

 

[Storminateacup]

I have a Clydie x, he has a heart of gold, can adapt to any rider and is an all round good egg He jumps, He does a bit of dressage and generally tries anything. He does a bit of RDA as well :

He is really nice! More pics please from the Clydie and Clydie X brigade. Sound like this is a breed thats a well kept secret!

 

[ShadowFlame]

I've known two full Clydies, one I used to look after and another who was on livery at a RS I rode at years ago. Both very similar, complete and utter softies who would follow you round like a shadow, but not very careful where they put themselves! Fantastic temperaments, but one was crippled with arthritis at 8 years old, the other was only 5 and hadn't done much ridden work. In terms of large, heavy riders, look at the conformation. They have a tendancy to be rather slab-sided so aren't always the best weight carriers.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have a Clydesdale / welsh section D he's a cracker he's 16.1 does everything .

 

[Minstrel_Ted]

I have a pure bred clydesdale and a half TB and half Clyde. Both are fantastic though each has their ups and downs.

Ted (full clydesdale) is fabulous, bold as brass, plenty of go, moves like a dream, jumps like stink and shows successfully. Downsides of him are that he needs a lot of feed, shoeing is expensive, and they are well known for being very sensitive!!

Minstrel (cross) has the mentality of a TB in a big solid body, he would be a great horse but this to my belief is a bad cross as he has ended up with so much arthritis its crazy. Does not live on fresh air.

Owned each since they were 2.

I love them to bits but I have always been told they are not great weight carriers as whilst big horses they are really to pull so they do not have the strongest backs in the world. I think Cumbrian heavy horses due to this ended up putting a weight limit up though I forget what it was and they do massive rides so it might not be as low as they say. I am only 5ft 4 but my 17.2hh (possibly 17.3hh but I have decided he is to be 17.2hh forever now) and me get on grand.

 

[Storminateacup]

Regarding the weight carrying aspect, I have seen many Clydesdales carrying , shall we say heavier, riders, and also quite a number of people have said they are good weight carriers. The horse we are looking at is very close coupled, is low milage and moves well and freely.She is a big bodied horse with a dainty head, no sign of arthritis and is a pure bred from a well thought of stud. My husband is bordering on 16st and six foot two, we ve been told tht she will have no problem carrying him. Anyway Clydie/TB were/are a popular cross for hunters carrying large men across the field all day.I mean some of the chaps that hunt are big blokes!

 

[Lucyad]

I have a clydesdale cross TB - he is a great horse and does a bit of everything, at riding club level, and also some hunting. He is 16.3hh, pretty good doer, quiet and easy to ride. Would make a good horse for a complete novice, but has enough oomf for anyone to have some fun, and very safe. Lovely nature.

Like some others on this thread, he has suffered from arthritis - in his case bone spavin, which is pretty managable. It does mean we need to be careful with his workload, and dreams of eventing are fading away. It does seem that problems of this type are more prevaliant in this type of horse. I wonder what the incidences were like when there were more of them out hunting?

 

[Storminateacup]

I have a clydesdale cross TB - he is a great horse and does a bit of everything, at riding club level, and also some hunting. He is 16.3hh, pretty good doer, quiet and easy to ride. Would make a good horse for a complete novice, but has enough oomf for anyone to have some fun, and very safe. Lovely nature.

Like some others on this thread, he has suffered from arthritis - in his case bone spavin, which is pretty managable. It does mean we need to be careful with his workload, and dreams of eventing are fading away. It does seem that problems of this type are more prevaliant in this type of horse. I wonder what the incidences were like when there were more of them out hunting?

He is lovely,
I think in those day it would barely have been noticed, out hunting thundering through the mud and jumping, they probably stabilised faster!

I have had ID/TB with navicular, and OCD and friends with ID/TB who have had bone spavins too. Whatever the cause I am wary of TB/Draft crosses for that reason.

 

[Old Bat]

I have a mini-Clyde, she's 14.1 and probably half bred, don't know what the rest is. I bought her as a safe happy hacker and escort to a then timid 7 year old daughter. Since then daughter has taken over the ride for fun things. She show jumps, ODE's hunts, has played polocrosse and is an all round great fun girl. Getting on a bit now though and a bit arthriticky! she can be a bit sharp, she can be a bit of a plod but we love her dearly and she's never going anywhere else!

Her she is jumping...

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And here she is pretending to be a gymkhana pony...

 

[Storminateacup]

Aw, shes lovely!

 

[milesjess]

Ahem... More pics

 

[Old Bat]

So here she is in the deep mid winter with her hot water bottles

 

[*hic*]

I love that photo of her and the cats!

 

[smokey]

I've known two full Clydies, one I used to look after and another who was on livery at a RS I rode at years ago. Both very similar, complete and utter softies who would follow you round like a shadow, but not very careful where they put themselves! Fantastic temperaments, but one was crippled with arthritis at 8 years old, the other was only 5 and hadn't done much ridden work. In terms of large, heavy riders, look at the conformation. They have a tendancy to be rather slab-sided so aren't always the best weight carriers.

I would agree with this re the weight carrying aspect. The idea that they are big and heavy therefore make great weight carriers is not completely correct. They were after all bred as draught horses. That said, they can carry a reasonable weight with no problems. I have a mare, and I love her to bits.