You will have an unforgettable trip when you see the majestic Clydesdale horses in person. Last Spring, I was down in Missouri and found out that just a short drive from Columbia, MO, I would be able to visit the infamous Clysedales – yes, those Budweiser horses.

Tour

Clydesdale’s training and breeding facility are called the Warm Springs Ranch. Located about 20 minutes outside Columbia, MO., it’s an affordable trip and is roughly $15 per person.

Upon arrival, you line up at the main gate, and when the tour is ready, you are escorted to the barn. This is where for the beer drinkers, this is when you get to enjoy a cold glass of Budweiser beer. Of course, this is an optional feature of the tour.

The day we visited was a 90+F day, and although I was not a beer drinker, I could not resist that cold glass of beer. And the good news is, you get to walk around with it as you tour the venue. But I digress, and not the highlight of the tour.

When you visit, you walk through the whole complex, from the area where mares are giving birth to their foals to the Budweiser trailers that transport the horses to the Budweiser stagecoach. So you get to see it all. You even get to see those massive harnesses when they pull the coaches.

As you weave through the facility, you hear many of the technical facts around how they care for these horses, help the mares give birth, and also the kind of training the coach driver must have in order to control these very powerful horses. (They of course make it look easy!)

While there, we mostly saw female horses with their young foals on our tour. The majority of the male horses were on the road except for a couple outside in the paddock or just resting in the barn. Apparently, the one left in the barn is not quite a team player and enjoys his own thing, so he stays behind and visits with the other horses or us visitors.

The tour’s highlight was seeing the horses up close, and I was mesmerized. I loved petting them. I felt a connection with the horses. This is said by someone who has NEVER come that close to a live horse. You look into their eyes and tell them they are communicating with you.

They are very tall animals, and they have such a presence. Frankly, I was speechless when these animals walked past you with their confident and majestic gait. The white “socks” against the brown coat – the classic Clydesdale look – makes them stunning.

In the end, I saw about 10 Clydesdales from young to mature adults on tour. You are provided ample time to visit the horses, and your host is full of information and facts. You are never rushed, and for $15, the tour was worth every penny and then some.

And yes, like every tourist organization out there, you also can take home some souvenirs – anything from calendars to plush toys, to clothing to rare artifacts – the souvenir shop has it all.

A Few Facts about Clydesdales

The horses:

Were first developed in the 1700s in Scotland
Are now located in England, Canada, Australia, and the US.
Are draft horses which means their job is to be pullers or strong working horses
Are about 16 to 17 hands tall and are one of the tallest horses
Have hooves that can be the size of a plate
Are docile and friendly
Are endangered

Bliss Reflection

Each time I visit either zoos or farms, I am immediately reminded that humans are not the superior species. Instead, I find that I understand that we are part of this web of animals and species, each relying on one another. I think that’s evident as a pet owner and in my previous blogs.

And you are reminded of this interconnectedness when you look into the eyes of these horses. While they are workhorses, they have intelligence and deep feelings. You see it in their eyes.

Horses deserve our respect. They help us accomplish many things, from transporting our products and supplies to allowing us to enjoy some recreation. They bring us a lot of joy, and the next time I encounter a horse, I will try not to overlook them and view them just as domestic animals.

This trip to visit the Clydesdales was very memorable. To this day, I am so happy that I chose to pick “learning and stretching my thinking” over just visiting another mall.

My only regret is I have spent overlooking these animals. And it took me being on vacation to appreciate them so many years later.

So the next time you go on a trip, what stretching will you do?

Bliss Hints and Tips

For more information about the tour that I did at the Warm Springs Ranch, click here.
Check out the Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada for the go-to resource about these horses.
For more interesting facts about these horses, check out this blog for 7 Interesting Facts.
Check this out for more information on the conservation movement around these horses.
And now a book that helps you “Think Like a Horse”.