Meet the Budweiser Clydesdales in Hot Springs This Weekend
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales are coming to Hot Springs, Arkansas this weekend May 7-8.
The Budweiser Clydesdales will be making an appearance during Oaklawn Park's final LIVE racing weekend at Oaklawn Racing, Casino, and Resort. These incredible horses will be hitched to the famous red beer wagon that has made Anheuser-Busch a symbol of quality and tradition for years.
Rock Stars
These beautiful majestic horses have been seen nationwide across the U.S. in parades and special events. The eight-horse-hitched red wagon will parade around the track on Saturday between races 3 and 7, then on Sunday between races 4 and 6, the Budweiser Clydesdales will be set up in the infield at Oaklawn Park for photo opportunities.
History of the Clydesdales
We can thank our neighbors to the North, Canadians of Scottish descent for bringing the first Clydesdales to America during the mid-1800s. The Budweiser Clydesdale must be at least 3-years-old, weigh at least 2,000 pounds, stand six feet, and have four white legs, a bay color with a strip of white on the face, and black mane and tail in order to pull the wagon. Each hitch travels with two riders and a Dalmatian that is almost as famous as the horses.
In the early days of brewing, Dalmatians were bred and trained to protect the horses and guard the wagon when the driver went inside to make deliveries. Today, the Clydesdales are used primarily for breeding and show.
Big Appetite
You've heard the saying, "he eats like a horse." A single Clydesdale hitch horse will eat as much as 20-25 quarts of feed, 40-50 pounds of hay, and 30 gallons of water per day.
If you're ever near St. Louis, Missouri it's worth a trip to Grant's Farm and to Warm Springs Ranch, a 300-plus acre Clydesdale breeding farm located near Boonville, Mo.
It's worth the short trip to Hot Springs to see these beautiful horses up close and personal. And that's not all, rocker George Thorogood and The Destroyers, Good to be Bad Tour - 45 Years of Rock kicks off the weekend with a concert Friday night at 7.
Here are a couple of pictures from when the Budweiser Clydesdales visited Texarkana in 2016.
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