# Clydesdales



## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

OK, so here's "a few" of my photos!

Starting right from the start - Royal Highland Show, 2006:









This was the guy that made me fall in love with Clydesdales - a lovely 17.2 gelding called Jamie, who didn't quite want me to leave him! :lol:









This big guy was called Angus - *19hh* and as soft as butter!








His owner used to ride down to the village hall on him, dressed as Santa Claus....


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Sally and Arwen, part 1:

Sally was 16hh, and the first Clydesdale I ever got to ride - and she hadn't been ridden since she had her foal, Arwen, about six or seven months previous!









Arwen was about 14.2hh here - when she was sold, she was 16.1hh, and that was only about 8 months after this photo was taken! :shock:









This is my mum meeting Arwen for the first time:









And then Sally:


















Arwen and I:








It took five attempts to get her facing the camera!

The daft little sod managed to pull a tendon in one of her legs, so she was on box rest for ages - and here she is trying to escape!


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Very beautiful horses. I love Clydesdales.


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Sally and Arwen, part 2...

Can hardly believe these photos were taken three years ago now!

Anyway, my friend Karyn came down to the farm to ride another friend's horse.

Here's Sally, standing in the yard while Harry was being brought in:









And with Harry, Susan's big (17hh) Standardbred:









Looking like she's just stepped out of a salon...









Here we are, pausing for a photo-shoot just up from the yard:









Sally dawdling at the back:









That Western saddle was quite comfy! 









My favourite photo of Sal:









Arwen eavesdropping:









Mum and baby:









Sally checking out Harry:








Harry did have a bit of a crush on Sally, which was quite sweet. Pity he was gelded...!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

I know he's not a Clydesdale, but Susan did let me have a shot of Harry while Sally was off to get covered:


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Heavy Horse Evening, 2007:

The president of the Clydesdale Horse Society, Tom Tennant, opens up his farm to the general public during the Borders Festival of the Horse. This was from the first time I attended, and judging by the photo, almost my last!









In one field, there was six mares and foals roaming freely - meaning that you could get some nice photos if you persevered!



























Black stallion:









Storm, the other resident stallion:









Just before we left, Tom invited Susan and I to have a look at his mares - this one is Storm's mum, Tara:









These were taken a year later. This 18hh gelding was the newest addition to the herd:









A chestnut filly...









...who was VERY inquisitive!









This little guy didn't want to come very close...









...at least to begin with!








I love this picture - he just looks as though he's thinking "Dude, what you doing??"


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

awww when harry met sally  
cute Clydesdale's are lovely horses


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## ptvintage (Feb 12, 2010)

Omg, I think I'm in love! Arwen has such a lovely face. She looks like such a sweet girl!

Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing them!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Some more from the Royal Highland Show:
2007

















This one was gorgeous:









And she wasn't alone! 









2008
An old friend (from the first post) - Jamie!









So many sleepy horses, despite the noise!









Look who it is!


















I went back a few hours later, and found Jamie taking a snooze...









...and my other pal, looking a little awkward!









And then she fell asleep on my arm!









She was woken up a bit later, though, to strut her stuff for the judges:









Please tell me if you're getting bored of these! I'm trying to pick the best ones!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Sally and Arwen, part 3...

Arwen, not long after a rather spectacular belly-flop in her muddy field!









Looking a bit sorry for herself!









Her "begging face"









One of my favourite photos of her:


















Look what she won!

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Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
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I took these after Sally came back from her "holidays" at Tom Tennant's yard:




































What I call the "drunken night out" photo!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Cumbrian Heavy Horses 2007:

Me on Brogue:









Having a breather:









Trekking along (and yes, I'm on a different horse!)


















The second horse I rode that afternoon - Lugs!









He was great - a good confidence-giver!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Sally and Arwen, part 4...

Arwen trying to escape:









This is about the cleanest I ever saw her! :lol:









Out with her field buddy, Cin. I think this was the last photo I took of her...









Riding Sally bareback:









In the yard for some Christmas TLC:









Blurry, but the last photo I ever took of Sally...:-(









There's still more, but please tell me if you're bored of the pics! :wink:


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL country side! I would do anything to live out where you are! It's beautiful! breath taking view!! As for the Clydes, I am jealous!!!! absolutely stunning horses. What do you do with bay in the first couple pictures? REALLY nice looking horse.


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## Dartanion (Dec 8, 2008)

If your drafties ever go missing they are at my place :wink:


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

My2Geldings said:


> Absolutely BEAUTIFUL country side! I would do anything to live out where you are! It's beautiful! breath taking view!! As for the Clydes, I am jealous!!!! absolutely stunning horses. What do you do with bay in the first couple pictures? REALLY nice looking horse.


Yeah, the Scottish Borders is renowned for its scenery - and its horse-riding routes. Each year, there's a seris of events held to celebrate the region's association with horses.

Which bay in the photos?


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Well, since you're not all bored to tears of my photos...! :lol:

Here's a 16hh gelding I rode a couple of times at a little trekking place down the road at Peebles. His name was Ryan, and he was quite good fun!


















This is Bailey, an 18.2hh gelding I looked into taking on as a share a couple of years ago. 

























Billy, a 17hh Clydesdale-x-TB that I had a lesson/hack on last year:


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

Cumbrian Heavy Horses 2007 was there something in the newspapers about that trek because i'm sure i saw something


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

These were the guys who did the "Great Clydesdale Migration" in September-October 2006, 450 miles from the Isle of Skye to Millom in Cumbria, all on horseback.


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

yeah i thought so i can remember seeing it in the paper great job  i bet it was fun


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

I wanted to do part of it - you could sign up to do a day, or the full ride if you were brave/mad/fortunate enough! 

There's a great DVD available of the ride, though. 

I've been down to Cumbrian Heavy Horses three times already, and am planning on going again later this year!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Second trip to Cumbria, in October 2008:




























Racing!









My not-so noble steed, Ollie, watching the cows!









Our ride leader, Tim, who's co-owner of the CHH.


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

its definitely something id love to do but i don't think id ever get the chance to do it.


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah, you should try to do it if you can!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

A few mixes here!

Senna, 18hh Clydesdale X Warmblood:

















Yours truly riding Billy:
















He's a particularly valued jumper at the riding school, as well as being pretty good at dressage!

My favourite horse at the school, Brambles. A Heinz 57 with a dash of Clydesdale!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

A couple of Clydesdales that inhabit a field just up the road from me:


































I went to look at this gorgeous boy, called Ebony, with a view to buying. He was 17hh and a Clydesdale x Shire. Sadly he was sold before I got a chance to have a go! 
























My friend Susan, who came with me to look at him with me (and who had the Standardbred, Harry, in the previous posts), liked him, too, and she doesn't normally "do" hairy heavy horses! :lol:


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

And so we come to the most recent Cumbria trip - for my 30th birthday last year! This time, my mum and my stepdad came with me to have a go. My mum had done quite a bit of riding (mostly lessons in the school) but this was only her third hack! My stepdad had only had two or three lessons prior to going down - and this was also his third hack! 

Just goes to show how much faith the guys put in the horses! :wink:

An old friend from the first trip - Lugsy!








My stepdad rode him, which was good because I knew Lugs wouldn't do anything stupid with him. However, I am assured that he can, and will, go when you want him to!

This guy looks a bit familiar...








(Ollie, from the 2008 trip)

My mum on Trotter:









My stepdad getting sorted out:








He's also stolen one of my jackets! lol

Riding out into the rain-soaked Lake District...









See that hill in the background? The horses regularly go up that on treks! :shock:









My stepdad getting a bit of instruction:








Because of the wet ground, and the abilities of the other riders, we had someone walking alongside "just in case". It was weird being the most experienced rider for a change! 

Lugs had been cosying up to Ollie to try and get out of the rain, but I was a bit slow with the camera to catch him!









My stepdad, looking fair chuffed with himself!









Yours truly on Ollie:









Mum on Trotter:









Yes, the waterproofs were essential!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Back in February, I was on my way to a wedding in Ayrshire when I got lost thanks to the satnav. The route it took me, however, brought me face to face with this big lad - a 17hh stallion standing in a field!









Finally(!), we come to a horse I looked at with a view to sharing recently. Bracken, a 17.2hh black gelding who was, in my opinion, absolutely perfect for what I wanted: a real confidence-giver, bombproof in traffic and able to be ridden by just about anyone!



























































He seemed absolutely perfect for me, and he was as gentle as a lamb in the field. He loved attention and was great for cuddles/scratching etc, but it simply wasn't to be. I'm still rather annoyed by it....! :evil:

Phew! So that's it, my history of Clydesdales from start to finish! (Well, the "best of" bits!)

I've got yet more photos of other horses, such as Ace that I work with at the RDA, but I'll post them another time...!


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## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

Those are BEAUTIFUL horses!
I have a question, I can't remember which horse it was, but one of them had their ears sideways in all of the pictures, do you know why?


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

I imagine it was probably Lugs. Not sure why, but his ears were usually flat out like that. They are quite big, right enough!


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## AppysForLife (Mar 31, 2010)

O my gosh! I love ALL of them! Im not realy into clydesdales but i think you changed my mind. HAHA well Im more of a shire girl (o what a difference SILLY ME) But ebony just had both huh? he's gorgeous!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Strangely, I've never ridden a PURE Shire, it's always been cross-breeds. I've got photos of a Shire x Andalusian, and there's Ace who's a Shire x Appaloosa, too.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Aww they look so nice and docile compared to my Paint/Clydesdale cross! He kicks and bites and ugh. Lol I luv Sally and Arwin together so cute


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

Very nice photos. I've never seen such a variety of colors of clydesdales, gorgeous horses


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Ooh, here's a few video clips that I made up.

Firstly, Sally: 




 
Arwen:




 
Cumbrian Heavy Horses:




 
Bracken:




 
Riding Bracken:




 
I have other clips on my YouTube channel, but the quality isn't great due to being taken on my mobile phone! :-(


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I love, love, love this horse and this photo, look at that expression!


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## DarenC1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah, Lugs is a firm favourite at the CHH.

In fact, there was almost violence the second time we went down, as it was a fight between me and a friend to see who would get to ride him! :twisted:

She won.... :roll:


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## makin tracks (Jan 25, 2009)

I love clydies too. Could never have one in our paddocks though - the hair combined with our burrs - Ooooh

I am partial to baby clydies - I just love their big thick hairy legs that they have to grow into.

And that final photo - Classic!!


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