(La Porte County, IN) - You’ve seen them on billboards, on television. Who can forget those Super Bowl commercials? The Budweiser Clydesdales are perhaps the most iconic horse team in America. And this week, they’re parading all over the area.
On Friday night, they made their first stop at an idyllic pasture outside La Porte as a sideshow to a country music concert. On Sunday, they were the “mane” attraction at La Porte’s 75th 4th of July Parade.
David West is one of the Clydesdale handlers. He's been on the team traveling with the horses for about seven-and-a-half years. He said the Clydesdales are as special as they look. "These guys are about 2,000 pounds," he said. "[They are] right around 18 hands tall at the shoulder; that would be right around six feet or better. And very well-trained."
West said these Clydesdales are specially bred for their role as beer ambassadors. "We start training them from the time they're babies, all the way up until they're about four or five years old." West says the horses come form an official breeding facility for Budweiser located in Boonville, Missouri. The horses are carefully selected for their size and color markings. Wagon drivers are trained there, as well.
The Clydesdales are also making appearances in South Bend this week, visiting the St. Joseph County Fair and Four Winds Field for a Cubs game.
