The Clydesdale was developed by farmers in the valley of the Clyde in Lanarkshire, to the South east of Glasgow. During the first half of the 18th century Flemish Stallions were crossed with the native horses of the area to increase weight. The Sixth Duke of Hamilton and John Paterson of Lochlyloch were the first to utilise Flemish stallions to improve the native horse of the area. A famous horse named Blaze owned by Scott of Carstairs and of unknown parentage greatly improved the quality of Clydesdale from 1780. Blaze was a black horse that stood at 16.1 hh and by type and action was likely to have been of coach horse parentage.
Action: Close and true.
| Origin: | Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Class: | Heavy, draught horse |
| Colour: | Bay, brown, black, grey, roan or chestnut with white face and feet markings. |
| Height at maturity: | 165cms ( 16.2hh ) |
| Parentage: | Native horses of Lanarkshire, Flemish and others. |
| Breed Club: | |
The Clydesdale Horse Society | |
