(Mystic, CT, February 27, 2018) – The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the symbol of quality and tradition for Anheuser-Busch since 1933, are scheduled to be at Mystic Seaport March 22-25, in conjunction with the Mystic Irish Parade.
The horses will be housed in a special stable on the Museum’s Village Green, and will be available for public viewing during regular Museum hours. On March 22-25, children ages 13 and younger will be admitted free to the museum. Visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ for more information on the Clydesdales at the Museum.
The eight-horse team will be harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon at the Museum on Saturday, March 24, and will walk the Museum grounds for a period of time, including making a beer delivery at Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern. Visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ for that schedule. On Sunday, March 25, the “Gentle Giants,” as they are often called, will participate in the Mystic Irish Parade, which steps off from the north parking lot at Mystic Seaport at 1 p.m.
The Clydesdales’ appearance in Mystic is one of hundreds made annually by the traveling hitches. Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the mid-1800s. Today, the giant draft horses are used primarily for breeding and show.
Horses chosen for the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch must be at least 3 years of age, stand approximately 18 hands – or six feet – at the shoulder, weigh an average of 2,000 pounds, must be bay in color, have four white legs, and a blaze of white on the face and black mane and tail. A gentle temperament is very important as hitch horses meet millions of people each year.
A single Clydesdale hitch horse will consume as much as 20-25 quarts of feed, 40-50 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.
About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The Thompson Exhibition Building provides a state-of-the-art gallery to host compelling, world-class exhibitions, including Murmur: Arctic Realities, which opened January 20, 2018. The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
