Clydesdales

[anteros_lmc]

It's been ridiculously mild here since the beginning of December. It was 12 degrees on Friday! That's almost summer here :} so we went for a walk to Pollok Park which was looking positively tropical. It was lovely to see the Clydesdales being brought in from the paddock to their stables in the old courtyard. A couple of these horses made an appearance in Garrow's Law when the stable courtyard stood in for Greenwich Hospital among other places.

Comments

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

Hawsees!

If they eat all their greens they might grow up to be as big as Sir Floyd.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Lovely hawsees! The one by the stables looks rather little in this picture, he's actually huge, though not quite as big as the two being led over the bridge. I think they're gorgeous :) I've only ever seen them hanging out at their stables, I've never seen them all dressed up and showing off but they have lots of fancy rosettes in a trophy case outside the stables.

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Of course, in the US, if one says Clydesdales, one thinks of Budweiser Beer.
(belch)
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

My work colleague was brought up next to a farm that supplied some of the Budweiser horses in the 1970's. She said the family were invited out to the States once to see the horses at their amazing stables in St Louis.

Two of the Pollok team actually came from Ireland, rather than being bred in Scotland.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

That is so true. The ads, in 70s and 80s wee so constant that we cannot pull the two apart.

They are lovely horses too.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I've never seen the Budweiser adds but see my comment to Dave above :)

I love Clydesdales and it's great having a team so near by. Two of them are quite young and can be very frisky! I've seen one of them dancing around the paddock kicking it's heels up like you wouldn't believe. I had no idea they could be so light on their feet! XD

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I went and looked for the old ads-- they are on Youtube. Fun to watch-- great shots of the horses. The music is from the TV of my childhood.

Bud is kind of gross though-- really.

Those big horses have a reputation for being easygoing. just as well, considering you would not want to get on he wrong side of one. It is the ponies who bite and kick. There is a metaphor in there somewhere.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thankfully I've never actually tried Bud, I must go and have a look at those ads when I have a chance though.

[vintagehearted.livejournal.com]

Such beautiful pictures!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Pollok is a beautiful estate, we're very lucky to have it on our doorstep right in the middle of Glasgow.

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

Wonderful sun! Hello, Mr.Horse, nice beard. *g*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It was more like a summer day than a spring day! The horses had all had their manes and tails cut for the winter, in the summer they let them grow and groom and knot them for all the shows they enter. I've never seen them all done up in their finery but there are lots of lovely pictures of them around the stables.

[katriona-s.livejournal.com]

Is this a park or someone's private estate? Looks very nice to stroll... :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Pollok was the private estate of the Maxwell family for around 700 years until it was gifted to the City of Glasgow by Dame Anne Maxwell Macdonald in 1966. The park and estate now belong to the people of Glasgow and the house is managed for the National Trust for Scotland. It's a wonderful park and it's such a privilege to have free access to such a space in the middle of the city.