Clydesdale in NZ

NZ POPULATION - STABLE

New Zealand currently has 750 of the worlds 5000 Clydesdales. Our horses are high quality stock that are admired worldwide. As a very large element of the horse market in New Zealand is built on sport horses with a Clydesdale element to them which adds bone and substance to lighter more athletic horses, the purebred Clydesdale in New Zealand has held relatively strong in a world where draft horses are in huge declines due to mechanisation.

We should in no way take this as word that the Clydesdales are safe. They are in fact in decline in New Zealand and a frightening fact that the number of breeding mares producing foals had dropped by half in a ten year period.

In 2025 only 44 registered foals are due born.

We must take care to ensure the Clydesdale does not fall prey to the same circumstances as the Cleveland Bay which found its purebred stallions down to only 4 when the sport horse cross was valued higher than the purebred and investment in breeding pure stock was cast aside.

An alarming fact is it often produces a better horse if the Clydesdale in a sport horse cross is the female, which wastes the chance for the female to produce a purebred Clydesdale foal for the year.

750

WHERE TO BUY?

TradeMe often has Clydesdales for sale and in recent years there seems to be a drop in the prices for some listings.

Post World War 2

After the Second World War many of the remaining horses were exported to the USA and Japan and the UK population dwindled to only 4 pure bred stallions remaining.

PRICE TBD

STUDS

11 Listed

Check out https://www.clydesdale.org.nz/studs.html for information about the current listed studs in NZ.

CLEVELAND BAY IS BORN

The early type of Cleveland Bay horse was developed in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1600's-1700's by crossing Barb horses into horses known as the 'Chapman Horses' which were used as pack horses. These same Barb horses were used in the creation of the Thoroughbred. They were bred for speed, stamina, strength and soundness for use in transport, farm work and navigating tough terrain - the same qualities NZ horse people seek when looking for a Stationbred type horse.

The Cleveland Bay is the oldest of the British breeds and is technically the last remaining purebred Warmblood horse.

1600s-1700

A royal intervention

It was Queen Elizabeth II who greatly assisted in the saving of the breed when she purchased the stallion Mulgrave Supreme which increased their popularity. She was appointed the Patron of the Cleveland Bay.

Through careful matchmaking and by breeding every available horse the breed has managed to recover while mitigating the inbreeding coefficient of the tight gene pool that remained.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/clydesdales-saving-the-gentle-giants-of-the-horse-world-in-south-canterbury/JYFGRLOQLBCVZMAAIH73NLIP2E/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=nzh_fb&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawNtNxpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFTbVB3MTRpeGtoSXdtNlVCAR7Z6b8JvB5DKswr-1uAOeuiADh0nIepdPOncH_meGgUA3PJ6141UX85RN94vw_aem_TYCJY3dlqnuYOKjGLbMWNA#Echobox=1761621554II 11IIII

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/576900/country-life-clydesdales-gentle-giants-of-horse-world

Global History

USES FOR CLYDESDALE

The Clydesdale shines on the farm working the land. Niche farmers are still using horses over machinery and the Clydesdale is perfect for this.

Their relaxed temperament makes them good horses for trail riding.

They are being used by Muriwai Beach Horse Treks as they wish to promote the draft breeds such as Shire, Clydesdale and the smaller pulling breed, the Gypsy Cob and love their temperament for handling beginner and nervous riders.

5000

1945

Today's global population

1950s

HELP THE NZ CLYDESDALE

If you are considering a Clyde cross for leisure riding, please, turn your thoughts to a purebred Clyde. They are so magical and untainted by the flighty character of the lighter horses often added into the crossbreeds.

Arab and Andalusian was added to the Cleveland Bay and we land on the breed as we know it today. By the 19th century it was an admirable cavalry mount and became one of the most common draft and coach horses in Britain and the U.S.A.

1700s - 1800s

Refining the breed

CLYDESDALES IN THE NEWS: