Clydesdales are large, coldblood horses with long, powerful legs and long, thick hair over their fetlocks. They are intelligent, brave and – despite their size – extremely gentle.\n\nClydesdales are named after the River Clyde that flows through south-west Scotland.\n\nMany Clydesdales can be easily identified from their white legs. This hair is also known as “feathering”. These horses often have a brown coat, but they can also be black, sorrel or roan. Clydesdales are often used as draught horses. For instance, they may haul tree trunks through terrain that is too difficult for tractors to traverse. They are easy to train and keen learners. But they’re also excellent horses for riding. However, because the horses are so big, you need special, extra-large saddles to ride them.