Shire horse vs Clydesdale is two breeds of draft horses that originated in two European countries. When it comes to choosing a horse, there are many factors to consider. Two of the most popular breeds are the Shire Horse and Clydesdale. Though they may look similar, there are some key differences between these two breeds that you should know before making your choice.
Both breeds look similar but still have the ultimate differences in some ways. What are those? Our post will provide you with their characteristics to identify them correctly.
Comparison between Shire Horse Vs Clydesdale
Similarities
As mentioned before, Shire horse vs Clydesdale are draft horse breeds and originated in European countries.
Both are strong enough to pull heavy weight and generally kind enough that everyone can safely work with them as well.
Like Clydesdales, Shires have distinctive and long strands of hair below their hocks and knees. High hocks are also found in both breeds and in America, you’re likely to see that they have a longer leg and higher action because of the market’s demand. However, they still differ in many ways.
Differences
| Shire horses | Clydesdale | ||
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| Origination | – England | – Clydesdale, Scotland | |
| Lifespan | – about 28 years | – 20 to 25 years | |
| Average Weight | – 1,700 to 2,000+ pounds | – 1600 to 2400 pounds | |
| Average Height | – 163 to 185 centimeters | – 162 to 183 centimeters | |
| Colors | – black, bay, and grey are common | – bay or brown are popular
– can be black, sorrel, roan, grey, and chestnut |
|
| Markings | – has not many white markings in the coat pattern | – has many white markings through the coat (white blaze and stockings which extend from hoof to knee) | |
| Temperament | – docile, equable, hardworking | – alert, active, gentle, responsive | |
| Uses | – Ago: heavy loads pulling (up to 45 tons);
+ crossed with hunters and thoroughbreds to create tall, heavy riding/jumping horses. – Today: normally used for forestry work, leisure riding, and promotional work. |
– Ago: agricultural purposes (heavy draft, pulling freight wagons, or plowing steep, rough hills);
+ crossed with thoroughbreds and quarter horses to produce strong, heavier-boned riding horses. – Today: normally popular in shows and parades and used as fancy carriage horses |
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| Body Type | |||
| Body | – muscular and powerful | – more streamlined with strong and muscular shoulders | |
| Face | – lean and long with large eyes | – wide (normally has a white stripe on the face), straight with a slight convex nature, intelligent-looking eyes | |
| Tails | – long, not docked | – docked | |
| Neck | – long, arched, muscular, but refined | – long and well-arched, shows more crest | |
| Hindquarters | – not quite bulky | – bulky | |
| Hooves | – fairly massive | – larger and round (around five pounds each) | |
| Feather | – smooth and silky
– has less feathering on legs |
– finer
– has heavy feathering in the lower legs |
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Generally, the Shire horse is bigger than Clydesdale. Clydesdales are slightly smaller, which results in a lighter weight, less stress on their joints, and greater agility.
Clydesdales are also available in more colors than Shires. They have more feathering in the lower legs than those in Shires as well.
In a word, those are the similarity and differences between Clydesdale and shire horses. You may consult them to recognize two breeds when needed.
Conclusion
Lastly, we hope the above comparison between Shire horse vs Clydesdale will help you to identify those two breeds easily, especially when deciding to own one. While Shire horses and Clydesdales may look similar, there are some key differences between the two. The most obvious distinction is that Clydesdales are larger in size than Shires. Additionally, Clydesdales are typically used for draught work while Shires are often used for riding or show purposes. If you’re interested in purchasing a draft horse, it’s important to understand the difference between these two breeds so you can make an informed decision about which one is best suited for your needs.
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