The actual true home of the world-famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales is Warm Springs Ranch, which is their 300,000 plus acre breeding facility at Boonville, Missouri. But if you want to just see and learn about these majestic animals up close and conveniently you can visit them at their home at Grant's Farm in St. Louis, Missouri.
And if you'd like to combine some nice outdoor activity with this trip, Grant's Farm is located about in the middle of almost 10 miles of the Grant's Trail. You can park at either end or at one of several in-between parking areas and take the scenic trail to the Farm. (Added bonus - no parking fee when you get to the farm!) You can find a map here with the various attractions and parking places.
Once you get to the Clydedale's Barn (which has no entry fee) you can visit with several different horses in the stable and you are welcome to pet them and take pictures.
There are several informational displays on the wall of the stable to learn more about the breed and their history. This one shows a sample of the horseshoes that a Clydesdale wears in comparison to other breeds, as well as some of the tools used to keep their hooves healthy.
We saw this beauty getting his grooming out in the paddock.
And this one ignoring all his admiring fans and having his lunch.
And I can say "he" with confidence because all the Budweiser Clydesdales that make it to the team are subject to strict criteria:
A gelding of a minimum age of 4 years old and height of 6' tall and weight between 1,800 - 2,300 pounds. For coloration, they're required to be bay with four white stockings, a blaze of white on the face, a black mane and a black tail.
I took a photo of this picture on the stable wall showing one of the teams pulling the famous Budweiser wagon. The picture was taken just inside the gates at Grant's Farm, which is located on the other end of the parking lot of the Barn. Once you leave the horse Barn your next stop should be Grant's Farm right next door!
If you want a more in-depth experience you can take the Clydesdales Exerience Tour for $25. This is an hour-and-a-half walking tour that gives you an inside look into Clydesdales Operations which includes the training and the daily care of the horses.
I highly recommend Grant's Farm and the Clydesdales Horse Barn for an economical and fun day of family entertainment!
All photos were taken by me with my Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
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[credit@EdibleCthulhu]
