Chris Weigert, shown here with Bandit, part of the team travelling with these renowned horses, spoke to Rotarians.   He and the others have degrees in animal husbandry and CDL licenses to drive the trucks transporting these horses for 10 months of the year to various events. They travel no more than 500 miles a day, allowing the horses adequate rest, and portable stalls are erected for temporary “hotel” stabling.   These Clydesdales are specially bred and selected for temperament, markings and height (18 hands or 6’ to the shoulder).  An impressive 2000 pounds, these horses work from ages 5 to 15.  Eight horses are hitched to drive the wagon as they did in 1933 (at the end of Prohibition) through the 1950’s.    The wagon brought to this event was made by Studebaker in 1903, weighs more than 7000 pounds and can hold 223 cases of beer.  The horses could be described as “hay-burners” consuming more than 40 pounds of hay daily, their diet consistently  the same with the hay shipped in from Idaho.  We watched the horses beginning their day after breakfast with a one hour walk which was to be followed by a bath and grooming prior to their performance.  Hitching them  for performance and exhibition requires about an hour.