ANDERSON, Ind. — The line to see the Budweiser Clydesdales extended beyond 100 yards on the first night of their public appearance at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino in Anderson in mid-July.

Six feet high at their shoulders, the horses dwarfed the people who stretched out hands to pet them and get photos. Still, they stood calmly and amiably with their handlers for two hours, with disappointed fans turned away at the end of the evening.

“The Budweiser Clydesdales are a mascot and symbol for Budweiser, but they have taken on their own persona. People have a long history with the horses in commercials and songs,” said Grant Scharton, communications director at Hoosier Park.

One of seven horse handlers with the Midwest team, Kat Metzger, confirmed in the team’s travels she frequently meets people with collections, scrapbooks and memories.

Three teams of 10 geldings make publicity tours free of charge. Eight horses pull the signature red beer wagon. The West Coast team usually makes the television commercials in California, she said; however, the Midwest team was featured in the popular “A Hero’s Welcome” 2014 Super Bowl commercial, in which returning soldier, Lt. Chad Nadd, and his wife rode atop the red beer wagon in a surprise parade.

The Clydesdales are bred for pulling and working, so parts of their public role come naturally to them, Metzger said. But the mammoth horses still need to be trained from birth to learn to deal with the public, to be handled and clipped and to endure noises such as 10,000 screaming fans at Mardi Gras.

At four years old, they are put into harnesses. Mascots are selected for their size and coloring. To fit into the harness, they must be 6 feet tall, 2,000 pounds and have brown Bay coloring, with four white socks, black manes and tails and a blaze on their faces.

Selection comes with responsibilities ... and perks. Each gelding has its own personality, and that plays an important role in how they are assigned to the hitch.

“They are like people to us because we work with them so much. Some are laid-back, others want to run and play and some are scared of their own shadows,” Metzger explained.

Lead horses must be confident and surefooted so they are not easily spooked by crowds. The two lead horses are followed by four horses in the swing and body positions. The last pair are in the wheel position, and do much of the actual pulling – the wheel horses must be strong.

Metzger said the teams are on the road 300 days a year. Her team goes to Florida, Texas and sometimes as far west as Colorado.

“We place limitations on ourselves for the horses’ comfort. We stay in the same city for a full week. We rest on Monday, give the horses a full bath and body clip on Tuesday and begin appearances on Wednesday,” she added.

The team travels 500 miles per day, with stops every 100 miles to break and switch drivers. The horses travel in an air ride with fans and windows.

“We don’t hitch in the rain. The driver has eight lines of slick leather and horses on wet pavement. For safety reasons, we don’t do it,” she said.

Though the horses have responsibilities, they are cared for quite well. “These horses are treated better than most people. I wish I had somebody to take care of me in the same way,” Metzger noted.

After about 10 years of service, they are retired to Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, which is open to the public for viewing. Horses that are semi-retired will also rotate at the farm.

The first team of Clydesdales were given as a gift by August Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch to their father in 1933 to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.

The first case of Budweiser was delivered to the White House, Metzger said.

The Dalmatian dog was added to the team in 1950. The dog that travels with the Midwest team is named Clyde and is two years old. His main job is to play with the horses and greet the public. Historically, Dalmatians rode with delivery drivers to guard the horses and the beer, Metzger said. Their spots made them easier to see.

These gentle giants will not likely be forgotten. Now a part of U.S. culture, the horses have come a long way from their origins in Clydesdale, Scotland, where they were developed to work on the farm. They are most noted for their substantial feather – the long hairs that cover their hooves – and their strength. Despite their dressy appearance, they can pull a 1-ton load at 5 mph.

“These horses are bred for this. It’s in their nature to work and pull,” Metzer said.

Love for the horses runs deep for their handlers, who will work 12-hour days or longer. “The long hours and the traveling is the hardest part. But if it’s something you love, you keep with it,” said Metzger, who has been a handler for four years.