From childhood passion to community revival: The return of Foxton Clydesdales

Two of the Foxton Clydesdale horses.

Clydesdale horses have been a huge part of Jayden Moore’s life since he was 8 years old – so when the Foxton Clydesdale group closed three years ago, he was determined to ensure it came back.

Moore has been working with Neil Savage and John Girling to get the Foxton Clydesdales back up and running and said if all goes to plan, locals could see the horses around the town by Christmas.

The group, which closed due to the death of a horse and a lack of volunteers, had been a Foxton icon for more than three decades and was best-known for its Sunday tram rides.

Moore said the group is almost ready to start the last part of its plan, which involves advertising for donations, with hopes to raise between $60,000 and $70,000.

The money raised will be used for essential maintenance and to buy new horses, as the group has only three.

A big sponsor, which Moore said cannot be named yet, also assisted in purchasing new horses.

The Foxton Clydesdale horses with a tram.

Once the group is running again, it will offer tram and cart rides and be available for events like weddings, funerals, birthdays and more.

It will also be reinstating the Sunday tram rides, offering 15–20-minute jaunts – and Moore said that in the long term the group hopes to expand these to four or five days a week.

Moore said Clydesdales were his favourite breed of horse for one main reason.

He said the horses were good workers, and have been bred for pulling, heavy lifting, ploughing and more.

“You don’t call it a horse unless it’s a Clydesdale.”