Arrow Rock is both a state park, with campground and trails, and a state historic site, with a charming historic village where you can tour the mid-1800s homes and businesses of a bustling river town, a major starting point for the Santa Fe trail. Lewis and Clark passed through here.

But BOONVILLE was my focus, because of these:

Yep, that’s me with “Stan the Man,” one of the ambassadors of Warm Springs Ranch, the breeding and training facility for the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. If you’ve ever seen a Budweiser commercial, you’ve almost certainly seen Stan. Acting (and graciously posing for pictures with tourists) is kind of his specialty.

I declined the free beer samples (yuck!), and then the tour got started. There was so much to see. The ranch is on a beautiful property, with barns, outbuildings, even the beehives, painted that iconic Budweiser wagon red.

I got a chuckle out of the contraption in the last picture. This is a training aid for the wagon drivers, to practice steering with multiple reins. The bicycles are attached to a solid metal frame, with the handlebars, attached to the reins, free to turn. The golf cart propels the “hitch.” Our guide said they are amusing to watch, as novice drivers often end up in ditches.

And see those big rigs in the background? It takes three of them, two with horses, and one just for the wagon and all the gear, for each team that goes out to events. The hitch drivers don’t just drive the 8-horse hitches, they drive the 18-wheelers, too.

There are four stallions at stud: one was demonstrating the “grass is always greener” adage by nearly breaking a section of his paddock fence. These guys weigh over 2,000 lbs!

And then, of course, there were the babies:

They breed for a very specific “look” in their horses: bay coat, four white stockings, and a white blaze down the face. Maximus is a perfect specimen; Breeze clearly is not. I was assured she would not be sold, but would stay on the ranch. I was surprised to learn that there are only about 5,000 Clydesdales in the world, so this ranch is very important. Each 8-horse hitch is made up of geldings, carefully matched as to color and size. They even differentiate between the brighter (lighter) bays and the darker ones (like Stan): the lighter ones perform around the south and west, while the darker ones travel to the east and north, where weather is generally cooler, and their darker coats can retain the sun’s heat. They spend 3-4 years in training before they become part of one of the three hitch teams.

I had a great time, and highly recommend a visit if you are in central Missouri. There are different tours you can take, with different themes. Tours are on a regular schedule, and you do need to buy tickets in advance.

On to Arrow Rock…