ATLANTA — They are as iconic as the brand of beer they are associated with – they are the Budweiser Clydesdales. And now, the famous group of horses are returning to the Peach State to help Savannah celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is one of the largest in the U.S. Last year’s parade featured more than 350 marching bands and up to 15,000 people.

This year, you can add in the Budweiser Clydesdales.

“From the Prohibition era to Super Bowl commercials, there is perhaps nothing more iconic in Budweiser’s storied history than its team of Clydesdale horses. More than just a mascot, the Clydesdales have been an integral part of Anheuser-Busch for more than 80 years,” Anheuser-Busch’s website said.

This year’s parade will start at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, and is expected to last for hours.

“The parade begins at Gwinnett and Abercorn streets, just east of Forsyth Park and will travel along Abercorn Street to Broughton Street, where it will turn right towards East Broad Street,” the parade’s website says. “It will continue north on East Broad Street to East Bay Street and proceed down Bay until it reaches Bull Street, which it will turn on and continue down until it reaches Madison Square on Harris Street,”

There is a lot of work that goes into moving the 10 horses and their carriage to events across the country.

“Expert groomers travel on the road with the hitch at least 10 months out of the year. Another team oversees their diet; each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay, and up to 30 gallons of water on a warm day,” Anheuser-Busch said.

The horses and everything that goes with them are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers.

“Cameras mounted in the trailers are connected to monitors in the cabs that enable the drivers to keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport. Air-cushioned suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the rigors of traveling. The team stops each night at local stables so the ‘gentle giants’ can rest,” the company said.

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