Many argue technological progress has always helped reduce costs and speed up production of goods and services. This is especially true on farms — where machines mean fewer people can grow and harvest crops with greater production and more efficiency. Perhaps nothing was as dramatic a change on the farm than the early tractors. Before tractors, it was just humans and horses or mules that set the pace. So in the 1930’s and 40’s the advance was celebrated. But something got lost in this progress. Talk to the old timers and they will tell you about their draft animals being taken away to the slaughter house. Whole breeds of draft horses were on their way to just disappearing. Those in the know say two groups saved the old horses and the tradition of pulling freight and farm gear: The Amish, and Anheuser Busch — the brewery. We’ll tell the Amish story in a later video, but here’s the story of how the makers of Budweiser may have saved the Clydesdales from extinction — back in the middle of the depression.