Shire Horse
Image from Carol Coleman
Intro
Descendant from the English Great Horse of the Middle Ages, the Shire horse is among the largest of the draft breeds .
Origins
Appearing in Britan around the end of the 16th century when strong animals were needed to pull heavy wagons and coaches long distances over rough terrain. The Shire derived from blood of forest horses, and Fresian and Flanders horse imports.
The English Great horse is still considered the Shire horse’s principle ancestor, although its bloodlines were slowly reduced in the stock as the influx of Dutch Fresian blood grew stronger.
Modern Shire horses are renowned for their strength, a pair of Shire horses have pulled 16.5 tons of weight on granite paving tiles.
Features
Average height Over 17 hands
Extremely large animals
Incredible pulling strength
One of the biggest horses in the world
Physique
Long neck for a draft horse, with wide shoulders
Legs are clean and muscular, hocks set for maximum leverage
Heavy feathering on back of legs
Big, round hooves
Traditional Colors
Chestnut
Black
Gray
Bay
Temperament
Big and gentle, the Shire is a docile giant
Pros
Incredible strength
Cons
Big horses eat a lot
Use
General riding
Show horses
Parade horse
Helpful Links
*All links open in a new window
American Shire Horse Association
Canadian Shire Horse Association
Shire Horse Society
Raresteeds.com
Where to Buy
Horsetopia
Equinehits,com
Free Horse Ads
Shiresandclydesdales.com
Shire Studs
Buyhorses.com
Shirehorse.org
Horseweb.com
Shire Horse Art
Cartoonstock.com
Thepaintedhorse.com
Eleganthorsepictures.com
Bridgeman Art on Demand
Shire Horse Books and Reading
Heavy Horse World
Wildhorsebooks.com
