Shires
Shires are big horses. They can weigh, when they are full grown, between 2,240 and 2,688 lb. They areconsidered a supreme draft horse. The name Shire comes from the English shires of Lincoln, Leicester, Stafford, and Derby.
Shires, in general, were used in the 16th century with paintings dating back to the 15th century that show them in the perfection of form. Without question, the Shire horse was used as a war-horse.
Shires are the largest and heaviest of the draught breeds. Stallions stand up to 19 hands high and mares up to 17 hands, and on average they weigh around a tonne.
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War then is the ancient heritage and role of the Shires. But if The Great Horse was useful in war, he proved to be even more so in peace.
Until World War Two, an incredible number of Shires were registered every year during that time period. They became very popular horses, mainly due to their extreme pulling power. This has not yet been surpassed by any other horse breed.
By the 1960's only a few thousand Shires remained. A small group of British breeders set about to rectify that situation. As a result, the Shires' numbers have risen significantly.
A team of Shires was observed pulling loads of 18 tons on wheels and 16 tons on a sledge at a show in London. Shires have been exported to North America in substantial numbers. They are especially popular in Canada and the western United States.
The largest breed of draft horse in the world is the English Shire Horse, which originated in the central shires of England. Members of this breed have been recorded up to 23 hands high or 7.
Percherons came from France, Belgians from Belgium, Shires from England, Clydesdales from Scotland. Many American draft registries were founded in the late 1800s.
Origin: England - Central counties (Shires).
Height: Average 17hh. Can reach, and even exceed, 18hh.
Color: Bay and brown are commonest, always with white markings; blackand gray are not unusual.
Numbers of Shires are on the rise again, however. They are now widely used in breeding heavier hunter types by crosses with thoroughbred mares.
Clydesdales, Shires or Percherons, to add bone, substance and disposition. Draft crosses are especially popular for fox chasing.
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If neither of these draft horse breeds is right for you, there are several other excellent choices, including the Belgian, the Shire and the Suffolk Punch. Shires and Suffolk horses are a bit more rare than other draft horse breeds.
The breed descended from the English “great horse,' which carried men in full battle armour that often weighed as much as 400 pounds. Shires were improved as draft and farm animals in the latter part of the 18th century by breeding mares from ...
The foundation stock was a mixture of cream-colored horses of unknown background, Belgians, Shires, and Percherons. He created the name "American Cream," and in 1944 the American Cream Draft Horse Association was formed by Mr.
In recent years over 100 Shires per year are exported to all parts of the world. Active Societies have been formed in Germany, France, Holland, Canada, and the USA.
After the near extinction of the breed, these horses became popular in the 1960s. Since then they have been used in forestry work and leisure riding. These days Shires can be found all over the world but they are most common in England and the United ...
The withers are well defined and these horses display a longer coupling than the Shires. The hindquarters are muscular with a rounded silhouette. The legs are long and possess a great deal of strength, and the hooves are distinctively large.
Now the demand for Shires, both at home and abroad, is hard to meet. Societies have been set up in Germany , France , Holland and Sweden and there are many breeders in America , Australia , Canada and New Zealand.
Draft horse breeds are heavily muscled horses used as workhorses. They stand 16 hands or taller and weigh 1,600 pounds or more. Breeds of draft horse include Percherons, Belgians, Shires, Clydesdales and Suffolks.
Some breeds such as the Gelderland are almost exclusively sabinos, having the large facial white, chin-spot and high leg white. Shires and Clydesdales are exclusively sabino, though the markings may be limited to white face and leg markings.
The characteristic feathering on its legs is to help protect the legs from the wet and muddy conditions of its native England. Though Shires are massive, they are gentle. This breed is only found on the Lava Isles. The Shire ranges from 16-19hh.
By the middle of the twentieth century their numbers had dwindled to a small fraction of what they had been in their heyday. Numbers of Shires are on the rise again, however.
 See also: Shire, Black, Feather, Stallion, Bay
  
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