The Shire is the largest horse breed in existence, they are impressive giants with stick sizes of sometimes up to 2 meters! Shires belong to the cold-blooded horses and are heavily built. Originally from England, they were bred to work in the fields. The variety is fairly well known in the Netherlands.
History of the Shire
Lineage
The Shire is originally from England. The meadows of central England were also called Shires mentioned. Here the horses often grazed, hence the name. The Shire comes from the English Old Black, the name suggests that it was completely black. The Old Black has probably been influenced by our own Frisians. The Shire itself is slightly more refined than the standard heavy horse, probably due to some Arabian blood.
Use of the Shire over the years
The Shire was mainly used as a workhorse. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Shires were also used to transport beer to the pubs. This can be seen in Amsterdam since 1978, thanks to brewer Heineken. Partly because of this, the Shire has become popular in the Netherlands. As with the other heavier breeds, the numbers of the Shire declined sharply due to mechanization. Fortunately, they are now very popular at shows and competitions and the numbers are increasing again.
Exterior
Build
The Shire stands out mainly for its size, it is the largest horse breed in the world and a height of around 1.95m is no exception. Shires are heavy horses, with strong sloping shoulders, a broad back and a strong hindquarters. They have a fairly long neck, a head that is not too small but certainly not too big and a broad forehead. The eyes are nicely placed and are friendly, moon eyes or glass eyes are not desired. The legs are remarkably long for a heavy breed.
Allowed colors for the Shire
The ideal image is a black horse with four white legs and a large blaze, yet brown is also common, even gray is possible. Roan is only allowed with mares and geldings and fox is not allowed at all. They also have a lot of mane, a big tail and a lot of wallpaper, which feels silky.
Character
A common reference to the Shire is gentle giant, this is because Shires are not likely to abuse their size and strength, they are known for their kindness. Furthermore, Shires are very eager to learn and calm, but not slow! In addition, they have great stamina and will happily work for you.
What is the Shire used for?
As a draft horse
Initially bred to work in the fields, the breed is well suited for this because Shires are strong, so strong that they could pull a weight of five tons. You also often see Shires standing in front of the carriage.
As a riding horse
On the mainland they even started driving on Shires. The English thought this was strange ?? after all a Shire was bred for something completely different ?? but this is also being done there. Shires can certainly do well in the basics of dressage (classes B to Z2), but if you have higher ambitions this is not your breed. Shires can also jump every now and then, but it is very unwise to do this often. Due to their size, the joints are very stressed on impact. Finally, the Shire is ideal for outdoor rides, thanks to its quiet character.