Gentle Giants
By Lydia Boenig |
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| Their ancestry stems to the Great War horses of Britain’s age of knights, battles and conquests, where a horse’s valor and strength determined victory. Yet these gentle giants’ docile personality and versatility have allowed them to springboard from the legends of old into today’s equine society. History |
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The Shire is believed to have originated in the Midlands of England although his origin is shrouded in veils of legend. Most likely, the breed descended from heavy cob type horses and possibly the English War Horse, or Great Horse. Julius Caesar, upon landing in England, commented on the courage, aptitude and strength exhibited by the Shire’s ancestors. During the early 13th century, the era of knights in armor, close to 100 large stallions were imported from Scandinavia to be crossed with local cob mares. |
 The Shire most likely originated from the Great War horses of ancient England’s knights in armor. |
A long succession of kings, beginning with Henry II, outlawed the export of these massive horses in order to preserve the supremacy and numbers of the Great Horse. King Henry VIII first attached the name Shire to the horses in the early 1500’s and continued the tradition of banning their export. |
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| The Shire became key to commerce in the 1800s. With the expansion of the British Empire, countless ships anchored in English harbors were built, loaded and unloaded with the Shire in charge of ensuring each load was successfully moved. Once the cargo was off-loaded, Shire geldings transported the heavy loads on poorly paved roads of the city and countryside. Demand was high for these reliable horses of immense strength. The English Cart Society was formed in 1878; the name of the organization changed to the Shire Horse Society in 1884. |  A classic Shire conformation consists of a long neck, broad chest, deep shoulders and strong hindquarters. |
| America received her first Shires during the mid-1800s. The American Shire Horse Association was formed in 1885. Four thousand Shires were imported during the first quarter of the 20th century, but farm mechanization eventually caused a decrease in demand for Shires and other draft horses in this country. Yet, recently, enthusiasts, breeders and owners have rediscovered the king of draft breeds. Shires are now used for showing, pulling carriages, farm work, logging, and some are used as riding horses. Breed Characteristics |
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Docile and kind, Shires have personality to spare and form genuine bonds with their handlers. From the chrome of the show hitch to the mud in the furrow, this breed has proven its competency in completing the task at hand. The heavy hair on a Shire’s legs, called feathering, began being selected for during the 17th century. While working in heavy mud and marshes common in England, feathers were essential for draining water off the leg in order to prevent fungal infections of the skin. Also critical for these working conditions were well-formed, large, wide hooves that are open at the heels. Feathers and good feet are still desirable in today’s Shire. |
 Hercules proves the Shire’s versatility as he competes in a Western class. |
Today’s Shire is a complex creature – layered with the courage of past battles won, the strength garnered from harsh working conditions as farm laborers, and the pristine conformation suited for survival. As each century passes, a new talent is unearthed as they adapt to their current surroundings without ever losing the kind nature that has endeared them to their handlers throughout history. |
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