What is a Shire?

The Shire Horse of today

Shires are the English breed of heavy horse and the largest horse in the world. They are friendly and quiet to handle, and extremely rare with only around 200 in Australia. Most stand around 17 hands high (1.73 metres) at the top of the shoulder. The world’s tallest horse is an Australian Shire, Noddy, who stands 20.2 hands high (2.07 metres). They are usually black or brown (sometimes grey) with white markings on their legs and face. They are related to the Clydesdale, and like them Shires feature long silky hair, known as ‘feather’, on their lower legs.

History of the Shire Horse

The Shire Horse was developed in England and is one of the oldest draught horse breeds, dating back to the days of the Roman Conquest. The name “Shire” was first applied by King Henry VIII to the horse early in the 16th century.

The great Shire stallion Harold – born in 1881, he went on to doninate the studbook and all post-war (1945) Shires are descended from him. He died in 1901

Shires were used from the 15th century as the war horse that the English knights rode into battle, large enough to carry their metal armour, sword and lance. When the era of the knights passed, Shires were put to work in harness pulling carts over rough roads and ploughs on the farm. The Shire became the largest and most powerful draught horse in Britain. It was, and still is, used by brewers in cities in teams to pull beer wagons, weight-pulling and ploughing competitions.

Over time, the Shire has been known by different names: the Great Horse; the War-Horse; the Cart Horse; the Old England Black Horse; and the Lincolnshire Giant.

Like all draught breeds, Shires were improved by crossing with other heavy horses. There are records dating back nearly 1000 years and during this time the breed was influenced by the introduction of outside blood from the north German Flemish horses (Belgian), the horses of Flanders and the Dutch Friesian amongst others.

Parade of 2 year old stallion class at the last London Stallion Show 1940

The Shire has always been a versatile horse. In 1805 George Culley wrote about them:

“All mares are served, the male produce supplying the army, London, the south and south west. The largest go to the capital for dray horses, the next supply farmers for their wagons, ploughs etc, and the rest mount our cavalry, or are trained for carriages, while a few of the very choicest are very properly preserved for stallions.”

Culley G and Bailey J ‘Agriculture of Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmoorland’, Frank Graham facsimile (1805, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne)

The English Shire Stud Book was established in 1878 and from this date the breed has been shaped, improved and given vigour with the introduction of new blood through an official grading registry.

Filly foals at the Shire Stallion Produce Stakes, 1930

The Shire has always been a riding horse, right from the time of the knights. So it is not surprising that the modern Shire is an athletic heavy horse, with good presence and movement, suitable for both riding and driving.

Shire horses are not branded, but DNA-tested to verify their breeding then sketched and microchipped for identification purposes.

Points of a Shire

The Shire is a horse of great size: a mature stallion stands between 16.2 and 17.2 hands and weighs up to 1,000 kilos. Mares and geldings are slightly less massive. It has relatively large, wide-set and expressive eyes, the nose is rather convex (“Roman”). The shoulders are large and deep and the body has substantial barrel. The legs are long with considerable feather about the feet. It is usually found in bay, brown, black and grey.

SHSA information

The Shire Horse Society Australia (SHSA) promotes Shires in Australia and provides services to members and those interested in owning a Shire. The SHSA was established in 1978 by Shire enthusiast Grahame West, and incorporated in September 2004.

If you love this wonderful breed of horse then the SHSA is the place for you to gain friends with a common interest, any info you may need, support with your horse if you are just starting out and much accumulated wisdom and knowledge regarding the Shire.