Shire Horses
A bulky cold blooded horse who is known for their enormous size and imposing appearance - the Shire horse is a draft horse breed from the UK and with an average shoulder height of 178 centimeters. Stallions, which have a weight of up to 1,200 kilograms and it can be greater than two meters - this is only the so-called Great Horse. They are renowned to have a wonderment temperament and makes the English draft horse as a popular riding, carriage and horse representation. Whether in front of the cart or in shows, the Shire horse is more than impressive and now spread not only in England, but throughout the world.

The Shire Horse reaches a weight of around 800-1100 kilograms and to a shoulder height of at least 163 centimeters at a mare and 168 centimeters in Wallach exhibit. The average size is 1.78 meters, with individual stallions can be even greater than 200 centimeters. Regarding the physique for a building matching, slender and long Roman nose, a slightly bent and well set neck and sloping up, deep shoulders are desired. The chest should have a circumference of from 180 to 240 centimeters, while the back vigorously, is well muscled and in particular show the stallion briefly pronounced.

When a foundation are muscular hindquarters and forehand, clear joints and a harmonious position priority. The scope of the pipes should be 23 to 28 centimeters in a stallion 20 centimeters and geldings and mares.

Teachable, kind and strong nerves - the Shire Horse is particularly known for his meekness and proves to be very sociable and reliable horse. Not for nothing it is also called the Gentle Giant, as the cold blood is extremely friendly and personable. By moderate temperament and gentle beings an uncomplicated handling is almost always guaranteed.

Breed history of the Shire Horse

The Shire Horse originated in Britain, where even before the 11th century, heavy draft horses were located. In addition came by William the Conqueror larger horses to England, which served the Knights as a sturdy horse and were later used as working and draft horse. To give the cold-blooded animals even more size and strength, took place from the 12th century the import of heavy stallions from Holland and Flanders, were crossed with mares of existing land shock. From 1328 the breed was continued without foreign influence blood, along with a rigorous selection of the heaviest and most horses.

This was Henry VIII from 1530 intensified, especially the first time took place the establishment of a stud for the so-called Great Horses. In the course of the cold-blooded animals obtained in accordance with the designation of their breeding areas, for example, the county Lincolshire, the name of Shire. The actual breeding history does not begin until the late 18th century, when the stallion Balze first time a Shire Horse with full pedigree was registered in the studbook. The breeding success was clouded, however, because in the 19th century, many draft horses were exported to Scotland, so that the existence of the transport and working horses often used significantly reduced.

A positive turn finally brought the establishment of the Cart Horse Society as a breeding association in 1878, which was later renamed the existing until now Shire Horse Society. However, the population of the cold-blooded animals was enormous by mechanization and two world wars to the 1950s and 60s back. Active breeders and breweries, it is thanks to them that the Shire Horse is still regarded as a separate breed.

The Shire Horse is an English draft horse race and is certainly one of the most interesting draft horses. Why this is so, is easily explained. Firstly, these cold-blooded breed is very visually striking. Representatives of this race are considered the greatest horses in the world.

The Shire Horse can look back on a relatively long history. The draft horse breed has managed it, even today, to maintain a presence in a time in which the use of horses in agriculture dates back a long time. Unlike many other draft horse breeds, the Shire Horse not is now considered endangered, even though it would be almost extinct in the 50s and in the 60s of the 20th century, the race was able to recover well again and today has fans all over the world. In the following we would like to present the fascinating race more closely. You will thereby find information for both the breeding history of Shire Horses and indications which optical and character traits are typical of this breed.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN - THE HISTORY OF SHIRE HORSES
Unlike some other draft horse breed is much known about the history of the Shire horses, although there may be small discrepancies and disagreements with some details. Below we provide a brief overview of the history of the Shire horses, how to tell them in general today. In the broadest sense it locates the origin of the Shire horses in the 11th century. This is not the time at which began the breeding, however, in the broadest sense of when the basis for the development of the Shire horses could be placed. At this time William I ruled the kingdom of England. He imported cold-blooded animals in his kingdom, which had more to offer in terms of their size as the native horses. Although one could at this time certainly not realize that there will be in future such great horses like the Shire Horse, on the contrary the previous horses were compared to today's even rather small. But the import of larger horses is the starting point for this fascinating development and it must be remembered that even the horses, which were considered to be large, a strong impression had to have had on the earlier also even smaller average people.

As early as the following centuries it became apparent that useful horses must have a certain mass and strength. The animals were now namely no longer primarily as war horses that even strong, but equally had to be fast and agile, but primarily as a helper in agriculture, which was still a very difficult business in the Middle Ages. It is likely that you made use of among others Belgian horses to reach even more mass and size of the bred horses. These were mated with the native horses, until you could do without additional imports. In the 16th century we stayed at the horse breeding even more in size and strength and ran a targeted selection. Later they crossed even Friesen and received the so-called Black Horses, until you could situate in the 18th century the real start of the race Shire Horse. Although the Englishman today are certainly very proud again of their Shires, they could not always maintain the unconditional loyalty of this breed. In particular, in the mid-19th century sold to many Shire Horses, which then among other things, the emergence of a newer breed - the Clydesdales, which originates from Scotland, - contributed. Soon afterwards, however, a Society was founded in England that took the fascinating horse race and helped her to a continued existence, and especially in health benefits.

The first thing you notice about a Shire Horse, is of course the size. On average, these horses can reach a shoulder height, which is slightly above the 1.70-meter mark, however, there were already copies, which even reached a shoulder height of over 2 meters and thus actually presented very gigantic. According to the size brings a Shire Horse also a considerable weight on the scale. Around 1,000 kilograms are quite common, very large representatives to this already high weight but sometimes even beat and then weigh like a few hundred kilograms more. The size and mass, however, are not the only optical characteristics that jump at a Shire Horse in the eye. The head of this horse is drawn quite long. He sits on a strong, slightly curved neck, which acts in relation to other animal's body even quite long. The Shire Horse also shows generally a vigorous mane, a long tail and a ground sometimes pronounced lightly feathered, one associates prototypically with a cold blood. This is already well above the shackles on, is in modern varieties, however, no longer such a demand as in earlier times. Despite this hanging on the shackles legs do not act too short. The hindquarters are very powerful, also the mass of the horse using the powerful back and the rather squat body becomes noticeable. With respect to the coat color brown are most strongly represented among the Shire Horses. They usually have white markings that often show up on the blaze and on the legs. The latter often create the impression that the Shire Horse would wear boots. In addition to widespread brown but there are also gray, sable and fox among the representatives of this breed.

In sharp contrast to its imposing exterior, the Shire Horse show of a very gentle side. The breed was often used in former times in the British agriculture and therefore had to perform well and be trained. From his docility the Shire Horse has lost anything yet today. It provides the fertile ground, introduce the quite intelligent horse to the most varied tasks. It turns towards man always friendly and can build up a close relationship with his people, but in spite of its calm and gentleness that comes from him, not lethargic. On the contrary, a Shire Horse on a pleasantly lively temperament, considering that cold-blooded animals are often the exact opposite is said. In addition, the Shire Horse is considered robust. However, since it is growing very fast, it may be used only with four or five years for driving or riding, as it can be assumed as a rule only at these times assume that the skeleton of the horse has consolidated sufficiently. When keeping the horse must be taken, inter alia, that the big animals enough space can be provided, the lightly feathered should be specially cared for and it is always ideal for an animal that served as a workhorse in former times, to have sufficient employment , The latter does not mean that the Shire Horse not like one is even in the pasture and it can go well.

USE OF SHIRE HORSES
In former times there was a lot of work for the Shire Horse. Thanks to its strength, the majestic horses could, for example, pull carts, to incorporate crops or to transport goods from one place to the next. Even today, the Shire horse is still excellent as a draft horse. It is used here in the leisure sector, or media attention for advertising purposes or to parades, if there is something to celebrate. Of course, a Shire horse is also suitable as a riding horse - this is especially true when it concerns rather the rider comfortable. For long riding in the faster gaits are cold-blooded animals are in any case often not good. For the really big specimens of the breed a little work but you have to invest in the search for a matching saddle - Finally, the biggest horse in the world in this context special requirements. The popularity of Shire Horses has become very big in Germany. With a decline of popularity is not to be expected. Rather, it seems likely that due to the fascinating exterior and the pleasant nature of these horses more and more people are coming to the tastes and a Shire horse want to call their own.
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