Horses are the largest animals tamed by man. They help to carry loads, participate in equestrian competitions. Animals helped a lot during the two world wars. The oldest horse breed is the Shire, which will be discussed below in the article.

History of the creation of the breed

Shire is a breed of horse that was specially bred for the transport of knights. In the Middle Ages, the British crossed the Flemish and Frisian varieties for this. The work continued for more than one hundred years. Finally, by the 16th century. managed to get a horse that not only carried various heavy loads, but could also withstand a warrior on the back in full armor for a long time.

From the 18th century. The Shire horse was used to transport stagecoaches, and in the 19th century it began to be used in agriculture. But not all farmers could keep such large horses, so the English breed of draft animals was replaced by smaller species. The Shire horse appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. It was partially used for breeding Vladimir heavy trucks.

Shire horse

Gradually, the population of these horses from the end of the 19th century. began to shrink. If at the beginning of the 20th century only in the USA there were about 5900 horses of this breed, then by the 60s there were only 24 copies of such horses. A society of Shire lovers was created, which began to revive the breed.

Note! Today, various exhibitions are held, shows, where the most successful owner is awarded a prize of 35 thousand pounds sterling for breeding these horses. The number of animals is gradually increasing. Breeding work is being carried out to improve the breed.

Characteristics of horses

Shire horses are of 3 colors: gray, bay or black. The standard allows for small white spots and stockings on the legs of the animal.

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The description of the shires is as follows:

  • The height of the stallion at the withers reaches 1.75-1.8 m, but there are horses and large sizes, for example, Samson, who towered 2.18 m.
  • The weight of the shires ranges from 900-1500 kg, so the horse needs a lot of feed.
  • The animal's chest reaches 2.1 m or more in diameter. The part of the leg, which is called the metacarpus, measures 0.25 m and more. This allows the animal to get the right support when transporting various goods.
  • The hair on the legs (called friezes) is very thickened. They are longer than other horse breeds.

Note!The English breed of draft horses is about 1.2-1.5 times larger than ordinary horses. Large sizes create inconvenience in keeping these horses.

An adult horse is quite expensive - from 700 thousand to 1.4 million rubles. The foal is estimated at 320 thousand rubles. *

The age of the individual and its sex play an important role. The seller must have a certificate of Shire pedigree and a certificate from a veterinarian confirming that all necessary vaccinations are available. If the animal needs to be transported from another country, then all transport costs are borne by the buyer.

All horses of this breed are entered into herdbooks to maintain the purity of the breed. If a mare was born from a purebred stallion and a horse of unknown origin, the newborn is given a category "A" passport. All males undergo DNA testing to track their offspring.

Appearance

Shire

Roan

The Shire horse has a fairly large head with small ears. Her forehead is wide, and her neck is short. Other parameters of the animal:

  • on the nose of the horses, you can see a hump;
  • the legs of the shire are quite powerful and strong;
  • the hooves are relatively large;
  • horses of this breed have a high set tail;
  • beautiful mane with long fluffy hair.

In appearance, you can distinguish where the horse was born:

  • shayram from Yorkshire are characterized by great leanness and endurance;
  • horses from Cambridge have long friezes on their legs and are more bony.

These animals have some disadvantages. For example, they are characterized by a slight squat and freeziness. But with further selection, all this will be changed for the better.

Shire

Character traits

Isabella horse

Shire horses are smart and obedient enough. They are easy to operate, understand the commands of the owner well. They can be safely harnessed to carts. The nature of these animals is quite soft, a little phlegmatic. Shire's stallions and mares are good-natured and calm.

Important! Horses are quite balanced, practically do not show emotions. Their docility and hard work allows them to use animals for agricultural work.

How to care

The shire horse must be kept in a separate stall. Indoors, it is worth observing the recommended thermal regime.

Important! To keep the horse from getting sick, its litter must be dry at all times. Due to the presence of a large amount of hair on the legs, shires develop wood lice if this rule is not followed. This disease is easier to prevent than to cure.

Horse care consists of the following activities:

  • After a walk, the horse's hooves and legs should be washed with warm water, and then dried by sprinkling them with sawdust. After 1-2 hours, it is recommended to comb the hair on the animal's extremities.
  • The mane and bushy tail should be constantly cleaned from dust and various contaminants. These parts of the shires must be combed out thoroughly every day. In hot weather, the owners braid the horse's mane in pigtails to eliminate hair tangles.
  • In the summer, horses must be washed 2 times every 6-7 days. To do this, use a special equestrian shampoo with conditioner.

To keep the animal in good shape, it is recommended to drink it frequently. This is especially important in hot weather, in summer heat, since the presence of a large amount of hair on the mane and legs of the shire can lead to overheating of the body, which will negatively affect the health of the animal.

On a note! If the horse is sick, then you do not need to try to treat it yourself. It is better to call a veterinarian who accurately diagnoses the disease.

Diet and feeding

When breeding heavy trucks, you need to pay attention to the correctness of their nutrition. The Shire horse breed is not picky. Individuals can eat concentrated feed, but for good development it is recommended to give horses alternately hay and freshly cut grass.

Important!Because of their size, Shire eat more than other horse species. In 24 hours, each heavy truck must eat 10 to 14 kg of various feeds. Mostly grass and hay are used for food.

Growth supplements required for breeding other breeds are practically unnecessary for Shires.

It is recommended that the following foods be given to animals as nutritional supplements:

  • quality grass flour;
  • fresh cake;
  • multivitamins.

All these substances are mixed with hay, grass or compound feed. In the summer, heavy trucks are given 5-7 kg of such feed. Like all horses, Shire loves fruits and vegetables. For normal development, they are given fresh:

  • small apples;
  • beets;
  • peeled carrots.

These components can be mixed with other feeds by cutting them into several parts.

Horse food

Horses need clean drinking water like air. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange an appropriate drinking bowl in such a place so that animals can freely approach it. The water should be at a temperature of 18-20 ° C. In the summer you need to replace it 2-3 times a day, and in the winter it is enough to renew it once a day.

Shires are among those horse breeds that must meet the established standards, which plays a big role for the owner. When breeding breeding animals, one should try not to deviate from the recommendations of horse care specialists. Success will be assured with proper nutrition and careful care of horses of the described breed.

* Prices are for September 2018