A brief history of the shire horse.
The history of the horse began 70 million years ago, with a minute, terrier-sized, four-toed animal. Two types of horse developed. One was the slender racing horse, while the other was the large, heavy horse which carried armoured knights into battle in the Middle Ages and was subsequently used for farm work.
The height of the horse is measured in 'hands' (ten centimetres) from behind the shoulders to the ground.
The Shire Horse, which can be over 17 hands high, is the heaviest of the draught breeds, weighing more than a tonne. It is usually brown, bay or black, with feathered legs and originates from Belgium.
The Clydesdale, up to 16 hands, is not quite as massive as the Shire. It has white on its face and legs, and like the Shire, has long silky hair (or 'feathers') on its heels.
The Suffolk Punch, the heavy horse of East Anglia, is always chestnut coloured. Up to 16 hands, it has short legs with no feathers. Its neck is short and powerful.
The fourth heavy breed is the smaller Percheron, originating in France. It is dappled grey and black, with a small head and short, unfeathered legs.
Horse harness is known as tack, short for tackle. The harness buckles and ornaments are brass, and brasses were once worn as charms to reflect away evil spirits. The oldest designs represent pagan symbols, the sun, moon and stars, or Celtic spiral patterns.
Noise was another ancient way of warding off evil, and so bells were added to the harness. The plumes and plaited ribbons worn on special occasions demonstrated the ancestry of the farm horses, by recalling the heraldic decorations which would have adorned the great medieval war horses.
Although heavy horses are no longer widely used for dray and agricultural work, the pride of their owners can be seen in the magnificently turned-out animals both here, at Dan-yr-Ogof, and at horse shows throughout the world. |
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