| Shires The breed that got me hooked |
wasn't for sale. That peaked the interest that became a passion! So I
immediatly went and started researching this amazing breed. So here is the
info on my favorite breed!
Shires were originally bred to carry knights into battle so they had to be a
large horse, that could handle the weight of the knight and all of his
equipment, have a quiet temperment to deal with the chaos of war, and
hardy enough to deal with the terrain. The Shires then were used by
farmers to do all the day to day work before the invention of tractors. They
are most definitely a pulling horse and even today the most commonly seen
discipline is Shires in cart. Unfortunately when tractors were invented the
Shire saw an absoultely massive decline in numbers, so much so that
Clydesdale blood had to be infused into the Shire to keep the breed going.
Thanks to the breeders that loved these animals they kept the breed going so
our generation and future generations can enjoy these majestic animals!
Today the Shires numbers are approximated to be less than 10,000 horses
WORLDWIDE and are listed as a Critical Breed in danger of extinction!
The Shire is moreso than ever in trouble here in the US with breeders
starting to put their Shire mares in foal to Gypsies for Drum offspring. This
is why I have decided to not breed any of my Shire mares to Gypsies, I will
continue to use the Clydes for the Drum production. GOOD SHIRE
MARES NEED TO BE CREATING MORE SHIRE BABIES!!! With the
Shires numbers so small, they need all of our help to continue this breed!
Today the Shire comes in a range of colors, the colors being black, bay, and
grey are the most common and most acceptable. Generally their legs have
white and white on the face is also common. Shires were once the tallest
horse breed, now they range anywhere from 16.2hh to well over 19 hands
and they weigh in around a ton. The most important thing that sets Shires
apart from Belgians and Percherons is the hair (feather). It should start at
the carpus and hocks (essentially the knees) and be straight and silky to the
ground. Overtime the Shire has had a drastic decrease in amount of
feathering on the legs which is sad as that is a breed trait. Heidi has done a
phenomenal job with Adrianna and Avril in producing heavy feather! A
very important trait of draft horses in general is their hind leg "set". Draft
horses back legs turn out slightly, this is NOT a flaw, it is to help pull the
heavy loads. A "perfect set" in Shires is when the back legs come together
at the hocks and go straight down together. When judges judge a Shire
class they are looking for this set. The pictures at right show off Heidi's set.
It is almost picture perfect (she has her right foot a little too far forward,
but that is what judges are looking for). As with all horses they must be
perfectly balanced and not have any huge conformational flaws.
They are one of the quietest breeds I have worked with. They are known
as the "Gentle Giants" even though most Shire breeders do not like that
phrase because they are not all gentle...they are still very large horses and
are still a prey animal and can cause serious bodily harm if not dealt with
properly. They are extremely willing and are always willing to please their
human counterparts. Shires have excelled in and out of the ring. Shire are
most commonly shown doing hitch work (pulling carts) and can be seen solo
all the way up to an 8 horse hitch. Shires are also being proven as
spectacular riding mounts. Riding is my favorite thing to do with them.
Shires can also be seen at 4-H events, out on trails, pulling carts in the city,
just about anywhere.
My goal here at Shiredale is to breed only the best to the best. Heidi has got
the bloodlines in her backround (Deighton Commodore and Ladbrook
Aristocrat are two of the biggest names) so want to continue putting her with
horses that compliment her and will create the ultimate Shire. Heidi is in
foal for 2011, but after that foal, she will be retired, letting Adrianna and
Avril take over. Maddie is pretty well beyond her reproducing years, we
may try for an ET foal in 2010. Faye is a new mare here at Shiredale that
has been bred to Joey in 2010 and she brings in some new highly respected
Shire blood! Avril and Adrianna will join the broodmare crew when they
are of age! Below are pictures of some of my favorite Shires. Enjoy!
immediatly went and started researching this amazing breed. So here is the
info on my favorite breed!
Shires were originally bred to carry knights into battle so they had to be a
large horse, that could handle the weight of the knight and all of his
equipment, have a quiet temperment to deal with the chaos of war, and
hardy enough to deal with the terrain. The Shires then were used by
farmers to do all the day to day work before the invention of tractors. They
are most definitely a pulling horse and even today the most commonly seen
discipline is Shires in cart. Unfortunately when tractors were invented the
Shire saw an absoultely massive decline in numbers, so much so that
Clydesdale blood had to be infused into the Shire to keep the breed going.
Thanks to the breeders that loved these animals they kept the breed going so
our generation and future generations can enjoy these majestic animals!
Today the Shires numbers are approximated to be less than 10,000 horses
WORLDWIDE and are listed as a Critical Breed in danger of extinction!
The Shire is moreso than ever in trouble here in the US with breeders
starting to put their Shire mares in foal to Gypsies for Drum offspring. This
is why I have decided to not breed any of my Shire mares to Gypsies, I will
continue to use the Clydes for the Drum production. GOOD SHIRE
MARES NEED TO BE CREATING MORE SHIRE BABIES!!! With the
Shires numbers so small, they need all of our help to continue this breed!
Today the Shire comes in a range of colors, the colors being black, bay, and
grey are the most common and most acceptable. Generally their legs have
white and white on the face is also common. Shires were once the tallest
horse breed, now they range anywhere from 16.2hh to well over 19 hands
and they weigh in around a ton. The most important thing that sets Shires
apart from Belgians and Percherons is the hair (feather). It should start at
the carpus and hocks (essentially the knees) and be straight and silky to the
ground. Overtime the Shire has had a drastic decrease in amount of
feathering on the legs which is sad as that is a breed trait. Heidi has done a
phenomenal job with Adrianna and Avril in producing heavy feather! A
very important trait of draft horses in general is their hind leg "set". Draft
horses back legs turn out slightly, this is NOT a flaw, it is to help pull the
heavy loads. A "perfect set" in Shires is when the back legs come together
at the hocks and go straight down together. When judges judge a Shire
class they are looking for this set. The pictures at right show off Heidi's set.
It is almost picture perfect (she has her right foot a little too far forward,
but that is what judges are looking for). As with all horses they must be
perfectly balanced and not have any huge conformational flaws.
They are one of the quietest breeds I have worked with. They are known
as the "Gentle Giants" even though most Shire breeders do not like that
phrase because they are not all gentle...they are still very large horses and
are still a prey animal and can cause serious bodily harm if not dealt with
properly. They are extremely willing and are always willing to please their
human counterparts. Shires have excelled in and out of the ring. Shire are
most commonly shown doing hitch work (pulling carts) and can be seen solo
all the way up to an 8 horse hitch. Shires are also being proven as
spectacular riding mounts. Riding is my favorite thing to do with them.
Shires can also be seen at 4-H events, out on trails, pulling carts in the city,
just about anywhere.
My goal here at Shiredale is to breed only the best to the best. Heidi has got
the bloodlines in her backround (Deighton Commodore and Ladbrook
Aristocrat are two of the biggest names) so want to continue putting her with
horses that compliment her and will create the ultimate Shire. Heidi is in
foal for 2011, but after that foal, she will be retired, letting Adrianna and
Avril take over. Maddie is pretty well beyond her reproducing years, we
may try for an ET foal in 2010. Faye is a new mare here at Shiredale that
has been bred to Joey in 2010 and she brings in some new highly respected
Shire blood! Avril and Adrianna will join the broodmare crew when they
are of age! Below are pictures of some of my favorite Shires. Enjoy!
The immortal Deighton Commodore, Heidi's sire. He is a horse I would have given anything to meet before his untimely passing. He was
shown over in England at Peterborough and was awarded the Super Premium title. Super Premium is only awarded to a handful of English
horses at a time and are only given to the most impressive horses with the most impressive get. Deighton Commodore is surely no
exception! RIP Commodore!
shown over in England at Peterborough and was awarded the Super Premium title. Super Premium is only awarded to a handful of English
horses at a time and are only given to the most impressive horses with the most impressive get. Deighton Commodore is surely no
exception! RIP Commodore!
The next is Burnham Green Alfie, a recently imported stallion to the USA. He went out and showed once in England and won at Peterborough
which is a HUGE accomplishment since the average class over there is around 30-40 of the best horses (his title was later disallowed due to a
technicality). I really can't fault him and he is the sweetest goofiest boy! Standing at 19 hands he is sure to put height on his babies! Click here
to view Avril, one of his few children! RIP Alfie, Alfie passed away July 29th 2007
which is a HUGE accomplishment since the average class over there is around 30-40 of the best horses (his title was later disallowed due to a
technicality). I really can't fault him and he is the sweetest goofiest boy! Standing at 19 hands he is sure to put height on his babies! Click here
to view Avril, one of his few children! RIP Alfie, Alfie passed away July 29th 2007
<-Perfection?
Darn close!
Darn close!
I will add more Shires as I have more time.
Then there is my girl, Gabby. She gave a new definition to the term gentle giant. She was the sweetest quietest thing ever and stood a tiny
18.2hh! She would put all the horses in their place but wouldn't use any excessive force. Sadly when I got her she was a rescue case but I
would have loved to see her in her prime when her and 7 of her teammates marched around Washington DC. She lived out her remaining days
in peace here, and sadly had to be put down on August 3rd 2006. She will be greatly missed! When I first got into Shires Heidi and Gabby
were my dream horses! Gabby still lives on in spirit.
18.2hh! She would put all the horses in their place but wouldn't use any excessive force. Sadly when I got her she was a rescue case but I
would have loved to see her in her prime when her and 7 of her teammates marched around Washington DC. She lived out her remaining days
in peace here, and sadly had to be put down on August 3rd 2006. She will be greatly missed! When I first got into Shires Heidi and Gabby
were my dream horses! Gabby still lives on in spirit.
Leapley Deighton Cardinal- This is my most favorite Shire boy and has been for YEARS! Unfortuantely (in terms of breeding) he is Heidi's
half brother, he is also sired by the immortal Deighton Commodore (above). He is just SUCH a pretty boy and very correct and has a
LONG list of accomplishments from over in England. He is currently owned by Ox Kill Farm.
half brother, he is also sired by the immortal Deighton Commodore (above). He is just SUCH a pretty boy and very correct and has a
LONG list of accomplishments from over in England. He is currently owned by Ox Kill Farm.
Gronaut Sir Joseph-aka Joey- 2005 Bay Shire Stallion. Heidi and Maddie are in foal to him for 2009 foals. CAN NOT wait to see his kidlets,
they are sure to set the Shire world on fire! *Update 3/30/09* Joey's first two Shire foals have been born and they are both nothing short of
spectacular!!! Adrianna is Joey's first and she is absolutely perfect! Joey's second is a very flashy black colt that is sure to take the Shire world
by storm! This young stallion is already REALLY proving himself by putting VERY high quality stock on the ground! Look for Adrianna and
Jayden (Joey's colt) at shows this fall!
they are sure to set the Shire world on fire! *Update 3/30/09* Joey's first two Shire foals have been born and they are both nothing short of
spectacular!!! Adrianna is Joey's first and she is absolutely perfect! Joey's second is a very flashy black colt that is sure to take the Shire world
by storm! This young stallion is already REALLY proving himself by putting VERY high quality stock on the ground! Look for Adrianna and
Jayden (Joey's colt) at shows this fall!
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I guess the appropriate title would be the mare that got
me hooked on the breed! I first saw Heidi while doing
an internet search back in 2000, it was love at first sight!
She was my dream horse, a beautiful bay mare, but she
me hooked on the breed! I first saw Heidi while doing
an internet search back in 2000, it was love at first sight!
She was my dream horse, a beautiful bay mare, but she
Heidi and Avril on April 10th 2007 (Avril just hours old!
Heidi and Adrianna on February 23rd 2009, Adrianna just hours old!
Barval April May- Dam to Annie
Gladwin Lucky Grey Lady- Gracie- Dam to Faye
Black Forest Ideal Moonshadow- Moon- Gabby's son by Ideal
Earnshaw Ideal- Sire to Faye, D'Artagnan & Moon
Links to fellow Shire Breeders
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