T HE S HI RE HORS E

I N PE ACE AND WA R

B Y ALB RT F J . E ROST

L O N D O N

V 8c O M Y LT D . INTON C PAN ,

’ 8 B REA B a s AN E M S v m c H RY AN C . CE E . , , C L ,

I 9 1 S

PRE FACE

DURI NG the past year I have seen enquiries for a b o o k on the management of Shire Horses ; therefore I have made an attempt to supply the want . That the result leaves much— very much — to be desired I am well aware , but at least the little work is free from fine phrases and technical terms . Farmers prefer practical advice to literary merit in any book , or paper, that they read , and

o ne o f o wn this is written by their class . For six months E ngland has been engaged in war, the most awful yet waged for the

n reaso that half the world is involved in it . I t naturally follows that little is read but war news . Consequently these pages will be regarded as dull and uninteresting by those who have become accustomed to thrilling stories from battlefields , seas , or skies . PRE FACE By those who take an interest in the

’ o f world s heaviest breed horses, as well as war news , this book may be tolerated , seeing

' ' that it deals with the o ld War H orse o f

Britain , many true descendants being actively engaged in moving ' tons and guns at the I present time . make no claim to having written anything new, but as a kind of pocket

o f record what Shire breeders , and exhibitors, have hitherto accomplished with their animals the facts herein contained may be useful , and I hope that all readers , as well as Shire breeders , will forgive any inaccuracies in my figures and all the imperfections in this my

- first attempt at book writing .

1 8 I f I n 99 won a small prize, of ered by an agricultural paper for a short article en

' ' R - I titled ent Paying H orses , which tried to point out were Shire Horses . Since then I have contributed a little to the live stock

o n papers the same subject, including an

’ article for the F armer and S locééreeaer Year

B ook 1 06 of 9 , which is reprinted by the PRE FAC E v ii

’ editor s permission . It was over the initials

' ' S . H . which mean Shire Horse Lover . I have been that from my school days , but never a greater one than now .

A LB E R F . T R OS T J .

THE OM T D H ES EA ,

TCH Y UCK . BLE LE , B S

anuar 1 1 . j y, 9 5

F o r figures and quotations I am indebted to the Stud Books and Catalogues of the Shire Horse Society ; the Journals o f the

Royal Agricultural Society of E ngland ; to

Li ve S foeé articles on Shire Horses , in the

/ ' a . a lman c . am 71 A . y , by the late Mr G M

Sexton (who died in and his successor,

Mr . A . C . Beck ; also to the late Sir

’ Tae r t e Gilb e s o n G ea Hom Walter y book , 8 published in 1 99 .

A F J . . .

CONTE NTS

C HA PT E R AUTH OR’S PRE FACE A POPULAR BREED FOUNDIN G A S TUD THE SELECTION OF SIRES ' BREEDIN G FROM FILLIES TEAM WORK REARIN G AND FEEDIN G CARE OF TH E FEET Ho w To S H OW A S H IRE ORI G IN AND PROGRESS OF T H E S H IRE

FACTS AND FI GURES . HI G H PRICES A F E W RECORDS

UDG T TH O DO S H S H OW J ES A E L N N IRE S, 1 890— 1 9 1 5 T H E EX PORT TRADE PROMINENT PRESENT-D AY S TUDs T H E FUTURE OUTLOOK I NDE x

I LLU S TRATI ONS

’ STALLION : C H AMPION S GOALK EEPER F aci ng Title Page

MARE : PAILTON S ORAI S F acing Page 1

T HE S HI RE HO RS E I N PE A C E A N D WA R

CHAPT E R I

A POPULAR B REED

T I I E RE is no breed o f hors es which has attracted so much attention during the past E thirty years as the Old nglish War Horse . Originally bred and preserved for fighting purposes , his size was increased by importa tions of stallions and mares from Flanders famous now and henceforth as the battleground of the greatest war ever waged . I n the days when heavy armour was worn the cavalry horse could hardly be too stout, and at that time ploughing was performed by oxen ; but there c ame aday when the E nglish knights dis carded their coats o f mail and thenceforward

f r - sought o light legged mounts . This gave the ' ' horses bred in the Shires a chance to dis tin uis h u e g themselves as dra ght hors s, for

B 2 T HE S H I RE H ORS E

o f which their width chest, short legs, and strong back were well adapted : so the War H orse o f the olden days became the Old E a nglish C rt Horse . Farmers — particularly Robert Bakewell d iscovered that they could do double, or treble , the quantity o f ploughing with a pair of these heavy horses that they could with an o x team therefore d raught horses superseded bullocks fo r agricultural and haulage purposes, which meant that they were bred for weight and s ubstance, the biggest and heaviest being regarded as the best . Pedigrees o f these massive animals were kept by a few progressive breeders from the 1 800 year , at least ; therefore it was not difficult to compile a stud book fo r this Old E nglish breed when a society, to protect its interests,

1 8 8 and promote its breeding, was formed in 7

o f by a body admirers , among whom the late

Gilb e was Sir Walter y conspicuous . I ncluded

E o f E E were also the arl llesmere, arl Spencer ,

E o f Lord Wantage, Lord gerton Tatton , the

H n E - o . ' dward Coke, M r. Chandos Pole Gel , Mr . Anthony H amond , and Messrs . George

R . H and Frederic Street, while H . . the Prince A POPU LAR B RE E D 3 o f Wales (King E dward VI I ) was a keen supporter of the Shire Horse Society from its inception . All o f those named have passed away ; b ut not before they had seen their efforts bear rich fruit in the rapid establishment of the gind us try

o f Shire Horse breeding at home , and the

- world wide fame achieved by the breed abroad ,

s o f but particularly in the United State America, to which country the majority of those exported

have been sent . Great changes have occurred since the E ’ H on . . Coke s dispersion sale at Longford

1 88 H all, Derby, in October, 9 , this being the

first of which the writer possesses a catalogue .

I t was caused by his death , and his stud manager went from thence to take charge of the Royal Stud o f Shires at Sandringham for E King dward, who proved to be a very

successful breeder . Two champion mares ,

Gloaming and Solace, were bred , and more than one successful sale held at Sandringham ’ in the nineties of last century, a decade during which it became the fashion fo r landowners and wealthy men to own a stud of Shires so that they almost tumbled over each other to 4 T HE SH I RE H ORSE secure the most notable specimens for their ’ s E stud . (The last sale of King dward s Shires was held at Wolferton in The result was a reign of high prices which led many farmers to believe that Shire H orse breeding was beyond the reach of their pockets . Stud sales to the number of ten or twelve were held

1 8 0 1 0 2 each year from 9 to 9 , when the total

o f 8 was fourteen and the number Shires sold 5 3 , t after which they began to , dwindle till the pas

o f 1 1 year 9 4 , during which there was not a single home sale . To an outsider this might be taken to prove that the love and enthusiasm fo r the

E o ut Old nglish breed had fizzled , that the Shire had been ' weighed in the balances and ' found wanting . Nothing could be further from the truth . The last home sale held was the most successful that ever took place .

—two Thirty animals, including several yearlings, R ’ averaged 75 4 5 4 each at Lord othschild s sale o n 1 1 1 o ne - - February 4th , 9 3 , two year old colt, ’ Champion s Goalkeeper, making the record

o f price for a Shire guineas . After this o ne may well wonder why such a good method o f h selling has been abandoned . T e chief A POPU LAR B RE E D 5 reason is that the industry is no longer confined

to those who live in mansions , or think

fi nanciall — in t y thousands . I t has become par o f the routine o f hundreds o f E nglish tenant

farmers to rear Shire horses, and as they have only a few animals to offer at one time the Repository Sale has superseded the H ome

gathering, helpful though these fraternal meetings have always proved to the breed ’ s

interests .

o f As before stated, most those who held

s o f ales have gone the way all flesh , but besides those already named may be mentioned Sir

z P . A . Munt , Lord Llangattock , Mr . John

Parnell, M r . Fred Crisp, Mr . Philo L . Mills, E A R M r. J ames adie, M r. rthur ansom , and

. . . B . Mr J A arrs All of these were buyers , o f breeders, and exhibitors the best in their

day, together with others too numerous to

mention .

The loss of these supporters has, however,

ne w been made good by ones , more numerous , if less influential therefore the Shire breeding industry has never been on a broader base than it is tod ay . These lines are being written when horses 6 T HE SH I RE H ORS E are in greater demand for war purposes than they have ever been before in the world ’ s u a history, and altho gh the Shire has for gener tions been transformed into a peace , rather

e than a war, horse he has not escaped the notic of the army buyer . We have it on the best authority— that of the official auctioneer to the Shire Horse Society— that ' many a pure bred Shire mare and gelding are no w pulling heavy guns and transport waggons in France and Belgium , besides which nearly all the best ' gunners are by Shire stallions . I t is scarcely necessary to point out that the best Shires of this period weigh over o ne to n o u , and to pull weight y must have weighty animals ; therefore these massive modern cart horses are just as useful in hauling heavy f guns , the most e fective weapons in modern warfare, as their ancestors were in carrying the bold British knights cased from head to foot in steel armour . — n But war, though it lasts long too lo g comes to an end , and when this one does horses will be wanted in thousands to make Up for those lost by the eight or nine nations f r no w fighting o their existence .

CH A PT E R I I FOUNDING A STUD

A s this little book is intended fo r farmers more

fo r than stud owners, a better heading for this ' ' chapter would have been Selecting the Dams,

no for without sound , useful mares breeder can hope to achieve success with the horses he breeds . ’ I t has been possible to grade up one s o ld stock o f mares by using registered stallions u ntil they were eligible fo r the Stud Book ; but this is too tedio us a course to recommend in these days ; moreover, the demand for draught mares is no w so keen that the difference in the price o f a pedigree and a common non - pedigree mare is scarcely worth considering . Therefore the beginner who wishes to breed pedigree Shires should dispose o f his unre giste red mares to re - invest his money in femal e s w hich are worth mating with a

o f really good sire, so that the full benefits FO U ND I NG A S T U D 9 the industry may be more quickly forth

coming . Of course there is awide range of choice in Shire mares consequently there is plenty o f scope for the skill and judgment o f the purchaser. Those which are fashionably bred , perfectly sound and likely to make prize winners usually realize high prices , while prizes already w o n add considerably to the market

o f value any Shire, male or female . One must decide according to his means whether he will launch out and buy o ne o r two of the most famous mares to be Obtained , o r e wheth r he will proceed cautiously , and with as little outlay as possible, by picking up useful specimens as they come under his notice ; but it may be pointed out that the man who attends sales and gives sensational prices advertises himself, thus getting a more favourable start than the plodder.

n The initial , or foundatio , stock, whatever un its cost , should be free from hereditary w soundness, other ise disappointment will be

encounte red in the offs pring . I t is much more easy to find sound Shires now than it was in the early years of the Shire I O T HE SH I RE H ORS E

un Horse Society, when the rejections for w soundness were very numerous, as the follo ing extract from a show report o f the pas t will prove The judges selected ten horses to be sent out for veterinary inspection in the hope, it vain though proved to be , that at least half o f them would be again found in the ring with

o f f a certificate soundness , so that no di ficulty would be experienced in securing sufficient sound animals to which they could award the

m No t three prizes and the reserve nu ber . so, however and the stewards were compelled to seek in the boxes for other horses to be sent out for examination in order that the rosettes ' might be placed . Unsoundness o n such a scale has long

f o f ceased to exist , largely through the ef orts the Shire Horse Society in sticking to their rule o f giving prizes and commendations to s o und animals only . This does not imply that unsoundness

o f - cannot be found in the Shires to day .

Unfortunately it is still possible to buy a mare, o r use a stallion , with undesirable and readily

inherited complaints ; therefore it is very meces ' sary for farme rs — who wish to make their FO U NDI NG A S T U D I I

Shires do a share towards paying the rent— to discriminate between a sound and an unsound

fo r horse, or mare, or to decide himself whether to take or refuse a blemished animal . There are many o f the latter which Often prove a

n good investment, and as a veterinary surgeo cannot al ways be found at a moment ’ s notice it is desirable for breeders to make themselves acquainted with the conformation o f a sound and perfectly moulded animal , so as to be able ’ to rely on one s o wn judgment when buying o r selling. Shire Horse history has proved that the purchase of o ne sound mare with good back breeding has led to fame and fortune, a fact which should no t be forgotten when home breeding is being embarked upon or extended . CHAPTE R I I I

THE SELECTION OF SIRES

T I—I E question of mating is o ne o f great im portance in the breeding o f any class of live

o f c o m stock , hence the necessity rejecting a mo nplace sire w hether he is to be purchased o r only patronized for nominations . The cheap sire is common enough even in these days , and the fact that his services cost little gives him a popularity altogether um merited and very injurious to the best interests f o Shire breeding . Quite recently I saw twenty quarters of wheat delivered by a small

o ne farmer from whom it was purchased . I n o f the carts I was surprised to find afi ve -year o ld stallion , light in bone, pale chestnut in — colour, and quite small just the sort to haul ' ' guns o r baggage to the front at the present time, but obviously unfit to serve a mare if a weighty cart horse was expected as the result . Y e t the owner claimed to have got a lot of T HE S E LE CTI ON O F SI RE S 1 3

mares to this horse for the past two seasons . This sort of thing going o n all over the

country, naturally lowers the standard . A farmer saves a yearling colt because he ' likes ' o ld the look of it . At two years he uses him on his o wn mares and invites his neighbours

to send theirs , the terms being something like ' 1 £ each mare, or, perhaps , No colt, no pay ,

1 1 05 . and £ if the mare proves to be in foal . Such a system o f breeding may help to

increase the horse population , and those bred in this haphazard fashion may find a ready

market while a great war is in progress, but it is not Shire breeding in the true sense ; therefore a farmer who possesses even a use ful mare should not Object to paying a reason ’ able service fee , or, if he uses his neighbour s if horse, he should at least ascertain he is

sound and of good parentage. The work of the Shire Horse Society is to ' improve the Old E nglish Breed of Cart ' - H orses . It has been carried on for thirty six

years very successfully , notwithstanding the injurious effect wrought by such stallions as

that above mentioned, and it rests with the present members of the Shire Horse Society 1 4 T HE SH I RE H ORSE

h to carry on the work whic , as aforesaid, was s o well begun and maintained by such men as

G lb e all the late Sir Walter i y, to whom lovers o f Shire Horses are indebted for his book o n ' ' The Great H orse, which gives the history of the breed from the time of the Roman I nvasion till the year 1 8 89 (when the first d edition of the book appeared) , at which ate Shire Horse breeding had become a great

national industry , that year having been the best o n record for the number of export

certificates granted . A second edition brings the work up to 1 8 9 9 . When wealthy stud owners place the best of stallions Within the reach of tenant farmers it is

a mistake to miss the opportunity, but those less

fortunately placed are now able, if they desire to

o f do so, to profit by the Development Grant

to the State, which enables them to get mares sound— if not front rank— stallions at lo w fees o r by assisted nominations . That a horse breeder should be content to mate his mares with a mongrel when it is easily possible to aim higher seems difficult to u nderstand in these days when pedigree means so much in market

value.

1 6 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

comes into the yard , rather than send further afield to a better animal is inexcusable in a

member Of the Shire H orse Society, neither is such an o ne likely to improve his financial posi

tion by means of his heavy horses , which large numbers of farmers have done during the

depressed times . An extra five pounds for a s ervice fee may be, and often is, fifty when the

foal is sold . C HAPTE R I V

BREEDING FROM F 1LL1E S

FOR many years it has been a debatable point whether two -year-old fillies should be bred from

o r . not The pros and cons have been discussed , and in the end Shire breeders have used thei r wn n o discretion o the point . Superior animals have, however, been bred from youthful parents o n a e both sides , a not ble instance b ing the late ’ Lord Wantage s Lady Victoria ; her sire was R Prince William , the London and oyal Cham n w pio , and her dam Glo , by the London f Champion Spark . She was the first foal o a t wo - - Wi - - fo r year old colt, th a two year old filly

e t - her dam , y she made a great prize winning in mare, having won first and cup in London 1 889 and championship Of the Ox fordshire Show in 1 890 . t d It may also be mentioned that Busco Harol ,

o f 1 8 8 the London Champion stallion 9 , was

e his s Markeat n R begotten wh n ire, o oyal C 1 8 T HE S H I RE H ORS E

- - u H arold , was but a two year old colt, altho gh

his dam , Aurea, was older. At two years old he was preferred to his sire fo r the E lsenham

Challenge Cup . This proves that Shire breeders have been

o f making good use fillies for many years, therefore the produce of a three-year - old filly n no t eed be rejected, neither should the nurs ing of a foal at that age necessarily result in a

o r . ne ce s stunted plain mare I t is, however, sary to gro w fillies along with the aid Of supple mentary food and to ' do both them and their

foals well while they are suckling . There is no doubt that the Shires o f the prese nt day do get more food and attention un than they did in bygone days, when it was

S i necessary to strive after showyard ze , because

the shows did not exist in such numbers, so that farmer who exhibited cart horses was rarely me t w ith , and young horse stock were not fed to

S O encourage size and growth . long as they could be put into the team at three years old

and mated at four, that was considered early

o r enough to work to breed . At the present time the horse population of E e Great Britain and urope , if not of the whol B RE E D I NG FRO M FI LL I E S 1 9

a o f world, is being reduced by the gre test all

wars, consequently it is desirable for Shire breeders to do their share towards making

good the shortage . I f fillies are well kept from birth they will attain size and may be

mated at two years Old to a young horse , but

no t too early in the season . The end of May

is early enough for fillies, and a big heavy o ld horse should not be chosen under any

circumstances . I f served at the right time they are more likely to breed than fillies a

o f f year older, and it makes a lot dif erence whether a five -year-Old mare has a couple o f

o ne sons and daughters or even to her credit, o r f t no of spring at all , when the profi and loss

account is being made up by a farmer. I t may be that a three-year - old cannot be got into a fat state for show with a foal running

by her side, but the prolonged rest at that age d oes her no harm . She will come up all right a at a l ter period , and is more likely to make a regular breeder than if no t mated till three

o ld years . A mare which breeds from the age o f three till she is fifteen is a great help in the w a o f u y prod ction , even if she only averages

o ne foal in two years , which is, perhaps , as 20 THE SH I RE H O RS E many as it is safe to reckon o n for reari ng to m o f aturity , although , course , there are plenty o f mares which have produced a good foal for ten or eleven years in succession . They will ’ - five s breed till they are twenty , to the writer knowledge, but the average age at which Shire mares breed their last foal must be put some where round fifteen . There is no doubt that we have learned much in horse management since shows have become so popular, although it may be that high feeding for show purposes has been— and is — the cause o f a lower percentage o f foals

o f among high class show animals both sexes . T o prepare fillies for mating at two years o ld may be compared to feeding for early

e maturity in cattle and sheep , exc pt that many o f the latter are only grown and fattened to be w killed, hereas Shires are meant to live a long

u and usef l life . I t is, therefore, necessary to w build up a frame with this idea in vie . An out d door life should be led , while the food shoul d be both goo and sufficient, as well as being

suitable .

There is no time to be wasted , and if foals are allowed to get into low condition while B RE E DI NG FROM FI LLI E S 2 1

o r being weaned , during their first winter, they are less fit to make robust two -year-Olds fi t

w o r d o r either to ork to bree , what is more

o f profitable, to accomplish both these tasks

o f together during part the year . I f early maturity is aimed at with any clas s n of stock , feedi g and management must be

f e o the best, ther fore farmers who half starve their foals and allow their yearlings to be wintered o n a bit o f hay must no t expect their t wo -year-olds to be well grown and in the best possible condition for parental duties . The situation at the present time is such that every horse -breeder should do his best to utilize to the full the horse stock which he

f o f possesses, so that a su ficient number hors es may be Obtained to carry o n the agriculture

o f o f ar and trade the country, both which e likely to require horses in large numbers in the immediate future . Mares will be relatively more scarce than stallions for the reason that the latter have not ' ' fo r been commandeered war purposes, but as geldings have been taken in large numbers ,

n fo r there is, and will be, a great dema d workers

e Of all grad s . 2 2 T HE SH I RE H O RS E Under such circumstances Shire breeders may serve their o wn interests by mating their fillies with a good young sire at two years old and keeping them in good condition for pro d uc ing a strong vigorous foal . Very few o f R ’ obert Bakewell s remarks are recorded, but ' o f this one is, The only way to be sure good offspring is to have good cows as well as good ' bulls , and this applies with equal, if not greater, force in the b usiness o f horse -breeding ; the sire

ff o f cannot e ect the whole the improvement.

24 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

w nothing against, so far as I kno , unless they

- d o r are over worked , straine , stunted . A non -breeding mare which will not work

o f o n is an impossible, or useless , sort animal a farm , where mere ornaments are not required , whereas if she is a worker in all gears she is ' ’ ' d anybody s mare on the other han , she is ’ nobody s if she refuses either to work o r to d bree . Geldings for haulage purposes are always in demand , but big powerful mares are equally

fo r and useful the same purpose , it is much better to sell a non -breeder for the lorry than to sell her for another breeder to meet with disappointment . I t is obvious that there will be a great scarcity o f weighty worki ng horses when the countries now involved in war settle down to peaceful trades and occupations , and there is no country which stands to benefit

n w o f more than Great Britai , hich is the best all breeding grounds for draught horses . w w To allo , what would other ise be, a useful worker to eat the b read o f idleness because it was regarded as too well bred o r valuable to wear a collar is not a policy to pursue or t d a s o recommen , especially to f rmers, eeing TE AM W ORK 25 that the arable land tenant can put a colt into the team , between two steady horses at a o f lmost any time the year, while the occupiers o f grass farms may easily start their young Shires as workers by hitching

o r them to a log of wood some chain harrows , and afterwards work them in a roll .

There is no doubt, whatever, that many stallions would leave a much higher percentage ' ' o f foals if they were broken in during their

- - two year old days , so that they would take naturally to work when they grew older and could therefore be relied upon to work and

thus keep down superfluous fat. This would be far better than allowing them to spend something like nine months o f the year in a box o r small paddock with nothing to do

but eat . I n past times more working stallions could

be found , and they were almost invariably good

stock getters, but since showing has become p opular it is almost a general rule to keep

- o r - well bred , prize winning, colts quite clear o f the collar lest they should work themselves down in condition and so fail to please possible

o - t f S d buyers n the look o u o r how can idates . 26 T HE S H I RE H ORS E A little more than twenty years ago there w was an outcry against sho condition in Shires, and this is what a very eminent breeder of those days said on the subject of fat

' I t is a matter of no consequence to any One o r , save their owners , when second third class horses are laden with blubber ; but it is a national calamity when the best animals th ose that ought to be the proud sires and dams o f an ever- improvi ng race— are stuffed with treacle and drugged with poisons in order to compete successfully with their inferiors . e H enc come fever in the feet, diseased livers , o f fatty degeneration the heart, and a host o f ailments that often shorten the lives of their w ' victims and al ays injure their constitutions .

This bears o ut my contention that Shires o f both sexes would pay for a course o f

ho w training in actual collar work , no matter blue -blooded as regards ancestry o r ho w

S promising for the how ring. The fact that a colt by a London champion had been seen

o r o f in the plough team , between a pair

no t shafts, would detract from his value in

o f o r b e the eyes a judge, prevent him from

n a comi g weighty and muscular horse ; in fact, T E AM W ORK 27 it would tend to the development o f the arms and thighs which o ne expects to find in a

Shire stallion , and if from any cause a stud o r o ne show career is closed , a useful at honest work may still be carried on . Wealthy stud owners can afford to pay grooms to exercise their horses , but farmers fi nd — and are more than ever likely to fi nd that it is necessary to make the best possible

o f me n use their ; therefore , if their colts and fillies are put to work and rendered perfectly a tractable, they will grow up as st llions which may be worked instead of bei ng aimlessly d exercise , while the mares can spend at least half o f their li ves in helping to carry o n the

o f ordinary work the farm . I t is certainly worth while to take pains to train a young Shire, which is worth rearing at all , to lead from its foalhood days so that it is always approachable if required fo r show or

e fo r sale, and these early lessons pr pare it the time when it is old enough to put its shoulders into the collar this being done with far less risk than it I S in the case o f youngsters which have been turned away and neglected

o ld till they are three years . The breaking 28 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

t n in of this class of col takes time and stre gth , while the task of getting a halter o n is no

o ne light , and the whole business of lungeing, handling, and harnessing requires more brute force and courage than the docile animal trained in infancy calls for. The secret of training any horse is to keep it n from knowing its own stre gth ; therefore, if it is taught to lead before it is strong enough to break away , and to be tied up before it can break the headc o llar by hanging back it is obvious that less force is required . The horse which finds he can break his halter by hangi ng back is likely to become a troublesome animal

o ne to stand tied up, while the which throws its rider two o r three times does not forget that it is possible to get a man o ff its back ; therefore it is better and safer if they never

o wn gain such knowledge of their powers . The Shire breeding farmer ought to be able to go 'into his ' field and put a halter on ld any animal required , from a foal to an o

d o horse , and he can this if they have been treated with kindness and handled from their

early days . This is amatter to which many farmers TE AM W OR K 29

v should gi e more attention than they do, see ing that an ill -trained show animal may lose a prize for no other reason than that its S how manners are faulty, whereas those of the nearest rival are perfect. The writer was taught this while showing w at a County Sho very early in his career. The animal he was leading was— like himself

rather badly educated , and this was noticed by o ne of the oldest and best judges o f that day, and this is what he whispered in his ear,

o u My lad, if y would only spend your time training your horses instead o f going to cricket they would do you more credit and win more '

. v n prizes This ad ice I have never forgotte , and I pass it o n fo r the benefit o f t hose who ' ' e have y t to learn the ropes . CH A PTE R VI

REARING A ND FEEDING

DURING the past fe w years we have heard much about early maturity with all kinds o f

- - stock . F o ur year old bullocks are rarely seen in these days, while wether sheep are being superseded by tegs . With Shire Horses there has been a considerable amount of attention

- - paid to size in yearlings , two and three year

as Olds, which , before stated , is equivalent to early maturity in the case o f cattle and

o f an sheep . For the purpose getting size m animal must be well fed fro birth , and this

. o f applies to foals Of course , the date birth counts for a good deal when foals are shown w ith their dams , as it does to a less extent w ith yearlings , but after that age it makes very little difference whether a foal is born in

F o r ebruary in May. From a farmer ’s point of View I do not believe in getting Shire foals too early . They

3 2 THE S H IRE HORSE

set up , which a very young foal often succumbs to . I t is better that the mare should have too little than too much ‘ milk while the youngster gets fairly on his legs . Cows always have most of their milk taken away, but young lambs as well as foals often ’ suffer through taking too much o f the dam s milk during the first day o r two of their exist ence . I f a foal is born during the grazing season the flow of milk can be regulated by keeping the mare in a bare pasture, or shutting her up for part of the day. Supposing that the foal survives the ills

to incidental its early life, and gains in strength w ith the lengthening days , its first dry food w ill be taken when the mare is fed , which she should be , especially if she is either a young o r o ld w an mare , while sho candidates will naturally need something more than grass . The object is to promote steady growth it and maintain good health , and should not b h h b o f l e forgotten t at ‘ Oats are t e est al corn for horses ; therefore no other kind should b e

o n given to a foal , but good grazing land a mare will usually maintain herself and her RE ARI NG AND FE E D I NG 3 3 foal in good condition for a good part of the w summer ithout manger food . I t is towards weaning time that a manger

u is needed , into which should be put cr shed an (not whole) oats, together with equal

o f ff quantity bran and a bit of good cha . At

o f the outset the mare will eat most it, but the foal will benefit by getting richer milk and

o f no w more it, which he can take without any

f o f ill ef ects . I n time he acquires the habit s tanding up to the manger and taking his share . I t is very necessary to see that all foals eat well before they are weaned . The cost o f feeding a foal during its first winter may be roughly reckoned at ten shillings per week , which is made up as follows

a’ s . .

o f 6 0 80 lbs . oats 5 6 b ay 2 0 2 8 bran 1 6 2 8 oat straw 0 9 2 8 carrots 0 3

The bulk o f the hay and all the o at straw

o f should be fed in the form chaff with the oats , bran and carrots (well cleaned and pulped) , the n a very good everyday diet can be formed D 34 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

by mixing the whole together, and one which

few horses will refuse . Of course the items are not reckoned at the extreme prices prevail

1 1 — 1 1 ing in the winter of 9 4 9 5 , but they could

fo r often be bought less, so that it is a fair a verage . I t will be seen that oats form the biggest an part, for the re so aforesaid, that they are

co m better than other kinds of . A little long hay should be given at night — more when there is snow on the ground the other mixture divided into two feeds per

day , morning and evening, unless showing is

' contemplated in the early Spring, when , of

- course, an extra feed will be given at mid day . The fashion has changed during the past w few years as regards hay for horses . Meado

hay is regarded , and rightly so, as too soft, so hard seeds are invariably chosen by grooms o r owners who want value for money. I t is quite easy to ascertain which ahorse likes best by putting some good hard mixture and equally well -gotten meadow hay side by w eat side in front of him . H e ill certainly that first which he likes best, and it will be found to be the harder mixture . The RE ARING AND FE E D I NG 35

quantities mentioned are for foals which lie

o ut o r run on pasture . The best place for winteri ng them is in a

o r paddock field , with a roomy shed open to

. o r the south A yard, walled slabbed on three

sides, the south again being open to the field,

with doors wide enough to admit a cart, is a

very useful addition to the shed , as it is then possible to shut the youngsters in when

necessary .

s Both yard and hed should be kept littered ,

if straw is plentiful , but if not the shed should c o f - ontain a good bedding peat moss litter.

N d b ut o n o overhead racks should be use , one t h e same level as the manger, so that no seeds ’ drop out o f the rack into the colt s eyes . I t will be fo und that foals reared in this

way are healthy and ready for their feed, and they will often prefer to lie full length in the

open than to rest in the shed . To see them f lying quite lat and fast asleep , looking as if

t are dead , is a pretty sure sign tha they s thriving . They will often nore quite loudly,

‘ so that a novice may consider that they are ill . Rock salt should be within reach for them t o . a lick , together with good clean water If 36 THE S HI RE HO RSE

trough is used fo r the latter it should be

o r cleaned out at intervals , and if a pond

ditch is the drinking place , there should be a stone mo nth so as to avoid stalking in the

mud . A healthy horse is a hungry horse , therefore the feed should be cleaned up before

the next is put in . This must be noted in the f case o foals just weaned . Any left over should

be taken away and given to Older horses , so that the little ones receive a sweet and palatable l mea . Condition and bloom may be obtained by adding a small quantity o f boiled barley o r a handful o f linseed meal to the food above

mentioned , while horses lying in should have a boiled linseed and bran mash about once

a week . d I t should be remembered , as before state ,

o r that horses are not like cattle , sheep, pigs , n bei g fattened to be killed . They have a com arative l m p y long life in front of the , so that it

is necessary to build up a good constitution . m Then they may change hands any times , and if they pass from whe re c o o ke d foods and con d ime nts are largely used to where plain food is given they are apt to re fuse it and lose fl esh in RE ARI NG AND FE E D I NG 37

u a conseq ence, thus le ding the new owner to

suppose that he has got a bad bargain . Reference has already been made to the f - and pernicious system o stuffing show animals ,

' n it is nOt often that farmers err in this d irectio . They are usually satisfied with feeding their horses o n sound and wholesome home - grown food without purchasing costly extras to make

their horses into choice feeders . It is always better for the breeder of any class o f stock if the animals he sells give satis

faction to the purchasers , and this is particularly

d r true of Shire horses . A oubtful breeder o one which is not all that it should be may be fattened up and sold at more than its market w value, but the buyer ould not be likely to

go to the same man if he wanted another horse, therefore it is better to gain a reputation for honest dealing and to make every effort to

keep it . I t might be here mentioned that it is not

at all satisfactory to rear a Shire foal by itself,

even if it will stay in its paddock . I t never

thrives as well as when with company , and often stands with its head down looking very mopish

o f and dull , therefo re the rearing Shires is not 38 T HE SH I RE H ORSE

a suitable undertaking for a small holder, although -he may keep agood brood -mare to do most of his work and sell her foal at wean ing time . In the absence of a second foal adonkey is sometimes used as acompanion to a single o ne , but he is a somewhat unsatisfactory play

o ne fellow, therefore the farmer with only had far better sell it straight from the teat, or if he has suitable accommodatio n he should buy

t wo another to lie with it and rear the together .

two o ne Of course, will need more food than , but no more journeys will be required to carry it h . o w to the manger Care should be taken , ever, to buy one quite as good , and if possible

- o ne . better, than the home bred I f they are to make geldings the colour should match , but if for breeding purposes the colour need not necessarily be the same . E xcept for making a working gelding, how I t ever, chestnuts should be avoided . is not a

desirable colour to propagate, so one can breed

enough of that shade without buying one . A remark which may be also made with regard to

- unsound ones , viz . that most horse breeders get

enough of them without buying .

40 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

a second or third -rate young stallion often

o f f causes a good deal trouble , in act, more than he leaves a return for. For the second winter the young Shires still need a bit of help . I f they are to make,

o f or are likely to make, anything out the

common they should be fed liberally, otherwise f a feed of cha f and corn once a day will do,

bit o f ba with a y to munch at night, but it must be good wholesome forage.

During their second spring, or when two

old years , they should be put to work as described in a former chapter, after which they are able at l e ast to earn their keep ; the cost o f rearing on the lin es indicated up to this age will be found to be considerable, so that a good saleable animal is needed to make the business a profitable one but I have kept the

o f w rearing good sound Shires in vie , not crocks or mongrels . The effect o f the war on the cost o f feed ing horses has led the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to issue a leaflet telling horse

o f e fo r owners substitut s oats . When it was l written beans were re atively cheaper, so was - awas m maize, while rice m e l reco mended to RE ARI NG AND FE E DI NG 41:

o f the form part mixture, owing to its lower cost . Those who have fed horses are aware that they do not like any food which is o f a dusty nature . I t sticks in their nostrils, causing

m no t the annoyance, if discomfort, which a e f horse indicates by blowing its nos requently . Any kind o f light meal should therefore be fed either with damp chaff or with pulped roots , well mixed with the feed in the manner described elsewhere . If mangolds have to be

1 to n purchased at £ per , they help to make

who the meals more palatable . The farmer grows a variety o f corn and roots ls usually able to prepare and blend his o w n foods so as to make a diet o n which horses will thrive although oats are scarce . I n Scotland boiled swedes o r turnips are f largely used for arm horses , but coal and u labo r are now scarce as well as horse corn . C H APT E R VI I

CARE OF THE FEET

TH E RE is no part of a Shire to which more attention should be paid than the feet, and it is safe to say that the foot of the present -day cart-horse is infinitely better than were those

o f o r of his ancestors forty, even twenty, years ago . The shape as well as the size has been improved till the donkey-shaped hoof is w rarely met with , at least in sho animals of this breed . I t is al ways advisable to keep the feet o f

- - foals , yearlings, and two year olds attended to w o r no t hether they are required for show , and if they have their feet quietly picked up and the edges rasped , the heels being lowered a little when necessary, the hoof is prevented m fro breaking, and a better and more durable hoof well repays the trouble , moreover the task o f fixing the first s e t o f shoes— which used to be quite a tough j o b fo r the smith CARE OF T HE FE E T 43 when the colts were neglected till they were — three years old is rendered quite easy.

E o n o r xcept for travelling the road , when required for show, there is no advantage in f keeping shoes on young Shires , there ore they

o ff o r should be taken when lying idle, if worked only on soft ground shoes are no t actually necessary.

o r Where several are lying together, even t wo o n , those with shoes may cause ugly

o n wounds their fellows , whereas a kick with

n the naked hoof is Lo t often serious . There is also a possibility that colts turned away to grass with their shoes o n w ill have the re moving neglected , and thus get corns, so that the shoeless hoof is al ways better for young

Shires so lo ng as it is sound and normal . I f

o f not, course , it should be treated accord in l g y.

I n a dry summer, when the ground is

very hard , it may be advisable to use tips

s o that the foot may be preserved , this being especially necessary in the case of thin and

brittle hoofs . F o r growing and preserving good strong feet in Shire horses clay land seems to answer 44 THE S H I RE H ORSE

h - best, seeing that those reared on eavy land farms almost invariably possess tough horn o n which a shoe can be affixed to last till it ut wears o . F o r the purpose of improvi ng weak feet in young Shires turning them out in cool clay d land may be recommende , taking care to assist the growth by keepi ng the heels open so that the frog comes into contact with the ground .

Weakness in the feet has been regarded,

t n and rightly so, as a bad faul in a Shire stallio , therefore good judges have always been par

i ular n t c to put bottoms first whe judging.

o f H orses all kinds have to travel , which they cannot do satisfactorily for any length of time

- Or d if their feet are ill formed disease , and it should be borne in mind that a good o r a bad ' foot can be inherited . No foot, no horse , is an Old and true belief. During the past fe w years farmers have certainly paid more attention to the feet of their young stock.

o f because more them are shown , the remarks o f judges and critics having taught them that a good top cannot atone for poor bottoms, seeing that Shires are not like stationary CARE OF THE FE E T 45

engines, made to do their work standing . They have to spend a good part of their lives o n o r hard roads paved streets, where con

tracted or tender feet quickly come to grief, therefore those who want to produce saleable Shires should select parents with the approved

o f o ff type pedals, and see that those of the spring do not go wrong through neglect o r

mismanagement . There is no doubt that a set o f good feet often places an otherwise moderate Shire above o ne which has other good points but lacks this essential ; therefore all breeders o f Shires should devote time and attention to the pro

duction of sound and saleable bottoms, remem

- ' bering the oft quoted line, The top may come,

the bottom never. I n dise ases of the feet it is those in front which are the most certai n to

go wrong, and it is these which judges and

buyers notice more particularly . I f fever manifests itself it is generally in

t he - - fore feet ; while side bone, ring bone, and

the like are incidental to the front coronets . Clay land has been spoken o f for rearing

a o f Shires, but there are v rious kinds soil in E d nglan , all of which can be utilized as a 46 T HE S H I RE H ORSE breeding ground for the Old E nglish type o f

- cart horses . I n Warwickshire Shires are bred o n free in working red land , H erts a chalky soil pre vails , yet champions abound there ; while very light sandy farms are capable of producing high -class Shires if the farmer thereof sets his

o n the mind getting them , and makes up for poorness o r unsuitability o f the soil by judicious

feeding and careful management . I t may be here stated that an arable farm can be made to produce a good deal more horse forage than one composed wholly of pasture

o n land , therefore more horses can be kept the

former.

o f H eavy crops clovers , mixtures, lucerne, w etc . , can be grown and mo n twice in the season ,

whereas grass can only be cut once . Oats and

o at w stra are necessary, or at least desirable,

o f for the rearing horses , so are carrots, golden

tankard , mangold, etc . consequently an arable land farmer may certainly b e a Shire horse

breeder.

' This is getting away from the subject o f

e feet, however, and it may be return d to by

saying that stable management counts for a,

C H A PT E R VI I I

HOW TO S HOW A SHIRE

A F E W remarks o n the abo ve subject will no t c ome amiss , at least to the uninitiated , for it is tolerably certain that, other things being equal , the candidate for honours which makes the best show w hen it is actually before the judges stands the first chance of securing the honours . I t must not be expected that a colt can be fetched out of a grass field one day and trained well enough to show himself o ff creditably in the ring the next ; and a rough raw colt makes m both itself and its groo look small . Training is properly takes time and patience, and it best

to begin early with the process, from birth

for choice . The lessons need not, and

certainly should not, be either long or severe

at the outset, but just enough to teach the f W youngster what is required o him . hen teaching horses to stand at ' attention they s hould not be made to stretch th emselves out HOW T O S H OW A S H I RE 49 as if they were wanted to reach from o ne side of the ring to the other, neither should they be allowed to stand like an elephant o n a tub . They should be taught to stand squarely on all fours in a becoming and businesslike way . The best place for the groom when a horse is wanted to stand still is exactly in front and facing the animal . The rei n is usually gripped about a foot from the head . Mares can often be allowed a little ' more head , but with stallions it may be better to take hold close to the bit, always remembering to have the loop end o f the rei n in the palm , in case he suddenly rears or ' plunges . The leader should go with his ' horse, or keep step with him , but need not pick up ' in such a manner as to make it appear to bystanders that he is trying to make up for the shortcomings Of his horse . Both horse and man want to practise the performance in the home paddock a good many times before perfection can be reached , and certainly a little time thus spent is better than making a bad show when the critical moment arrives that they are both called o ut to exhibit themselves before a crowd of critics . E 5 0 T HE S H I RE H ORSE I f well trained the horse will respond to

the call of the judges with only a word, and no whip or stick need be used to get it through

the required walks and trots, or back to its l p ace in the rank . There is a class of men who would profit by giving a little time to training young horse s f tock , and that is the armers who breed but

S w do not ho . Of course, professional show men (as they are sometimes called) prefer to ' o n buy their gems in the rough , and put the polish themselves , and then take the profits u for so doing . But why sho ld not the breeder make his animals show to their very best , and so ge t a better price into his own pocket

Finally, I would respectfully suggest that if some of the horse show societies were to

- zi e have a horse showing competition , . give prizes to the men who showed o ut a horse in m the best anner, it would be both interesting and instructive to horse lovers . C H APT E R I X

ORIGIN AND PROGRES S OF THE S HIRE

I T is evident that a breed of comparatively heavy horses existed in Britain at the time o f ’ R a B o adiceas the oman I nv sion , when Queen ’ warriors met Cms ar s fighting men (who were o n foot) in war chariots drawn by active but — as powerful horses, remarkable Sir Walter ’ ' ' Gilb e y s book on The Great Horse says ' for strength , substance , courage and docility . These characteristics have been retained

and improved upon all down the ages since .

The chariot with its knives, or blades, to mow down the enemy was superseded by regiments

of cavalry, the animals ridden being the Old E I n nglish type of War H orse . those days it

- was the lighter or second rate animals, what we ' ' fo r may call the culls , which were left agri E cultural purposes . The nglish knight, when

clad in armour, weighed something like 4 cwt. , 5 2 THE S H I RE H ORS E therefore a weedy animal would have sunk

under such a burden . This evidently forced the early breeders to avoid long backs by breeding from strong

d - loine , deep ribbed and well coupled animals , n and seei g that slackness meant weakness ,

e . ther fore, worthlessness for war purposes

s - d I t is ea y to understand that a long backe , l - n ight middled mount with a weight of 4 cwt . o his back would simply double up when stopped suddenly by the rider to swing his battle axe

o f a at the head his ntagonist, so we find from pictures and plates that the War Horse of those far- d off ays was wide and muscular in his build, very full in his thighs , while the saddle in use r eached almost from the withers to the hips , thus proving that the back was short .

There came a time, however, when speed and mobility were preferred to mere weight . The knight cast away his armour and selected a lighter and fleeter mount than the War Hors e f o the ancient Britons .

The change was, perhaps , began at the 1 1 r battle of Bannockburn in 3 4 . I t is ecorded that Robert Bruce rode a ' palfrey ' in that

o n o f battle , which he dodged the charges the PROGRE SS O F T HE SHI RE 5 3

E ponderous nglish knights, and he took a very

o f E o f heavy toll, not only nglish warriors but their massive horses ; therefore it is not un reasonable to suppose that some o f the latter e wer used for breeding purposes, and thus

o r helped to build up the Scottish , Clydesdale, ’ breed o f heavy horses ; but what was E ngland s ’ loss became Scotland s gain , in that the Clydes dale breed had a class devoted to it at the ’ 1 8 2 H ighland Society s Show in 3 , whereas his ' E n ' glish relative, the Shire , did not receive recognition by the Royal Agricultural Society o f E 1 8 8 ngland till 3 , sixty years later. As a War Horse the British breed known as ' The Great Horse ' seems to have been at its best

w 1 066 bet een the Norman Conquest, , and the

- date of Bannockburn above mentioned , owing to the fact that the Norman nobles, who came over with William the Conqueror, fought on

r o f horseback , whereas the B itons old used to

o ut o f o n dismount their chariots, and fight

o f foot. The Battle Hastings was waged ’ between Harold s E nglish Army o f infantry ' ’ men and William the Conqueror s Army o f

fo r . horsemen , ending in a victory the latter The Flemish horses thus became known to 5 4 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

E nglish horse breeders, and they were certainly used to help lay the foundation o f the Old E nglish breed of cart horses . It is clear that horses with substance were used for drawing chariots at the Roman inva

B C sion in the year 5 5 , but no great develop ment in horse -breeding took place in E ngland till the Normans proved that warriors could

fight more effectively on horseback than on foot . After this the noblemen of E ngland appear to have set store by their horses, consequently the twelfth and thirteenth centuries may be regarded as the age in which Britain ’s breed of heavy horses became firmly established . ’ I n Sir Walter Gilbey s book is a quotation showing that Cart Horses fit for the dray, the ' plough , or the chariot 'were on sale at Smith

field (London) every Friday, the extract being

1 1 made from a book written about 5 4, and from the same source we learn that during o f I 1 — 1 2 1 6 the reign King J ohn , 99 , a hundred stallions of large stature ' were imported from — the low countries Flanders and H olland . Passing from this large importation to the time of the famous Robert Bakewell o f Dishley ( 1 7 26 we find that he to o went to

5 6 T HE S H I RE H ORSE years, was described by the writer just quoted as a better animal than that inspected by H is

Majesty the King . From the description given he appears to have had a commanding fore hand and to have carried his head so high that his ears stood perpendicularly over his fore t fee , as Bakewell held that the head of a cart horse should . I t can hardly be questioned a that he was believer in weight, seeing that ' his horses were thick and short in body , on very short legs . The highest price he is credited with getting for the hire o f a stallion for a season is

1 0 5 guineas, while the service fee at home is w said to have been five guineas , hich looks a small amount compared with the 800 guineas ' obtained for the use o f his ram Two ' Pounder for a season . What is of more importance to Shire horse R t breeders , however, is the fact that ober Bakewell not only improved and popularized

the Shire horse of his day , but he instituted m f u the syste o letting o t sires for the season , which has been the means of placing good sires in before farmers , thus enabling them to assist the improvement which has made s uch strides PROGRE SS OF THE SH I RE 5 7 since the formation of the Shire Horse Society 1 8 8 in 7 . ’ I t is worth while to note that Bakewell s ' horses were said to be perfectly gentle,

o f willing workers , and great power . H e held that bad pullers were made so by bad

o f management . H e used two in front a R otherham plough , the quantity ploughed being ' ad ve r four acres a day . Surely a splendid t is e ment fo r the Shire as a plough horse .

FLEMI S H BLOOD I n view of the fact that Flanders has been very much in the public eye fo r the past few months owing to its having been converted into

a vast battlefield , it is interesting to remember that we E nglish farmers of to - day o we at least

o f s something the size, substance and soundnes o f our Shire horses to the Flemish horse f breeders o bygone days . Bakewell is known to have obtained marvellous results among his

in- cattle and sheep by means of breeding, therefore we may assume that he would not have gone to the Continent for an outcross for his horses unless he regarded such a step fi bene cial to the breed . 5 8 T HE S H I RE H ORSE I t is recorded by George Culley that a certain E arl o f Huntingdon had returned from the Lo w Countries— where he had bee n — Ambassador with a set of black coach horses ,

mostly stallions . These were used by the

T re nts ide farmers , and without a doubt so impressed Bakewell as to induce him to pay a

visit to the country whence they came . I f we turn from the history of the Shire to that o f the Clydesdale it will be found that the imported Flemish stallions are credited by th e

most eminent authorities , with adding size to

the North British breed of draught horses . The Dukes of H amilton were conspicuous

for their interest in horse breeding . One was said to have imported six black Flemish stallions — to cross with the native mares

o f towards the close the seventeenth century , 1 8 im while the sixth duke, who died in 7 5 , ' ' o ne ported , which he named Clyde .

This is notable , because it proves that both the E nglish and Scotch breeds have obtained size from the very country no w devastated by war . I t may be here mentioned that one of the greatest lovers and breeders of heavy horses PROGRE SS OF T HE S H I RE 5 9 during the nineteenth century was schooled o n ’ o f the Duke Hamilton s estate , and he was eminently successful in blending the Shire and Clydesdale breeds to produce prizewinners and sires which have done much towards building up the modern Clydesdale .

o f Me rr to n This was Mr . Lawrence Drew, y , R who, like M r . obert Bakewell , had the dis tinction of exhibiting a stallion (named Prince R of Wales) before oyalty .

I t is well known that he (Mr. Drew) bought many Shires in the M idland Counties f E t o ngland . So keen was his judgmen that he ' ' n would spot a win er from a railway carriage, and has been known to alight at the next station and make the journey back to the farm where

s w he a the likely animal . On at least o ne occasion the farmer wo uld not sell the best by itself, so the enthusiast bought the whole team , which he had seen at plough from the carriage window on the rail way . Quite the most celebrated Shire stallion w E purchased by M r . Dre in ngland was

1 1 6 Lincolnshire Lad 9 , who died in his pos session in 1 8 7 8 . This horse won several prizes in Derbyshire before going north , and 60 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

1 6 he also begot Lincolnshire Lad I I . 3 5 , the

o f 0 sire Harold 3 7 3 , Champion of the London o f 1 88 R Show 7 , who in turn begot okeby

H arold (Champion in London as a yearling, a

- - - - Markeato n three year old and a four year old) ,

R the o f 1 8 oyal Harold , Champion 9 7 , and of

Queen of the Shires, the Champion mare of

1 8 the same year, 9 7 , and numerous other cele

b rities . w A great mare, bought by Mr. Dre in e Derbyshire, was Flora , by Lincolnshir L a ad , who became the dam of Pandor , a

and o f o f great winner, the dam Prince Clay, ’ all Handsome Prince , and Pandora s Prince, o f which were Clydesdale stallions and stock

o f getters the first rank . There is evidence to S how that heavy horses from other countries than Flanders were im

ported , but this much is perfectly clear, that t the Flemish breed was selected to impar size,

therefore , if we give honour where it is due, these ' big and handsome ' black stallions that we read o f deserve credit for h e lping to build

o f up the breed draught horses in Britain ,

which is universally known as the Shire, its distinguishing feature being that it is the

heaviest breed in existence . C HAPT E R X

FACTS AND FIGURE S

THE London Show o f 1 890 was a remarkable o ne in more than one sense . The entries 6 totalled 64 against 44 7 the previous year. This led to the adoption o f measures to prevent exhibitors from making more than two

ne 1 88 entries in o class . The year 9 holds the record , so far, for the number of export certificates granted by the Shire H orse

1 2 6 6 Society, the total being 4 against 34 in

1 1 c 9 3, yet Shires were much learer in the latter year than in the former . Twenty-five years ago the number of three

- s 1 6 1 year old stallion shown in London was ,

- - 1 while two year olds totalled 34 , hence the rule o f charging double fees for more than

two entries from one exhibitor . Another innovation was the passing of a rule that every animal entered fo r show

should be passed by a veterinary surgeon , 62 T HE S H I RE H ORSE this being the form of certificate drawn up

I hereby certify that entered by Mr. for exhibition ’ L at the Shire Horse Society s ondon Show, 1 8 1 and in 9 , has been examined by me , my m Opinion , is free fro the following hereditary : R R n diseases , viz oaring (whistling) , i gbone , n Unsound Feet, Navicular Disease , Spavi , ' Cataract, Sidebone , Shivering.

These alterations led to a smaller show in 1 89 1 (which was the first at which the writer had the honour of leading round a candidate; exhibited by a gentleman who subsequently

r bred several London winne s , and who served o n the Council of the Shire H orse Society) .

1 8 But to hark back to the 90 Show . The

Champion Stallion was Mr . A . B . Freeman

’ Mitford s (no w Lord Redesdale) H itchin ’ o ne o f Conqueror, whose sons, I m the Sort

1 000 w the Second, made £ at the sho after winning third prize ; the second -prize colt in

o the same class being s ld for £7 00 .

The Champion mare was Starlight, then

R -Ne ltho r e owned by M r. . N . Sutton p , but

64 THE S H I RE H ORSE

' impression that all was in the dust . With horses of all grades at a premium , any method o f directing the attention of farmers and breeders generally to the scarcity that is certain to exist is justifiable , particularly that which provides for over two thousand pounds being spent among members o f what is admitted to be the most flourishing breed society in existence . At the London Show of 1 89 5 two classes for geldings were added to the prize schedule,

- making fifteen in all , but even with twenty two

8 w as geldings the total was only 4 9 , so that it a small show , its most notable feature being

’ - that M r. A . B . Freeman M itford s Minnehaha won the Challenge Cup for mares and died later. Up till the Show o f 1 898 both stallions and mares commenced with the eldest, so that Class

I was for stallions ten years old and upwards , the yearlings coming last, the mare classes fol

1 8 8 lowing in like order. B ut for the 9 Show a desirable change was made by putting the year lings first, and following on with classes in the

1 8 8 order of age . At this show, 9 , Sir Alex ander Henderson performed the unique feat of winning not only the male and female Chal h lenge Cups , but also the other two, so that e FACTS AND FI GU R E S 65

o f had four cup winners, three them being sire ,

s o n Mark e ato n R dam , and , viz . oyal Harold ,

Aurea , and Buscot Harold , this made the victory

particularly noteworthy . The last named also succeeded in winning champion honours in 1 899

' 1 00 . and 9 , thus rivalling Starlight The cup E winning gelding, Bardon xtraordinary , had

won similar honours the previous year for Mr .

E 1 8 8 W . T . verard , his owner in 9 being M r .

' E He James adie . possessed both weight and

quality, and it is doubtful if a better gelding has been exhibited since . H e was also cup winner

1 8 again in 99 , consequently he holds the record

fo r geldings at the London Show . It should have been mentioned that the system of giving ‘ breeders prizes was intro d uc e d 1 8 6 at the Show of 9 , the first prizes being reduced from £ 2 5 to £ 2 0 in the case o f 20 to 1 stallions , and from £ £ 5 in those

o f for mares , to allow the breeder the first

1 0 prize animal £ in each breeding class , and the breeder o f each second-prize stallion o r mare £5 , the latter sum being awarded to

firs - breeders of t prize geldings . This was a move in the right direction , and certainly gave the Shire Horse Society and its London Show F 66 T HE S H I R E H ORS E a lift up in the eyes o f farmers who had bred

Shires but had not exhibited . Since then they have never lost their claim on any good animal they have bred , that is why they flock to the

o f E Show in February from all parts ngland , and follow the judging with such keen interest ;

I n I there is money t .

o f 1 8 6 o ne This Show 9 was , therefore, of the most important ever held . It marked the beginning of a more democratic era in the

o f history the Great Horse . The sum of

1 1 2 £ 4 was well spent . By the year 1 900 the prize money had

o f 1 2 2 C reached a total £ 3 , the lasses remaining

1 8 as from 9 5 with seven for stallions , six for

two . mares , and for geldings The next year,

1 0 1 fo r 1 6 2 9 , another class, mares hands inches and over, was added , and also another class for geldings , resulting in a further rise to

1 5 3 7 in prize money . The sensation o f this Show was the winning o f the Championship by

- new tenant farmer exhibitors , Messrs . J . and M .

— - Walwyn , with an unknown two year old colt,

Bearwardcote Blaze . This was a bigger sur prise than the success o f Rokeby Harold as

1 8 a yearling in 93 , as he had won prizes for FACTS AND FI GU R E S 67

R . his breeder, Mr . A . C . ogers, and for M r J ohn Parnell (at Ashbourne) before getting ’ B e l e r s into Lord p possession , therefore great

o f things were expected him , whereas the colt Bearwardcote Blaze was a veritable ' dark ' f . o o ne horse Captain Heaton , Worsley, was

o f the judges , and subsequently purchased him

r E for Lo d llesmere . The winning o f the Championship by a yearli ng colt was much commented on at the time but he was altogether an extra

ordinary colt . The critics of that day regarded him as the best yearling Shire ever seen . ' o ne Said , We breed Shire horses every day, but a colt like this comes only once in a life ' time . Fortunately I saw him both in London R and at the Chester oyal , where he was also

Champion , my interest being all the greater

because he was bred in Bucks, close to where ' ' n I sung my first so g . Of two -year-o ld champions there have been

. 1 8 8 at least four, viz Prince William, in 5 ;

1 8 8 Buscot Harold , 9 ; Bearwardcote Blaze, ’

1 0 1 1 1 . 9 and Champion s Goalkeeper, 9 3 Three -year-olds have also won supreme

’ honours fairly often . Those within the writer s 68 T HE S HI RE HORSE

1 8 2 recollection being Bury Victor Chief, in 9 , after being first in his class for the two previous

1 8 1 R years , and reserve champion in 9 okeby

1 8 1 8 Harold in 9 5 , who was Champion in 93 ,

1 8 and cup winner in 94 ; Buscot Harold , in

1 8 - - 99 , thus repeating his two year old perform

R 1 0 ance ; Halstead oyal Duke in 9 9 , the

R t wo - - oyal Champion as a year old . The 1 909 Show was remarkable for the

o f R successes Lord othschild , who after winning o ne o f the championships for the

previous six years , now took both of the

Challenge Cups , the reserve championship ,

f o ld and the Cup o r the best stallion .

- - The next and last three year old to win was , ’ o r w is , the reno ned Champion s Goalkeeper, who took the Challenge Cup in 1 9 1 4 fo r the second time . When comparing the ages of the male and

o f female champions the London Show, it is seen that while the former often reach the

o f t pinnacle fame in their you h , the latter rarely do till they have had time to develop . C HAPTE R X I

H IGH PRICES

I T is not possible to give particulars o f sums

fo r paid many animals sold privately, as the a amount is often kept secret, but few may be

to mentioned . The first purchase attract great

o f attention was that Prince William , by the R w late Lord Wantage from M r . J ohn o ell in

1 88 fo r 1 00 o r 5 £ 5 , guineas , although Sir Walter Gilb ey had before that given a real

R R f r . . o good price to M r W . owland the

— Bucks bred Spark . The next sensational

o f private sale was that Bury Victor Chief, the

o f 1 8 1 Royal Champion 9 , to Mr . Joseph Wain R Mr. w wright, the seller again being J ohn o ell and the price 2 5 00 g uineas . I n that same ’ 1 8 1 o o f e year, 9 , Chancell r, one Premier s not d

1 1 00 . . . sons , made guineas at M r A C Dun ’ w combe s sale at Cal ich , when eighteen of Premier’ s sons and daughters were paraded 7 0 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

with their sire , and made an average , including

2 . foals , of £ 7 3 each I n 1 8 9 2 a record in letting was set up by the Welshpool Shire H orse Society, who gave Lord E llesmere £ 1 000 fo r the use o f Vulcan (the champion o f the 1 89 1 London Show) to

1 serve 00 mares . This society was said to be composed of shrewd tenant farmers who ex ' e c te d p a good return for their money . Since then a thousand pounds for a firs t -class sire has been paid many times , and it is in districts where they have been used that those in search o f the best go for their foals . Two notable ’ instances can be mentioned , viz . Champion s

‘ Goalkeeper and Lorna Doone , the male and female champions o f the London Show of

1 1 9 4 , which were both bred in the Welshpool

t t - distric . O her high priced stallions to be sold by auction in the nineties were Marmion to

1 8 2 Mr . Fred Crisp from M r . Arkwright in 9

1 00 for 4 guineas , Waresley Premier Duke to

u o f M r . Victor Cavendish (now the D ke

1 1 . . . Devonshire) for 00 guineas at M r W H . O

’ u in 1 8 D ncombe s sale 97 , and a similar sum ’ by the same buyer for Lord Llangatto ck s

w in H endre Cro n Prince the same year.

7 2 T HE S H I RE H ORSE

Of mares , Starlight, previously mentioned , was the first to approach a thousand pounds in

an auction sale . At the Shire Horse Show of 1 89 3 the late

Mr. Philo Mills exhibited Moonlight, a mare

1 000 which he had purchased privately for £ , but she only succeeded in getting a commended

card, so good was the company in which she

found herself. The first Shire mare to make over a thousand guineas at a stud sale was

Dunsmore Gloaming, by Harold . This was

u 1 8 at the second D nsmore Sale early in 94 ,

1 0 1 0 u the price being g ineas , and the pur P f i r . n a M . m . e Car ar chaser W J Buckley , y , m then , fro whom she was repurchased by the

. in late Sir P Albert Muntz , and was again cluded in the D unsmore catalogue of Janu

2 1 8 8 8 0 ary 7 , 9 , when she realized 7 guineas ,

Sir J . Blundell Maple being the lucky pur chaser, the word being used because she won

1 8 the challenge cup in London , both in 99 and

1 00 . 1 8 0 9 Foaled in 9 at Sandringham , by

Harold (London Champion) , dam by Staunton

Hero (London Champion), she was sold at ’ King E dward s first sale in 1 89 2 fo r 200

- - guineas . As a three and a four year old she H I GH PRI C E S 7 3

was second in London , and she also won

- - fo r . second prize as a seven year old Sir P A .

Muntz, finally winning supreme honours at

o f nine and ten years age, a very successful

F e b ru finish to a distinguished career . On

1 1 th 1 8 8 ary , 9 , another record was set by H is Majesty King E dward V I I whose three-year o ld filly Sea Breeze , by the same sire as Beard ward c o te 1 1 0 . Blaze, made 5 guineas , Sir J

Blundell Maple again being the buyer . The next mare to make four figures at a stud sale was Hendre Crown Princess at the Lockinge

o f 1 1 00 sale February 4 , 9 , the successful bidder

- n . Carin to n bei g Mr H . H . Smith g , Ashby

Folville , M elton Mowbray, who has bought and bred many good Shires . The price was

1 1 00 1 guineas . This date , February 4 , seems

o ne fo r to be a particularly lucky Shire sales , for besides the o ne just mentioned Lord Roths child has held at least two sales o n Febru

1 1 08 ary 4 . In 9 the yearling colt King Cole

Winte rs to ke V I I . was bought by the late Lord

00 u for 9 g ineas , the highest price realized by the stud sales o f that year. Then there is the record sale at Tring Park on Feb ruar 1 1 1 y 4 , 9 3, when one stallion , Champions 7 4 T HE S H I RE H O RS E

1 00 Goalkeeper, made 4 guineas, and another,

1 0 Blacklands Kingmaker, 7 5 . The honour fo r being the highest priced Shire mare sold at a stud sale belongs to the

S o rais great show mare , Pailton , for which Sir Arthur Nicholson gave 1 2 00 guineas at the dispersion sale of M r . Max M ichaelis at

o n 2 6 1 1 1 . Tandridge, Surrey, October , 9 I t will be remembered by Shire breeders that she made a successful appearance in London

o ne each year from to eight years old , her list

: being First, as a yearling ; sixth , as a two

-Old - - year ; second, as a three year old ; first

o ld and reserve champion at four years , five and seven first in her class at six . She was

no t to be denied the absolute championship ,

1 1 1 NO however, and it fell to her in 9 . Shire in history has achieved greater distinction than

T o m 1 1 0 this , not even Honest 5 , who won first prize at the Royal Sho w six years in

- succession , as the competition in those far off days was much less keen than that which

S o rais Pailton had to face, and it should be

mentioned that she was also a good breeder, the foal by her side when she was sold made

3 1 0 guineas and another daughter 4 00 guineas . H I GH PRI C E S 7 5

Such are the kind o f Shire mares that w farmers want . Those that will ork , win , and

breed . As we have seen in this incomplete

review, Aurea won the championship of the

London show , together with her son . Belle

C 1 0 8 Cole, the hampion mare of 9 , bred a colt which realized 900 guineas as a yearling a few

days before she herself gained her victory, a clear proof that showing and breeding are no t

incompatible . CH A PTE R X I I

A FE W RECORDS

THE highest priced Shires sold by auction have f w already been given . So a e o f the most

notable sales may be mentioned , together with the dates they were held

f 1 1 1 ’ Tring Park (dra t) , February 4 , 9 3 5 . a. 3 2 Shires averaged 4 5 4 0 0 o 2 1 0 Tatton Park (dispersi n) , April 3 , 9 9 2 1 Shires averaged 465 o o f 1 1 0 Tring Park (dra t) , February 4 , 9 5 3 5 Shires averaged 2 66 1 5 0 H The endre , f O 1 8 1 00 Monmouth (dra t), ctober , 9 4 2 Shires averaged 2 2 6 o O f 1 1 1 8 8 Sandringham (dra t) , February , 9 5 2 Shires averaged 2 24 7 9 f 1 1 0 2 Tring Park (dra t), January 5 , 9 4 0 Shires averaged 2 1 7 1 4 o f 1 2 1 8 8 Tring Park (dra t) , January , 9 3 5 Shires averaged 20 9 1 8 2 1 1 1 0 Dunsmore (dispersion) , February , 9 9 5 1 Shires averaged 2 0 0 1 2 o Childwick f 1 1 0 1 (dra t) , February 3 , 9 4 6 Shires averaged 2 00 o o O 2 8 1 1 1 Tandridge (dispersion) , ctober , 9 84 Shires averaged 1 88 1 7 6 A F E W R E CO R DS 7 7

These ten are worthy of special mention , although there are several which come close

2 up to the £ 00 average . That given first is the most noteworthy for the reason that Lord

R o f othschild only sold a portion his stud , whereas the executors of the late Lord E gerton o f -o ne Tatton sold theirwhole lot of twenty head , hence the higher average . Two clear records were , however, set up at the historical Tring

1 1 Park sale in 9 3, viz . the highest individual price for a stallion and the highest average

fo r o ne n price animals by sire , seven so s and

Child wic k daughters of Champion , making no

2 less than £9 7 each , including two yearling colts . The best average o f the nineteenth century was that made at its close by the late Lord

Llangattock , who had given a very high price

fo r privately Prince Harold, by Harold , which ,

u like his sire , was a very successf l stock horse, his progeny making a splendid average at this

i o f celebrated sale . A spirited b dder at all the important sales and a very successful exhibitor, Lord Llangattock did not succeed in winning either o f the London Champion ships . 7 8 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

One private sale during 1 900 is worth

o f mentioning, which was that Mr . J ames

’ E t wo - adie s cup winning geldings , Bardon E xtraordinary and Barrow Farmer for 2 2 5 guineas each , a price which has only been ’ equalled once to the writer s knowledge .

o f 1 1 0 This was in the autumn 9 , when Messrs

2 2 Truman gave 5 guineas for a gelding, at ’ R Messrs . Manley s epository , Crewe, this specimen o f the E nglish lorry horse being

bought for export to the United States . I n 1 894 the late Lord Wantage held a sale which possessed unique features in that fifty animals catalogued were all sired by the dual London Champion and Windsor Royal W (Jubilee Show) Gold Medal inner, Prince

William , to whom reference has already been

1 1 6 A S made. The average was just over £ .

o f E a great supporter the Old nglish breed, B K . C . Lord Wantage, a Crimean veteran , deserves to be bracketed with the recently

Gilb e deceased Sir Walter y, inasmuch as that in 1 890 he gave the Lockinge Cup for the

S w best Shire mare exhibited at the London ho , which Starlight succeeded in winning outright

f 1 8 2 o r . M r. Fred Crisp in 9

80 T HE S HI RE HORSE average o f £7 3 was obtained for fifty-seven lots . R eference has already been made to Harold ,

Premier, and Prince William , as sires , but there have been others equally famous since the

Shire Horse Society has been in existence .

Among them may be mentioned Bar None, who won at the 1 88 2 London Show for the late M r . James Forshaw, stood for service at his celebrated Carlton Stud Farm for a dozen seasons, and is credited with having sired over a thousand foals . They were conspicuous

for flat bone and silky feather, when round cannon bones and curly hair were much more

- common than they are to day , therefore both males and females by Bar None were highly prized ; £ 2000 was refused for at least one o f

- - his sons , while a two year old daughter made

0 80 guineas in 1 8 9 1 . For several years the

two sires of M r . A . C . Duncombe , at Calwich ,

H arold and Premier, sired many winners, and in those days the Ashbourne Foal Show was

worth a journey to see .

I n 1 8 99 Sir P . Albert Muntz took first

- prize in London with a big limbed yearling ,

o ut Dunsmore J ameson , who turned to be the A F E W R E CO RDS 8 1

two - sire of strapping yearlings , and three year olds , which carried all before them in the show

fo r - - ring several years, and a three year old son made the highest price ever realized at any o f the

Dunsmore Sales , when the stud was dispersed

1 1 2 in 909 . This was 0 5 guineas given by

Lord Middleton for Dunsmore Jameson I I .

1 0 1 06 For four years in succession , 9 3 to 9 , Dunsmore Jameson sired the highest number o f no t n winners, only in Londo , but at all the principal shows . H is service fee was fifteen ' ' guineas to approved mares only, a high figure for a horse which had only w o n at the

Shire H orse Show as a yearling . Among R others he sired Dunsmore aider, who in turn

Che s s ie begot Dunsmore , Champion mare at

o f 1 1 2 1 1 the London Shows 9 and 9 3 . Jame son contained the blood Of Lincolnshire Lad o n

o f 1 both sides his pedigree . By the 90 7 show another sire had come to the front, and his success was phenomenal ; this was Lockinge L Forest King, bred by the late ord Wantage

1 88 . in 9 , purchased by the late Mr . J P . Cross , o f R Catthorpe Towers, ugby , who won first prize, and reserve for the junior cup with him

- - in London as a three year old , also first and G 8 2 T HE S H I RE H ORSE champion at the (Carlisle) Royal Show the

1 0 2 . same year, 9 It is worth While to study

o f the breeding Lockinge Forest King .

ire- n S Locki ge Manners . ’ ranas ire— H G Prince arold . 7 - Great granas ire Harold . ‘ a ’ — reaz re i anas ir I 1 . G g gr e Lincolnshire Lad I . 365 ‘ ‘ ’ Greazgreai greazgranas ire— Li ncolnshire Lad 1 1 96

The dam of Lockinge Forest King was The

R 1 8 8 Forest Queen (by oyal Albert , 5 , a great sire in his day) ; she was first prize winner at

R 1 888 the oyal Show, Nottingham , , first and

1 8 88 champion , Peterborough , , first Bath and

1 8 8 1 8 8 8 West, 7 and , and numerous other

’ prizes . H er dam traced back to (Dack s) Matchless a horse which no less an authority than the late Mr . J ames Forshaw ' f ' described as the sire o all time . This accounts for the marvellous success o f

Lockinge Forest King as a stud horse , although m ’ his success , unlike J a eson s, came rather late

1 in his life of ten years . H e died in 90 9. We have already seen that he has sired the highest

e w priced Shire mare publicly sold . At the N

R 1 0 8 o f castle oyal of 9 , both the gold medal

e winners wer by him , so were the two cham A F E W R E CO R DS 83

1 pions at the 909 Shire Horse Show . H is most illu s trious family was bred by a tenant

farmer, Mr . J ohn Bradley, Halstead , Tilton ,

Leicester . The eldest member is Halstead

R o f 1 0 oyal Duke , the London Champion 9 9 ,

rd 1 1 0 Halstead Blue Blood , 3 in London , 9 , R both owned by Lord othschild , and H alstead

R w o n oyal Duchess, who the junior cup in

1 1 2 o f London for her breeder in 9 . The dam

the trio is H alstead Duchess I I I by M enestrel ,

by H itchin Conqueror (London Champion , 1 8 90) T wo other matrons deserve to be men

tio ne d a , as they will alw ys shine in the history f o the Shire breed . One is Lockington Beauty

o ld by Champion 4 5 7 , who died at a good

age at Batsford Park , having produced Prince

William, the champion referred to more than

once in these pages , his sire being William the I I b Conqueror . Then Marmion ( y Harold),

1 8 1 who was first in London in 9 , and realized h ’ 1 0 A rkw ri t s . 40 guineas at Mr . g sale Also R a daughter, Blue uin , which won at

R . w 1 8 . London Sho of 8 9 for Mr . N Sutton

Ne ltho r e e p , but, unfortunat ly , died from foaling

in that year. Another famous son was Mars 84 T HE S H I RE H O R SE

Victor, a horse of great size, and also a

o n o ne . London winner, more than occasion

Gilbe H e was purchased by M r . (Sir) Walter y

- R from Mr . Freeman M itford (Lord edesdale) in the year of his sire ’s — H itchin Conqueror ’s

1 8 0 1 00 . championship in 9 , for the sum of £ 5

u Another was Mom s by Laughing Stock . R Blue uin was own sister to Prince William , f but the other three were by dif erent sires . To look at— I saw her in 1 890— Locking ton Beauty was quite acommon mare with

Obviously small knees , and none too much weight and width , her distinguishing feature being a mane of extraordinary length . The remaining dam to be mentioned as a ’ great breeder is Nellie Blacklegs by B es twick s

Prince, famous for having bred five sons which were all serving mares in the year

1 8 1 — 9 and a daughter, all by Premier The

first was Northwood , a horse used long and successfully by Lord Middleton and the sire o f Birdsall Darling , the dam of Birdsall

f 1 o 0 . Menestrel , London champion 9 4 The

1 8 8 second, Hydrometer, first in London in 9 ,

o f then sold to the late Duke Marlborough , and purchased when his stud was dispersed A F E W R E CORDS 85 in 1 89 3 by the Warwick Shire Horse Society

600 . for guineas Then came Chancellor, sold ’ at Mr . A . C . Duncombe s sale in 1 89 1 fo r

1 1 00 guineas , a record in those days , to M r .

F . Crisp , who let him to the Peterborough

1 8 2 00 . Society in 9 for £5 Calwich Topsman ,

00 another son , realized 5 guineas when sold ,

0 . and Senator made 3 5 The daughter, ' rightly named Sensible, bred Mr . J ohn

o f E a Smith llastone , Ashbourne, a colt fo l

1 8 d o ut by Harold in 9 3, which turne to be

Mark e ato n R oyal Harold , the champion

f 1 8 stallion o 9 7 . This chapter was headed ' A few records , and surely this set up by

o ne Premier and Nellie Blacklegs is . The record show o f the Shire Horse

Society , as regards the number Of entries ,

o f 1 0 86 2 was that 9 4 , with a total of ; the next fo r size was the 1 902 meeting when 860

S were catalogued . Of course the smallest how

o ne 1 880 6 was the initial of , when 7 stallions

o f 1 1 0 and 34 mares made a total entries . The highest figure yet made in the public auction sales held at the London Show is R 1 1 . . 7 5 guineas given by Mr H eath , Biddulph

fs 1 1 1 fo r R Grange, Staf , in 9 ickford Coming 86 T HE S H I R E H O R S E

- -o ld King, a three year bred by the late Lord

Winte rs to ke , and sold by his executors , after

wo n having fourth in his class, although first and reserve for the junior cup as a two -year

Rav ur o ld . e ns H e was sired by p , with which

E 1 06 King dward won first prize in London , 9 , his price of 8 2 5 g uineas to Lord Winte rs to ke

o f 8 1 0 at the Wolferton Sale February , 9 7 ,

being the highest at any sale of that year . The lesson to be learned is that if yo u want to create a record with Shires you must begin

- o r and continue with well bred ones , you will

never reach the desired end .

88 T HE S H I RE H O RS E H eaton , Captain , Worsley, Manchester .

. R Riddin s f Chamberlain , C . , g Farm , Al reton , Derby

shire .

. W. . Tindall, C , Brocklesby Park, Lincs

W. f R . owland , John , Fishto t, Boston , Lincs

. H. E au ate Clark , A , Moulton g , Spalding , Lincs .

hn . B . res e nc . F y, T , South Somercotes , Louth , Li s

R H n . owell , John , Manor Farm , Bury , u tingdon H o . Smith , enry , The Grove , Cropwell Butler , N tts

Green , Edward , The Moors , Welshpool .

H. H U R . Potter, W . , Barberry ouse , llesthorpe , ugby f R W. . owland , John , Fishto t , Boston , Lincs

i din s f . d R . R Chamberlain , C , g Farm , Al reton , Derby

shire . l m l Trws tllewe n Garth . Lewis , John , y , y , Mont

G h x . Wainwright, Joseph , or ar, Bu ton , Derbyshire

H. . E au ate n Clark , A , Moulton g , Spaldi g, Lincs .

Freshne . B . h y, T , South Somercotes , Lout , Lincs .

R Wm. R s . ichardson , , London oad , Chatteris , Camb

w Green , Ed ard , The Moors , Welshpool .

W. ffi n . Gri , F , Borough Fen , Peterborough . R Welch , William , North auceby , Grantham , Lincs .

H. E u at . a e 1 00 . 9 Clark , A , Moulton g , Spalding , Lincs .

- - o n o . Forshaw , James , Carlton Trent, Newark , N tts

Paisley , Joseph , Waresley, Sandy , Beds .

. C . H . 1 0 1 . . 9 Eadie , J T , Barrow all , Derby

H n . eato , Captain , Worsley , Manchester

Fresh ne . B . . y, T , South Somercotes , Louth , Lincs

E u ate . H. a 1 0 2 . 9 . Clark , A , Moulton g , Spalding , Lincs

W. F n . ffi . e Gri n , F , Borough , Peterborough

R o B H . owell, John , Man r Farm , ury , untingdon J U D GE S AT LO NDON S H OW S 89

Nix f 1 0 . . 9 3 , John , Al reton , Derbyshire R c H i hardson , William , Eastmoor ouse , Dodding

ton , Cambs . Hi hfield Palterto n fi Grimes , Joseph , g , , Chester eld ,

Derbyshire .

B hn . . 1 0 . Fres e 9 4 y, T , South Somercotes , Louth , Lincs .

H . Smith , enry , The Grove , Cropwell Butler, Notts W f hinnerah H n . , James , Warton all , Carn orth , La cs

1 0 . . H Eau ate n . 9 5 Clark , A . , Moulton g , Spaldi g , Lincs R H n r n Blundell, John , eam ills , Weeto Ki kham , La cs . w Green , Ed ard , The Moors , Welshpool .

1 0 6 . . . H z w 9 Eadie , J T C The Knowle , a el ood , Derby . R H n owell , John , Bury, u tingdon . The n Green , Thomas , Ba k , Pool 'uay , Welshpool .

1 0 . ffi n . W. 9 7 Gri , F , Borough Fen , Peterborough . H Paisley , Joseph , Moresby ouse , Whitehaven . Whinnerah H f , Edward , Warton all , Carn orth , Lancs .

8 . H. E t au ae . 1 0 . 9 Clark, A , Moulton g , Spalding , Lincs c f Blundell , John , Lower Burrow, S ot orth , Lancs .

H W H R . owkins , . , illmorton Grounds , ugby

. . . Ro 1 0 . C 9 9 Eadie , J T , The ck , Newton Solney , Burton - o u Trent .

R H . owell , John , Bury , untingdon

f . W. un . Thompson , , j , Des ord , Leicester

f 1 1 0 . . 9 Blundell , John, Lower Burrow , Scot orth , Lancs

Y . G . Cowing , , atesbury , Calne , Wilts

. Green , Edward , The Moors , Welshpool

l 1 1 1 . . 9 Green , Thomas , The Bank , Pool 'uay , Welshpoo

Cro uc hle . Gould , James , y Lymm , Cheshire

Measures , John , Dunsby , Bourne , Lincs . 90 T HE S H I R E H O R S E

1 2 H Eau te 1 . a . 9 . Clark , A . , Moulton g , Spalding, Lincs

d n . . B eachen o Flowers , A J . , , Aylesbury , Bucks Whinnerah ranfo rth C . , Edward Warton , , Lancs f Blundell , John , Lower Burrow , Scot orth , Lancs . ’

. W. f . Betts, E , Babingley , King s Lynn , Nor olk

ffi . W . Gri n , F . , Borough Fen , Peterborough

1 1 h -o n - 9 4 Fors aw , Thomas , Carlton Trent , Newark , Notts . H fi l R . W e d e s t . Keene , . , , Medmenham , Marlow , Bucks n un c Thompso , William , j . , Kibworth Beau hamp ,

Leicester .

- - . . C . o n . Eadie , J T , Newton Solney, Burton Trent

Green , Edward , The Moors , Welshpool . Mackereth H , enry Whittington , Kirkby Londsdale ,

Lancs .

This list is interesting fo r the reason that those who have awarded the prizes at the w Shire H orse Sho have , to a great extent , fixed the type to find favour at other important

o ffi shows . Very often the same judges have c iate d at several important exhibitions during

the same season , which has tended towards

- uniformity in prize winning Shires . On looking

down the list, it will be seen that four judges

1 8 were appointed till 9 5 , while the custom of the Society t o get its Council from as many counties as possible has no t been followed in

’ o f the matter judges selection . For instance , Warwickshire — agre at county for Shire breed

C H APT E R X IV

T HE E XPORT TRADE

A MONG the first to recognize the enormous power and possibilities of the Shire were the

Americans . Very few London shows had been held before they were looking o ut for fully registered specimens to take across the Atlantic . ’ Towards the close o f the eighties a great ex port trade was done , the climax being reached

1 88 in 9 , when the Shire Horse Society granted

1 2 64 export certificates . A society to safe guard the interests o f the breed was formed in

o f America, these being the remarks Mr . A . Galbraith (President o f the American Shire ' Horse Society) in his introductory essay : At no time in the history o f the breed have fi rs t

no w class animals been so valuable as , the praiseworthy endeavour to secure the best specimens o f the breed having the natural f f ef ect o enhancing prices all round . Breeders o f Shire horses both in E ngland and America T HE E X PO R T T RAD E 93

have a hopeful and brilliant future before them , and by exercising good judgment in their selec

to tions, and giving due regard pedigree and

soundness , as well as individual merit, they w will not only reap a rich pecuniary re ard , but prove a blessing and a benefit to this ' country . From the day that the Shire H orse Society

o n 1 8 8 was incorporated , June 3 , 7 , until now, America has been Britain ’ s best overseas cus

fo r tomer Shire horses, a good second being

o ur o w n o f colony, the Dominion Canada . Another stockbreeding country to make an ' early discovery o f the merits o f The Great ' Horse was Argentina , to which destination

1 6 many good Shires have gone . I n 90 the

1 1 8 number given in the Stud Book was . So much importance is attached to the breed both in the United States and in the Argentine Republic that E nglish judges have travelled ’ to each o f those country s shows to award the prizes in the Shire Classes . Another great country wi th which a good R and growing trade has been done is ussia . I n

1 0 1 1 9 4 the number was eleven , in 9 3 it had

fift -t wo is increased to y , so there evidently a 94 T HE S H I RE H O RS E market there which is certain to be extended when peace has been restored and o ur powerful ally sets about the stupendous, if peaceful , task of replenishing her horse stock . Our other allies have their o wn breeds of

no t draught horses , therefore they have been

r i I n customers for Shi es , but with war rag ng m their breeding grounds , the nu bers must necessarily be reduced almost to extinction , consequently the help of the Shire may be sought fo r building up their breeds in days to come . German buyers have not fancied Shire horses to any extent— British -bred re - mounts

have been more in their line .

1 0 I n 9 5 , however, Germany was the desti

- 1 1 nation Of thirty one . By 9 0 the number had

1 1 declined to eleven , and in 9 3 to three , there ' fore , if the export of trade in Shires to The ' E Fatherland is altogether lost, nglish breeders

will scarcely feel it .

Ne w ' Australia, ealand , and South Africa are parts Of the British E mpire to which

Shires have been shipped for several years . Substantial prizes in the shape o f Cups and Medals are now given by the Shire Horse

96 T HE S H I RE H ORS E properly known and appreciated in foreign w countries and to ns needing heavy horses , and whether the export trade in this essentially British breed is not capable o f further develop o f ment . The number export certificates granted by the Shire H orse Society in 1 8 89 1 2 6 was 4 , which takes a good deal of beating , but it must be remembered that since then Shire horse breeding at home has progressed by leaps and bounds, and tenant farmers, who o n no w could only look in those days , are members o f the flourishing Shire H orse Society o f and owners breeding studs, and such prices as 8 00 guineas for a t wo -year -old filly and

2 0 - - 3 guineas for a nine months old colt, are less frequently obtainable than they were then ; therefore , an increase in the demand from other countries would find more Shire breeders ready to supply it, although up to the present the home demand has been and is very good , and weighty geldings continue to be scarce ' and dear .

THE NUMB ER E XPORTED I t may be true that the number of horses exported during the last year o r two has been higher than ever, but when the average value of those that go to ‘ other countries ’ than T HE E X PO R T T RAD E 97

d is o ut Hollan , Belgium , and France , worked , it does not allow o f such specimens as would excite the admiration o f a foreign merchant o r t Colonial farmer being expor ed , except in very i s olated instances then the tendency o f Ameri c an buyers is to give preference to stallions which are o n the quality rath e r than o n the weighty side , and as the mares to which they are a eventu lly put are also light boned, the

E d raf ho rs e typical nglish y is not produced . ' During the pas t year ( 1 90 5 ) foreign buyers have been giving very high prices fo r w Shorthorn cattle , and if they ould buy in the h same spirited manner at the S ire sales, a much more cre ditable animal could be obtained f for shipment . As an advertisement o r the Shire it is obviously beneficial that the Shire Horse Society— w hich is unquestionably the most successful breed society in existence gives prizes fo r breeding stock and also geld ings at a few of the most important horse shows in the United States . This tends to e bring the breed into promin nce abroad , and it is certain that many Colonial farmers would rejoice at being able to breed working geldings o f a similar type to those whi c h may be seen shu nting trucks o n any large railway station in E o r m t a o f ngland , walking s ar ly long in front a binder in harvest . The writer has a relative H 98 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

n - T e rritOr o f farmi g in the North West y Canada , ‘ and his last letter says , The only thing in the stock line that there is much money in now is horses they are keeping high , and seem likely fo r to years , as so many new settlers are coming in all the time, and others do not seem ’ able to raise enough for their o w n needs ; and it may be mentioned that almost the only kind of stallions available there are of the Perch eron breed , which is certainly not calculated to o r o f improve the size , substance , the native

draught horse stock .

THE CO S T OF SHIPPING

The cost o f shipping a horse from Liver Y 1 1 w pool to New ork is about £ , hich is not prohibitive for such an indispensable animal as u o f the Shire horse, and if s ch specimens the breed as the medal winners at sho ws like Peterborough could be exhibited in the draught horse classes at the best horse shows o f

America, it is more than probable that at least some o f the visitors would be impressed with

their appearance , and an increase in the export trade in Shire s might thereby be brought about ' A few years ago the price of high - class Shire stallions ran u pwards o f a thousand

1 00 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

view and the possible chance o f an increased foreign trade in stallions it behoves British breeders o f Shires to see to it that there is no ‘ ’ o ff falling in the standard of the horses raised,

to use the American word , but rather that a

continual improvement is aimed at , so that visitors from horse - breeding countries may find what they want if they come to ‘ the stud f ’ farm o the world . ' The need to keep to the right lines and breed from good old stock which has produced real stock - getting stallions cannot be too strongly emphasised , for the reason that there is a possibility o f the British market being overstocked with females , with a correspond e o f ing d arth males , both stallions and geldings , and although this is a matter which breeders cannot control they can at least patronise a o f strain blood famous for its males . The ’ o f — r group Premier Nellie Blacklegs b others , o rthw o o d w N , Hydrometer, Senator, and Cal ich Topsman — may be quoted as showing the advisability of continuing to use the same d horse year after year if colt foals are bre , o f and wanted , and the sire is a horse merit. ' With the number o f breeders of Shire o f horses and the plentiful supply mares , together w ith the facilities offered by local

- stallion hiring societies, it ought not to be T HE E X PO R T T RAD E 1 0 1

impossible t o breed enough high - grade sires to meet the home demand and leave a surplus fo r o f export as well , and the latter the class that will speak for themselves in other e a to f countri s , and le d enquiries for more o

the same sort .

F E W HIGH PRICES FROM E XPORTER S

fe w o f It is noteworthy that , if any , the high prices obtained fo r Shires at public sales have come from exporters o r buyers from a o f abro d , but from lovers the heavy breed in E who e o r ngland , have been eith r forming d ‘ replenishing stu s, therefore, the almighty ’ dollar has no t been responsible fo r the figures d above quote . Still it is probable that with the opening up o f the agricultural indu s try in

Western Canada, South Africa, and elsewhere, Shire stallions will b e needed to help the Colonial settlers to build up a breed o f horses which will be useful fo r both tillage and haulage purposes . ' Th e adaptability of the Shire horse to

is climate and country is well known , and it satisfactory for home breeders to hear that

Ho z e d t e n M r . Martinez de has rec ntly sol e o f Shires , br d in Argentina , at an average 1 02 T HE S H I R E H ORS E

- 2 2 2 5 o l . o ne e ar o d £ 3 , a three y , making 4 5 2 5 ' Meanwhile it might be a good investment if a syndicate of British breeders placed a group o f typical Shire horses in a fe w o f the biggest fairs o r shows in countries where weighty horses are wanted , and thus further o f the interests the Shire abroad , and assist ' in developing the export trade . I t may be added that during the summer o f 1 06 H M E wa R 9 , . . King d rd and Lord oths child sent a consignment o f Shires to the

United States Of America for exhibition .

1 04 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

The former w o n the Filly Cup and was s ub s e quently sold to help to found the famous stud o f Sir Walpole Greenwell at Marden Park ,

o ne Surrey, the sum given being a very high fo r d those ays . The first championship was obtained with

R 1 0 1 wo n the mare Alston ose in 9 , which like

R 1 0 honours for M r . . W . H udson in 9 2 , after costing him 7 5 0 guineas at the second sale at

1 1 02 . Tring Park , January 5 , 9 E w Solace , bred by King d ard , was the next champion mare from Lord Rothschild ’s h stud . Girton C armer, winner of the Chal

1 0 lenge Cup in 9 5 , was included in a select shipment of Shires sent to America (as models o f the breed) by o ur late lamented King and

R 1 06 e B l Lord othschild in 9 . Princ ss eryl , Bel e

n Cole , Chilter Maid , were mares to win highest honours for the stud , while a young mare R ’ which passed through Lord othschild s hands , and realized a four-figure sum fo r him as a t — -o ld wo year from the D evonshire enthusiasts ,

Messrs . W . and H . Whitley, is Lorna Doone ,

1 the Champion mare of 1 9 4 . m ’ Cha pion s Goalkeeper, the Tring record

has no w breaker, been mentioned , so we can PR E S E N T DAY S T U D S 1 05 refer to the succ e ssful stud o f which he is the central figure, viz . that owned by Sir Walpole

Greenwell at Marden Park , Woldingham ,

Surrey , who, as we have seen , bought a good

1 8 filly from the Tring Stud in 95 , the year in which he became a member o f the Shire Hors e R ’ Society . At Lord othschild s first sale in

1 8 8 fo r 0 9 , he purchased Windley Lily 43

- - guineas , and Moorish Maiden , a three year old

fo r 0 fo r filly , 3 5 , since when he has bid only the best . At the Tandridge dispersion sale he gave over a thousand pounds for the Lockinge

Forest King mare , Fuchsia of Tandridge, and

o f t o her foal . Sir Walpole was one the first

n profit by the Lockinge Forest Ki g blood ,

e his filly , Marden P ach , by that sire having

R 1 0 8 been a winner at the oyal of 9 , while her daughter, Marden Constance, has had a brilliant

Ches s ie show career, so has Dunsmore , pur E . . n w chased from M r T wart as a yearli g, t ice

London Champion mare .

0 a c o n N s le has been held at Marden , but s i nme nts n g have bee sold at Peterborough , so t hat the prefix is frequently met with . The stud owner who is willing to give

0 fo r at wo - a- o ld s s £43 5 ye r colt deserve uccess . 1 06 T HE S H I R E H ORS E

T HE FRIMLEY STUD

e 1 1 0 At the Dunsmore Sale on F bruary 4 , 9 7 ,

Mr . W . Whitley purchased Dunsmore Fuchsia

o f 1 0 (by Jameson), the London Cup winner 9 5

1 06 20 and 9 , for 5 guineas , also Quality by the same sire , and these two won second and third for him in London the same month , this being the first show at which the Primle y S hires took honours .

o f The purchase Tatton Dray King , the f o 1 08 . Champion stallion 9 , by Messrs . W and

o f 1 0 fo r 00 H . Whitley in the spring 9 9 3 7

o guineas created quite a sensati n , as it was

fo r an outstanding record , it stood so nearly four years . One o f the most successful show mare s in this— o r any— stud is Mollington Movement by Lockinge Forest King , but the reigning queen is Lorna Doone , the London and Peter

o f 1 1 borough Champion 9 4 , purchased privately from the Tring Park Stud . Another built on the same lines is Sussex Pride with which a

n . R . Bucks tena t farmer, Mr H . Keene, won first and reserve champion at the London

o f 1 1 a he r Show 9 3 , afterw rds selling to

1 08 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

t acquisitions is Snelston Lady , by Slip on King,

s Cup winner and re erve Champion in London ,

1 1 - -o ld R 9 4 , as a three year , first at the oyal ,

v . and reser e Champion at Peterborough . Mr Williams joined the Shire H orse Society in

1 06 9 , since when he has won all but the London Championship with his mares and

fillies .

A NE W STUD After Champion ’s Goalkeeper was knocked

d is a down Mr. Beck announced that the p

Mr R . G re s s o n pointed bidder was . C . . H ,

fo r E d acting the gcote Shorthorn Company ,

o f Wardington , Banbury, his date admission to the Shire H orse Society being during that

1 1 . same month , February, 9 3 Having failed C to get the popular olt, his stable companion l I I . and half brother, Stockman , was purchased fo r 0 and 5 4 guineas, shown in London just w n o . after, where he fourth prize From this single entry in 1 9 1 3 the foundation o f the stud was so rapid that seven entries were made at

1 1 w the 9 4 London Sho . Fine Feathers was the first prize yearling filly, Blackthorn Betty t he t wo - - o wn second prize year old filly, the bred PR E S E N T - DAY S T U D S 1 6 9

E dgcote Monarch being the second p rize year R ’ ling colt . After the show Lord othschild s

- Orfo ld u first prize two year colt, Bl e Blood , was bought, together with Normandy J essie,

two the third prize yearling colt so with these ,

Chirk e nhillF Fine Feathers , Betty , orest 'ueen , E and Writtle Coming Queen , the dgcote Short

Co . horn , Ltd . , took a leading place at the

w o f 1 1 E sho s 9 4 . In future dgcote promises to be as famous for I ts Shires as it has hith e rto been for its Shorthorns .

DUCAL STUD S

A very successful exhibitor o f the past season has been his Grace the Duke o f West

s minster , who owns a very good young ire in E aton Nuns uch— s o good that he has been hired by the Peterborough Society . Shires have been bred o n the E aton Hall estate for many years , and the stud contains many pro mis in g animals now . Mention must be made o f the great interest taken in Shires by the D uke o f Devonshire who, as the H on . Victor Cavendish , kept a

fi r - s t . t he class stud at Holker, Lancs At Royal Show o f 1 909 (Gloucester) Holker Mars 1 1 0 T HE S H I R E H ORS E

n was the Champion Shire stallio , Warton Draughtsman winning the Norwich Royal and Championship , also that of the London

o f 1 1 2 w Show 9 for his popular o ner .

OTHER STUDS

A mong those who have done m uch to pro mote the breeding of the Old E nglish type o f - o f cart horse , the name M r . Clement

Keevil deserves a foremost place . At

Blagdon , Malden , Surrey , he held a number o f stud sales in the eighties and nineties , to which buyers went for massive - limbed Shires o f the good o ld strains ; those with a pedigree which traced back to Honest T o m (alias Little ’ 1 6 David) , foaled in the year 7 9 , to Wiseman s

T o m 1 800 o r to Honest , foaled in , Samson

1 a sire weighing ton 8 cwt . Later he had a

n stud at Billingto , Beds, where several sales 8 w 1 0 . ere held, the last being in 9 , when M r

E 860 n verard gave guineas for the stallio ,

Lockinge Blagdon . Shortly before that he

f r sold Blagdon Benefactor o 1 000 guineas . The prefix ' Birdsall ' has been seen in

fo r o f show catalogues a number years , which

1 1 2 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

1 8 a was made in 9 3 , and four years l ter, in

1 8 w o n 9 7 , Queen of the Shires (by Harold)

fo r rand G e . the mare Championship Mr . ag

n 1 0 - - o ld a I 9 9 the winning four year st llion ,

o f Gaer Conqueror, Lincolnshire Lad descent , E w was bought from M r . d ard Green for 8 2 5

in guineas , which proved to be a real good

G randae e . v stment for M r g , seeing that he won the championship o f the Shire Horse

t w o 1 1 0 Show for the following years, 9 and

1 9 1 1 .

Candidates from the Bramhope Stud ,

Monks Heath , Chelford, Cheshire, are likely to give a very good account o f themselves in the days to come . Among those who will have the best S hires

Hi hfie ld is Sir Arthur Nicholson , g , Leek ,

Staffs . H is first London success was third prize with Rokeby Friar (by Harold) as a two - - in 1 8 year old 93 , since which date he has taken a keen personal interest in the breeding

Of Shire horses , and has the honour of having

S o rais - purchased Pailton , the highest priced mare yet sold by auction . At the Tring sale o f 1 9 1 3 he gave the second highest price o f

1 f - . 0 o r that day , viz , 7 5 guineas the three year PR E S E N T -DAY S T U D S 1 1 3 o ld w o n stallion , Blacklands Kingmaker , who

fo r first prize him in London ten days after, but, alas, was taken ill during his season , for

n the Wi slow Shire H orse Society , and died . Another bad loss to Sir Arthur and to Shire breeders generally was the death o f Redlynch

Forest K ing, seeing that he promised to rival

fo r his renowned sire Lockinge Forest K i ng ,

S w i begetting ho an mals . Among the many good ones recently ex hibite d from the stud may be mentioned Leek

Dorothy, twice first in London , and Leek

as Challenger, first a yearling, second as a two

- o f R year old , both these being by edlynch

n Forest K ing . With such as these coming o there is a future before the Shires o f Sir

Arthur Nicholson . The name o f Muntz is familiar to all Shire breeders Owing to the fame achieved by the

1 8 E late Sir P . Albert Muntz . I n 99 Mr. F . .

o f U mb e rs lad e a Muntz , , Hockley H e th , War w ick s hire o f , a nephew the Dunsmore Baronet, joined the Shire Horse Society, and has since

o f been President . Quite a good share prizes

fo r have fallen to him , including the Cup the best old stallion in London both in 1 9 1 3 and 1 1 4 T HE S H I R E H ORSE

1 1 Dan es fie ld 9 4 . The winner , Stonewall , was reserved fo r the absolute championship o n

' s E both occa ions , and this typical Old nglish ' o f Black had a host admirers , while J ones the U mb e rs lad e stud groom— will never forget his parade before H is Majesty King George

1 1 at the 9 3 show. I t used to be said that Shires did not

o f flourish south London , but M r . Leopold

o rb ur n Salomons , N y Park , Dorki g , has helped

w o ne to prove other ise . Beginning with entry

1 8 has at the 9 9 Show, he entered quite a string

for several years, and the stud contains a

o f - o rb u r number high class stallions , notably N y t W Menes rel , inner of many prizes , and a par tic ularl - y well bred and promising sire, and King o f b Tandridge ( y Lockinge Forest King) , pur

Mr chased by . Salomons at the Tandridge

1 600 dispersion sale for guineas . At the sale

w o f 1 1 during the London Sho 9 4 Mr . Salo mons realized the highest price with his o wn

o rb u r bred Norbury Coronation , by N y M enes trel , who, after winning third prize in his class ,

8 0 cost the Leigh Shire H orse Society 5 guineas ,

Norbury George , by the same sire, winning

t n 600 fif h prize, and maki g guineas , both being

1 1 6 T HE S H I R E H ORS E

The Carlton Stud continues to flourish ,

F o r although its founder, the late Mr . J ames

1 08 . shaw , departed this life in 9 H is business abilities and keen judgment have been inherited

o f by his sons, one whom judged in London

1 last year as his father did in 900 . This being a record in Shire Horse history for father and son to judge at the great Show of the breed . Carlton has always been famous for its t s allions . I t has furnished London winners from the first, including the Champions Stroxton

T m 1 2 o ( 90 and Present K ing I I . and Stolen Duchess, the Challenge Cup win n o f 1 0 ing mare 9 7 .

e l The sir s owned by the ate M r . Forshaw and his sons are to o numerous to mention in

f . detail . Bar None is spoken o elsewhere Another very impressive stallion was What ’s ’ o f Wanted , the sire M r . A . C . Duncombe s

Premier (also mentioned in another chapter) , and a large family of celebrated sons . H is ’ 1 0 great grandsire was (Dack s) Matchless 5 9 , a great sire in the Fen country, which travelled through Moulton E augate for thirteen con ’ i Fo rs haw s s e c ut ve a . seasons . The l te M r P R E S E N T — DAY S T U D S 1 1 7

o f o n opinion him is given another page . One o f the most successful Carlton sires of recent

XX . years has been Drayman I I I , whose son ,

w o n Tatton Dray King, highest honours in

0 0 London , and realized 37 guineas when sold . Seeing that prizes were being w o n by stallions from this stud through several decades o f last

century, and that a large number have been

travelled each season since , while a very large

s s F o r export trade has been done by Mes r . shaw and Sons, it need hardly be said that

- the influence of this stud has been world wide . It is impossible to mention all the existing studs in a little book like this , but three others will be no w mentioned for the reason that they are carried o n by those who formerly

u managed successf l studs, therefore they have ' ' ao f kept the ball rolling , viz . th t M r . Thomas

E o n wart , at Dunsmore , who made purchases

his o w n behalf when the s t ud . o f the late — a Sir P . A . Muntz which he had man ged for

— u so long was dispersed, and has since bro ght

o ut s o f many winners , the most famou which h i R . . C e s s e . . is Dunsmore M r H Keene , f R o . under whose care the Shires Mr . W . Hudson (Past - President o f the Shire Horse 1 1 8 T HE S H I R E H O RS E

Society) at Dane s fie ld attained to such promi ne nce , although not actually taking over the

o f prefix , took a large portion the land , and carries on Shire breeding quite successfully o n his own account . The other of this class to be named is

E Mc K e nna M r . C . . , who took over the

. . E n Bardon stud from M r. B N verard whe the latter decided to let the Leicestershire stud farm where Lockinge Forest K ing spent his last and worthiest years . Such enterprise gives farmers and men o f moderate means faith in the great and growing industry o f

Shire Horse breeding . Of stud owners who have climbed to promi ne nc e w , although neither lando ners , merchant w princes , nor erst hile stud managers , may be

C ro uc hle m mentioned Mr. James Gould , y Lym ,

Cheshire , whose Snowdon Menestrel was first in his class and reserve for the Stallion Cup E w . at the 1 9 1 4 London Sho ; Messrs . and

Whinne rah W who J . , arton , Carnforth , won seventh prize with Warton Draughtsman in

1 0 him 1 9 , afterwards selling to the Duke of

o f Devonshire , who reached the top the tree w ith him two years later .

1 20 T HE S H I R E H O R SE

s 1 2 0 oils , the sub cribers numbering 5 . The presentation was made by King E d ward (then Prince o f Wales) at the London Show o f

1 8 1 9 . CH APT E R X VI

THE FUTURE OUTLOOK

S THI book is written when war, and all that

I t I s . pertains to , the absorbing topic I n fact, no other will be listened to . What is the good o f talking about such a peaceful occupation as that o f agriculture while the nation is fighting for its very existence ' To a certain extent

e this can be understood , but stock br eding, and more particularly horse breeding , cannot be suspended fo r t wo or three seasons and then resumed without causing a gap in t he

o f us supply horses coming along for future e .

' The cry o f the army authori ties is fo r more

a fo r and more men , together with a dem nd a con stant supply of horses of many types , including

- n War the weight movi g Horse , and if the supply is used up , with no provision being made for a quantity o f four - footed recr uits to haul the

o r to m guns baggage waggons in the days co e , 1 22 T HE S H I R E H O R S E

the British Army , and most others , will be

faced with a problem not easily solved . The motor- mad mechanic may think that his chance has come , but generals who h ave to

- w lead an army over water logged plains , or sno

covered mountains , will demand horses, hitherto - and henceforth — indispensable for mounting

o n u soldiers , rushing their g ns quickly into

position , or drawing their food supplies and f munitions o war after them . When the mechanic has provided horseless

vehicles to do all this , horse breeding can be

— ignored by fighting men not before . But

horses , particularly draft horses , are needed

fo r commercial use So far , coal merchants

are horse users , while brewers , millers , and other lorry users have no t altogether discarded

- the horse drawn vehicle . F o r taking loads to and from the landing stage at Liverpool heavy horses will be in great demand after the war— perhaps greater w w than they have ever been . The rail ays ill

and w continue to exist, , while they do , po erful Shire geldings must be employed ; no other can put the necessary weight into the collar

fo r shunting loade d trucks .

1 24 T HE S H I R E H O R S E

implements and farm waggons, a fact which is bound to tell in favour o f the Shire in the f coming times o peace which we anticipate . When awarding prizes for the best managed R farm , the judges appointed by the oyal Agri cultural Society o f E ngland are instructed to consider ' General Management with a view to w profit, so that any breed of live stock hich leaves a profit would help a competitor . Only a short time ago a Warwic ks hire tenant farmer told his landlord that Shire horses had enabled himself and many others ' o n to attend the rent audit, with a smile his ' face and the rent in his pocket . Most landlords are prepared to welcome a tenant in that state, therefore they should con tinue to encourage the industry as they have

n -fi e done during the past twe ty v years .

’ Wars come to an end — the ' Thirty Years ' War did— s o let us remember the Divine d ' promise to Noah after the floo , While the earth remaineth seedtime and harvest shall ' 8 : 2 2 not cease , Gen . . As long as there is sowing and reapi ng to be done horses - Shire — horses will be wanted . T HE F U T U R E O U T LOO K 1 25 Far back in the ages The plough with wreaths was crowned The hands o f kings and sages Entwined the Chaplet roun d Till men o f spoil disdained the toil

By which the world was nourished , And dews o f blood enriched the soil Where green their laurels 'ourished Now the world her fault repairs The guilt that stains her story ; And weep s her crimes amid the cares f That ormed her earliest glory . f The glory , earned in deadly ray ,

f . Shall ade , decay and perish H ’ onour waits , o er all the Earth

Through endless generations , The art that calls h er harvests forth ' And feeds the expectant nations .

m8 I N D E X

o 8 1 8 C lour, 3 Elsenham Cup, , 7 9 f S 1 1 Composition of ood , 33 Elsenham Hall tud, 9 6 - 2 Condition and bloom , 3 English cart horse, E Cost of feeding, 33 ntries at London shows , S 8 M r . N . 1 1 8 Cost of shipping hires , 9 Everard , . B ,

Mr. F . 6 0 Mr T 1 1 Crisp , , 3, 7 Ewart , . . , 7

Mr . P 8 1 x 2 . 2 Cross , . J , E ercise, 3 , 7 C 1 x 2 rushed oats and bran , 3 E port trade, 9 , 95

’ 82 I I 6 u 6 1 Dack s Matchless , , Facts and fig res , Dane s fi eld S 1 1 26 tonewall , 4 Fattening horses, e 60 2 D tails of shows , Feet , care of, 4 1 f 1 Development grant, 4 Fillies , breeding rom , 7 1 0 1 Devonshire, Duke of, 9 Flemish horses , , 5 3 , 5 7

Doubtful breeders , 37 Flora, by Lincolnshire Lad, 2 60 Draught horses , 3 XX I I I 1 1 1 Drayman , 7 Foals , time for, 3 Merr t on 2 Drew , Lawrence, of y , Foals , treatment of, 3 0 5 9 Foods and feeding, 3 80 o Mr. . C . 6 S Duncombe, A , 9, F rmation of hire Horse Ch es s ie 8 1 1 0 S 1 Dunsmore , , 5 ociety, 3

G 2 Mr. 80 1 1 6 loaming, 3, 7 Forshaw, James , , 80 Jameson , Foundation stock, 9 S 80 8 tud , Founding a stud , - M M r. Freeman itford , , now 62 Lord Redesdale, 2 1 Future outlook,

Mr. 6 8 Eadie, James , 5 , 7 i 1 Early breed ng, 7 S 1 0 Eaton Hall tud, 9 Nuns uc h 1 0 Eaton , 9 ’ e S C C 1 1 2 Edgcot horthorn ompany s Gaer on'ueror,

G Mr A . 2 S 1 08 . tud , albraith , , 9 ff e S E ect of war on cost of f ed Geldings at the London how, mam w 2 1 2 Egerton of Tatton , Lord , , 7 7 demand for, 5 , 4 2 0 1 Ellesmere, Earl of, , 7 , 7 production of, 5 I ND E X 1 29

’ Gilb e S ir 2 1 1 o th e 6 y, Walter, , 4, 5 , H rses for army, 4 l 1 n o 2 S 1 9 Horses at Ba n ckburn , 5 C S S 8 Girton harmer, champion in How to how a hire, 4 Mr Hubbard, . Matthew, 7 9 G 1 6 1 1 i im low, famous mare, , 9 Hunt ngdon , Earl of, G o 2 o rtatio ns 8 o d workers, 3 p , 5 G Mr 1 1 8 ould, . James , G 8 rading up, ran a G d e Mr. A 1 1 1 g , . ,

G Mr. E . 1 1 2 I reen , , mportations from Flanders e S ir 1 0 Gr enwell , Walpole, 5 and Holland, 5 3, 5 7

G ffi Mr. W . . I 1 0 ri n , F , 7 9 nherited complaints ,

l

S I I . 1 0 Halstead Duchess V , 7 Judges at London hire m 1 8 0 Halstead Royal Duke , cha Shows , 9 pion in 83 28 Haltering,

Hamilton, Duke of, importa

K Mr. . H 1 tatio ns 8 . 1 , 5 eene, R , 7 K Mr 1 1 0 60 . Harold , eevil, Clement , K 86 I I . Hastings, Battle of, 5 3 ing Edward V , 3, 7 3 , , Ha 1 0 2 y, 33 K G 1 M R . 1 e r. 8 H ath, , 5 ing eorge, 4 ’ S ir A x Henderson s , le ander, successes in r o Hend e Champi n, 99 r C 0 Hend e rown Prince, 7 , 99 Lady Victoria , Lord Want ’ e e 6 z 1 H reditary diseas s , 7 age s pri e filly , 7 e 6 High pric s , 9 Land suitable, 45 Hi h fi eld S u 1 1 2 S e g t d, Leek, Landlords and hire br ed S 1 in 1 History of the hire , 5 g, 3 , 5 C Hitchin on'ueror, London Langford Hall sale, 3 e 2 8 champion , L ading, e To m 0 Hon st , 7 4 Lessons in showing, 5 and 1 Horse, population the Letting out sires, 4 1 8 1 20 o war , , Linc lnshire Lad - e e 1 2 6 Horse pow r ch apest, 3 Linseed meal, 3 K n o I ND E X

v e 1 22 N r Men 1 1 Liverpool hea y hors s orbu y estrel , 4 o S 1 1 Llangatt ck, Lord, 5 , 7 7 Norbury Park tud , 4 e N e s x 6 Local horse breeding societi s , umb r e ported , 9 I S C 8 Lockinge up, 7 K n 8 1 Lockinge Forest i g , Oats , 33 8 - ck g B u y, 3 Old 2 1 Lo in ton ea t English cart horse , , 3, S 6 1 London how, 5 1 7 0 1 04 war e 1 0 Lorna Doone, , hors , , 5 , 5 7 1 Origin and progress, 5 1 20 M Outlook for the breed , 26 Over fattening ,

Mc K ennaMr. 1 1 8 , C . E ., Mack er th M H e r. . 1 1 , , 9 M 2 1 2 anagement , , 3 S orais M Pailton , champion anger feeding, 33 1 1 2 M m r , 7 4 , . 2 a e aple , Sir Blundell , 7 J 8 M 1 0 Pedigrees , arden Park Stud , 5 S 1 0 M 1 Pendley tud , 7 ares, management of, 7 2 2 2 8 Ploughing , , , 5 7 selection of, a1 Mark eato n I Popular breed , , Royal Harold , 7 ,

M . e . . 60 6 Pott r , essrs J E and , 5 W . 1 1 M 0 H . , 5 armion , 7 6 8 20 22 Premier , 9, 4 Mating , , fo r Members of Shire Horse Preparing fillies mating , S 6 1 8 ociety, 3 Primle 1 06 M 1 1 1 y Stud , enestrel, M Prince Harold , 7 7 Mr. Max ichaelis, , 7 4 6 8 M 8 1 1 0 Prince William , 9, 7 iddleton , Lord , 4, z S 6 M Pri es at hire shows , 3 innehaha , champion mare, 1 0 m Prominent breeders , 3 1 02 1 06 Studs , Mollington Movement, r 1 2 1 M Prospects of the b eed , z Mr. . E 1 1 unt , F . , 3 tz S ir A . 2 80 Mun , P lbert, 5 , 7 ,

f 0 Rearing and eeding , 3 N c 8 few ellie Bla klegs , 4 Records , a , 7 7 1 1 2 e K 1 1 Nicholson , Sir Arthur, 7 4, Redlynch For st ing, 3

1 3 2 I ND E X

T 1 1 War horse, vi , 5 , 9 War 1 8 a K 1 and breeding , T tton Dray ing, 7 1 1 8 1 Warton Draughtsman , Herald, 7 - 1 2 W l hy ud r , 4 Team work , 3 ea t st owne s The G W g m , 33 reat Horse, Sir eanin ti e ’ o f A K Gilb e s 1 gh rm ur d gh , Walter y book, 4 , Wei t o e ni t 5 1 o f 6 fo r 8 gh Sh r , Training show, 4 , Wei t i es for 2 e work , 7 Welshpool Shire Hors 0 f 2 S c , 7 Treatment of oals, 3 o iety o f 1 0 1 0 W m r, , 9 Tring Park Stud, 4 , 3 est inste Duke ’ T o - - e 1 1 6 w year old champion stal What s Want d ,

hinn rah Me . . W e . 6 r d J , lions , 7 , ss s E an Two - - e 1 1 1 8 year old filli s , 7 M W H Whitley, essrs . . and . , U 1 06

Mr. G . 1 0 Williams , J . , 7 U S the nited tates , Shires in , 0 Wintering , 4 2 3 , 9 foals , 35 U 1 0 nsoundness, Winters tok e 86 , Lord ,

Work of Shire Horse Society, V 1 60 3, of 8 2 Value pedigrees , Working stallions , 5 ’ I o 1 20 of soundness , World s war, v, 62 e S Veterinary inspection , Worsl y tud , 7 Virle an , champion in 0 7 1 7 9 W

2 8 Wantage, Lord , , 7 1 2 1 Y War demand , ards , 35

THE E ND

’ N N N A B I LD I N GS CHA N CE RY LA N E LON DON E . C. V I T O COMPA Y , LT D . . 8 , B RE M S U , , ,