Reading about the tallest
of the horses – Daily Mail writes of a towering shire horse that is more than
8ft tall with appetite to match eating two stone of carrots every day. Named Lincoln, it munches 24 apples, 11lbs of
spinach and five cabbages daily - feeding him would cost an estimated £28.50
per day from a supermarket. The huge horse, Lincoln, had been rescued from
slaughter by farmer Ruth Blair and James Mackie, from Cumbernauld, North
Lanarkshire and nursed back to health. He now stands at an incredible 6ft 10in
from shoulder blades to hooves or 20 and a half hands high. The mammoth black
Shire horse towers over other horses and Lincoln, who lives a life of luxury at
Tannoch Stables in Cumbernauld, will continue to grow for the next two years.
The Shire horse is a breed
of draft horse that comes in many
colours, including black, bay and gray. They are a tall breed, with mares
standing 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm) and over and stallions standing 17 hands
(68 inches, 173 cm) and over. The breed has an enormous capacity for weight
pulling, and Shires have held the world records for both largest overall horse
and tallest horse at various times. Throughout its history, the breed has been
popular for pulling brewery wagons delivering ale to customers. This practice
continues today, with the breed also being used for forestry, leisure and
promotional pursuits.
In 1878, the British
organization now known as the Shire Horse Society was created, with the
American Shire Horse Association beginning in 1885. The breed was exported from
Britain to the United States in large numbers during the late 19th and early
20th centuries, but popularity fell as mechanisation increased.
The breed is said to be so
calm and placid, that they would be no good in wars. However, it is because of
war that the Shire horse came into being. Native British horses were quite
small and light, and when knights
started wearing heavy suits of armor the horses were unable to carry them. Hence heavier breeds from other continents
were introduced to Britain – though warfare changed later, the horses
continued. Since horses were faster,
they replaced oxen in some farms. In UK
reportedly Shire horses were used by brewers and later for promotional purposes
and local deliveries. They were heavily
used in transportation of coal as well.
The Industrial Revolution saw the construction of a nationwide system of
canals which enabled heavy loads to be transported long distances. The Shire
was the ideal horse to use, towing the barges along the canals. They were also
used to haul large wagons, drays, omnibuses and trams. The Railways, Tractors
and other mean machines hastened the decline of big horses for works.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
10th Oct 2014
