20 Magnificent Shire Horses

[Joonsy]

After reading the thread on the mounted policeman it got me thinking of the magnificent sight of the 20 shire horses I saw pulling the Titanic anchor (sorry if it’s been done before). In 2010 I went to see the Titanic anchor (an exact replica) weighing 16 ton pulled through the streets of Dudley by 20 shire horses, it was meant to recreate the original route taken to transport the anchor in 1911, however it was decided to do the route in reverse because of a long step hill (it was deemed safer for the horses to go uphill instead of downhill with such a heavy load). I went as I thought it would be quite a spectacle to see 20 shires coupled together. However it was abandoned on the steep hill because the load slipped and was deemed dangerous, the horses were uncoupled from the anchor and paraded along the route and the anchor was hauled by tractor instead. They failed in 2010 to do what they did successfully in 1911, however the sight of 20 shire horses coupled together was still a magnificent sight.

This youtube clip shows the magnificent horses just after they had to be disconnected from the anchor on the hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9dNyWeKUjA

And this clip shows them still coupled together before they were disconnected
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiV4X9lSsOQ

The hill were the horses had to be uncoupled

The original in 1911

 

[Harvestman]

Nice bit of history there, and beautiful horses.

 

[sandbender]

Impressive beasts

 

[Fraxinus]

Cracking post, great pics and history.

You can't help but love those gentle giants.

Rob.

 

[Macaroon]

Make the most of them while they're still here, folks, we're losing them fast; they're right on the verge of going the way of the Suffolk Punch, another of the iconic British draught breeds seldom seen these days and very close to extinction.

You need a population of between 300 and 350 strong, healthy and genetically differentiated mares in order for a breed to be viable, and we haven't got them. The French, on the other hand, are breeding a version of the Shire that's been mixed with Percheron and others of the continental draught breeds; nothing wrong with these but they're not Shires as in those pictures.

How is it that the Irish, Belgian and French give their bloodstock people a few tax breaks and provide a climate conducive to breeding; they then take over the market and turn bloodstock into a hugely successful trade,
paying back untold millions to their exchequers, and we seem to be wilfully blind to it?

 

[Fraxinus]

Because we don't ever have anyone in office who looks further than their retirement package.... simples.

Rob.

 

[Harvestman]

More about endangered horse breeds here, and information on other breeds, like pigs and poultry. We are steadily losing agricutural diversity in our animals as well as our plant vairieties (where if anything it is even worse)

 

[crosslandkelly]

Beautiful horses. I remember as an eleven year old reading this, and being totally enthralled.

 

[Joonsy]

Thanks for the replies folks Regarding the decline of the heavy horse I spoke to one of the guys on the day and he said it was not easy to get 20 shire horses that were available on the day and suitable for the task.

For anyone interested in heavy horses there is an annual Heavy Horse Show not far from me in Trimpley/Kidderminster, it is run by Mike Clarke who breeds Suffolk Punches on the farm there (Holbeache Suffolk Punches). The Suffolk Punch population is now registered as ''critical''.

http://holbeachesuffolkpunches.com/

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co....pley_Heavy_Horse_Festival_back_for_11th_year/

 

[Clouston98]

Great stuff! Lovely animals and truly amazing to see them like that!

 

[Joonsy]

Great stuff! Lovely animals and truly amazing to see them like that!

certainly are and certainly is thanks clouston98 for the reply glad you liked

 

[santaman2000]

Beautiful animals!