Chapter I: Preface

During the past year I have seen enquiries for a book 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 this is written by one of their own class.

For six months England has been engaged in war, the most awful yet waged for the reason that half the world is involved in it. It 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.

By those who take an interest in the world’s heaviest breed of horses, as well as war news, this book may be tolerated, seeing that it deals with the old “War Horse” of Britain, many true descendants being actively engaged in moving “tons and guns” at the present time. I make no claim to having written anything new, but as a kind of pocket record of 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.

In 1899 I won a small prize, offered by an agricultural paper for a short article entitled “Rent-Paying Horses,” which I tried to point out were Shire Horses. Since then I have contributed a little to the live stock papers on the same subject, including an article for the _Farmer and Stockbreeder Year Book_ of 1906, which is reprinted by the editor’s permission. It was over the initials “S. H. L.,” which mean “Shire Horse Lover.” I have been that from my school days, but never a greater one than now.

J. ALBERT FROST.

THE HOMESTEAD,
BLETCHLEY, BUCKS.
_January, 1915._

For figures and quotations I am indebted to the Stud Books and Catalogues of the Shire Horse Society; the Journals of the Royal Agricultural Society of England; to articles on Shire Horses, in the _Live Stock Journal Almanac_, by the late Mr. G. M. Sexton (who died in 1894); and his successor, Mr. A. C. Beck; also to the late Sir Walter Gilbey’s book on _The Great Horse_, published in 1899.

J. A. F.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

AUTHOR’S PREFACE v

I. A POPULAR BREED 1

II. FOUNDING A STUD 8

III. THE SELECTION OF SIRES 12

IV. BREEDING FROM FILLIES 17

V. TEAM WORK 23

VI. REARING AND FEEDING 30

VII. CARE OF THE FEET 42

VIII. HOW TO SHOW A SHIRE 48

IX. ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE SHIRE 51

X. FACTS AND FIGURES 61

XI. HIGH PRICES 69

XII. A FEW RECORDS 76

XIII. JUDGES AT THE LONDON SHIRE SHOWS, 1890-1915 87

XIV. THE EXPORT TRADE 92

XV. PROMINENT PRESENT-DAY STUDS 103

XVI. THE FUTURE OUTLOOK 121

INDEX 127

ILLUSTRATIONS

STALLION: CHAMPION’S GOALKEEPER _Facing Title Page_

MARE: PAILTON SORAIS _Facing Page 1_

CHAMPION SHIRE MARE, PAILTON SORAIS (45919).]

THE SHIRE HORSE IN PEACE AND WAR