SHIRE HORSE 



abroad to increase the size and development of the native 

 breeds. King John, though not the first monarch to adopt 

 the above plan, was evidently a lover and a good judge of 

 horses, and he brought over from Holland and Flanders 

 one hundred stallions to improve the British horses. Edward 

 II. and Edward III. were also keenly interested in the breeding 

 of horses, and of later sovereigns King Henry VIII. accom- 

 plished a good deal in the way of adding to the size of the 

 existing breed, as he issued some strong edicts against per- 

 mitting small stallions to be allowed on the breeding grounds. 



Like all the breeds of British utility horses the Shire 

 suffered from the building of railways ; in fact, some thirty 

 years or so ago — that is, about the end of the 'seventies — the 

 cart horse, generally speaking, was not in a very good position, 

 and might have died out altogether had it not been for the 

 support of some of his admirers, who decided to form a 

 Shire Horse Society. The title was selected with the object 

 of excluding Clydesdales and Suffolks from the benefits 

 offered to the particular variety of heavy horse the interests 

 of which the society was formed to support, and hence the 

 selection of the name Shire horse, which was adopted in 

 order to distinguish it from the others, which have now 

 societies of their own. 



Since those days the fortunes of the breed have steadily 

 improved ; in fact, no variety of horse, with the exception 

 only of the thoroughbred, has been fortunate in securing 

 more aristocratic patronage, amongst the most successful 

 breeders of Shires being His Majesty King Edward. Of 

 late years, too, the tenant farmers of England, who, needless 

 to add, have benefited immensely by the increased demand 

 for Shires, have largely devoted themselves to the business 

 of breeding this class of animal, and with immense advantage 

 to themselves. 



The head of the Shire should unquestionably be massive ; 

 in fact in some cases it is almost too much so, the result 

 being prominent foreheads and thick jowls, whilst Roman 

 noses, which would be regarded as disfigurements in the case 



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