384 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK in. 



At this date, 1796, in an article " Operations on British Horses," 

 in the "Sporting Magazine" (Vol. IX.), it is stated: "We have a 

 large and strong breed in the more fertile and luxuriant parts of the 

 island ; and there is no country can bring a parallel to the strength 

 and size of our horses destined for the draught, as there are instances 

 of single horses that are able to draw the weight of three tons." 



Having regard to recent opinions as to the origin of the appellation 

 " Shire," it is noteworthy that, in the statutes of Henry VIII., the 

 name " Shire " is first mentioned (32, c. 13), in connection with 

 horses ; and that the breed, from that time, has been known by this 

 title. This distinction of Shire Horse has been so universally 

 accepted, that it does not seem desirable to attempt to change it. 

 Whether by the name of the War Horse, the Great Horse, the Old 

 English Black Horse, or the Shire Horse, the breed has for centuries, 

 beyond a doubt, been distributed in numbers through the district 

 between the Humber and the Cam; occupying the rich fen-lands of 

 Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, and extending westward through 

 the counties of Huntingdon, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, 

 Derby, Warwick, and Stafford, on to the Severn. At the same time it 

 should be said that it has been extensively bred in the low-lying 

 pastures of England, in counties both northward and southward of 

 these limits ; everywhere retaining its typical character, though 

 varying slightly with the soil, the climate, and the food. 



The enormous bulk, the prodigious muscular strength, and to con- 

 clude our quotation from Sir Walter Gilbey the lamb-like docility of 

 the true British draught-horse are especially impressive. The sight of 

 fine teams, such as may be seen in any of our large cities, fills the 

 mind with the notion that there is hardly anything, in the way of 

 modifying size and form, which cannot be done by careful and pro- 

 longed attention to the science of breeding. 



The formation of the Shire Horse Society (originally the Cart 

 Horse Society) was first broached in 1877. Early in 1878, Mr. F. 

 Street read a paper on " Cart Horses " before the Farmers' Club, and 

 it was resolved to form an association "for the establishment of a 

 Stud Book for Shire-bred horses." On this occasion Mr. Street 

 enumerated the points of a Shire horse as follows : " The feet should 

 be firm, deep, and wide at heel, not too long or straight in pastern, 

 flat bone, short between fetlock and knee. A stallion should not 

 measure less than 11 inches below knee, and girth from 7 feet 9 inches 

 to 8 feet 3 inches, should not stand more than 17 hands, should have 

 wide chest, shoulders well thrown back, head big and masculine, 

 without coarseness ; full flowing mane, short back, large muscular 

 development of the loin, long quarters, with tail well set on, good 

 second thighs (this is a point where so many fail), large, flat, clean 

 hock ; plenty of long silk}' hair on legs ; or, to sum up in a few words, 

 a horse should be long, low, and wide, and thoroughly free from all 

 hereditary disease. A main point in action : he should be a good 

 mover in the cart horse pace, walking, and if required to trot should 

 have action like a Norfolk cob." In the course of the year named 



