Shire Horse

A breed of draught horse from England, developed for tasks requiring great pulling power, established in its modern form in the mid-eighteenth century, with a breed society and stud book set up in the 1870s. Shires are massive animals, stallions standing at least 173 centimeters (17 hands) tall and weighing 900 to 1,100 kilograms, with large size, draught conformation, feathered legs, a bay, black, brown or grey coat, and a reputation for an easy-going temperament. They were originally used for farm work, for towing barges on canals, and as cart horses hauling goods by road, and they became closely associated with pulling brewers' drays for beer delivery. Today Shires are used in forestry work, leisure riding, and, at a handful of British breweries, still for brewery deliveries.