Shire Horses

Edward Hart.

Second hand, hardcover, dust cover intact.

The resurgence of interest in Shire horses over the last decade is partly nostalgic and partly practical, the Shire draws thousands of visitors to shows throughout the year. Edward Hart has written the first well illustrated book to examine both the history and the practical applications of the breed fully

The author considers the history and development of the working horses, leading up to the emergence of the distinct heavy breeds in the nineteenth century (the name Shire was first officially used from the 1880s). The development of the breed on organized lines is described, with its early peak after World War One, in later years, and particularly after World War Two, the horse on the land was replaced by mechanization, but there is now a magnificent regrowth in the breeding of Shires, partly as a leisure activity, and partly as their advantages over mechanized farming methods in certain circumstances are being rediscovered. There is a chapter on owning a Shire, with detailed information on choosing a suitable animal and preparing it for the show ring. The Shire has always played a major part in America, and Edward Hart devotes a section to the history of Shires in the USA and their current use. There are appendices giving addresses of local societies and standards of points for Shires.

Packed with information and anecdote, well illustrated and written at a level accessible to the general reader, Shire Horses will be essential reading for anyone interested in horses and in the story of farming in many parts of the world.

Edward Hart is an agricultural author, journalist and bookseller. He worked with farm horses on leaving school, and has written widely on the subject.