,illustration3 ,photo by ,f4 ,babbage4 ,,champion ,,shire ,,stallion1 ,,champion',s ,,goalkeeper 7#cjbif74 ,,the ,,shire ,,horse ,,in ,,peace ,,and ,,war ,,by ,j4 ,,albert ,,frost ,,london ,,vinton ,,company1 ,,ltd4 #h1 ,,bream',s ,,buildings1 ,,chancery ,,lane1 ,e4,c4 #aiae ,,preface ,during the past year ,i have seen enquiries for a book on the management of ,shire ,horses2 therefore ,i have made an attempt to supply the want4 ,that the result leaves much--very much--to be desired ,i am well aware1 but at least the little work is free from fine phrases and technical terms4 ,farmers prefer practical advice to literary merit in any book1 or paper1 that they read1 and this is written by one of their own class4 ,for six months ,england has been engaged in war1 the most awful yet waged for the reason that half the world is involved in it4 ,it naturally follows that little is read but war news4 ,consequently these pages will be regarded as dull and uninteresting by those who have become accustomed to thrilling stories from battlefields1 seas1 or skies4 ,by those who take an interest in the world's heaviest breed of horses1 as well as war news1 this book may be tolerated1 seeing that it deals with the old 8,war ,horse0 of ,britain1 many true descendants being actively engaged in moving 8tons and guns0 at the present time4 ,i make no claim to having written anything new1 but as a kind of pocket record of what ,shire breeders1 and exhibitors1 have hitherto accomplished with their animals the facts herein contained may be useful1 and ,i hope that all readers1 as well as ,shire breeders1 will forgive any inaccuracies in my figures and all the imperfections in this my first attempt at book-writing4 ,in #ahii ,i won a small prize1 offered by an agricultural paper for a short article entitled 8,rent-,paying ,horses10 which ,i tried to point out were ,shire ,horses4 ,since then ,i have contributed a little to the live stock papers on the same subject1 including an article for the ,farmer and ,stockbreeder ,year ,book of #aijf1 which is reprinted by the editor's permission4 ,it was over the initials 8,s4 ,h4 ,l410 which mean 8,shire ,horse ,lover40 ,i have been that from my school days1 but never a greater one than now4 ,j4 ,,albert ,,frost4 ,,the ,,homestead1 ,,bletchley1 ,,bucks4 ,january1 #aiae4 ,for figures and quotations ,i am indebted to the ,stud ,books and ,catalogues of the ,shire ,horse ,society2 the ,journals of the ,royal ,agricultural ,society of ,england2 to articles on ,shire ,horses1 in the ,live ,stock ,journal ,almanac1 by the late ,mr4 ,g4 ,m4 ,sexton 7who died in #ahid72 and his successor1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,beck2 also to the late ,sir ,walter ,gilbey's book on ,the ,great ,horse1 published in #ahii4 ,j4 ,a4 ,f4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,,page ,,author',s ,,preface v ,i4 ,a ,,popular ,,breed #a ,,ii4 ,,founding ,a ,,stud #h ,,iii4 ,,the ,,selection ,,of ,,sires #ab ,,iv4 ,,breeding ,,from ,,fillies #ag ,v4 ,,team ,,work #bc ,,vi4 ,,rearing ,,and ,,feeding #cj ,,vii4 ,,care ,,of ,,the ,,feet #db ,,viii4 ,,how ,,to ,,show ,a ,,shire #dh ,,ix4 ,,origin ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,the ,,shire #ea ,x4 ,,facts ,,and ,,figures #fa ,,xi4 ,,high ,,prices #fi ,,xii4 ,a ,,few ,,records #gf ,,xiii4 ,,judges ,,at ,,the ,,london ,,shire ,,shows1 #ahij-aiae #hg ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,export ,,trade #ib ,,xv4 ,,prominent ,,present-,,day ,,studs #ajc ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,future ,,outlook #aba ,,index #abg ,,illustrations ,,stallion3 ,,champion',s ,,goalkeeper ,facing ,title ,page ,,mare3 ,,pailton ,,sorais ,facing ,page #a ,illustration3 ,photo by ,f4 ,babbage4 ,,champion ,,shire ,,mare1 ,,pailton ,,sorais 7#deiai74 ,,the ,,shire ,,horse ,,in ,,peace ,,and ,,war ,,chapter ,i ,a ,,popular ,,breed ,there is no breed of horses which has attracted so much attention during the past thirty years as the ,old ,english ,war ,horse4 ,originally bred and preserved for fighting purposes1 his size was increased by importations of stallions and mares from ,flanders--famous now and henceforth as the battleground of the greatest war ever waged4 ,in the days when heavy armour was worn the cavalry horse could hardly be too stout1 and at that time ploughing was performed by oxen2 but there came a day when the ,english knights discarded their coats of mail and thenceforward sought for light-legged mounts4 ,this gave the horses bred in 8the ,shires0 a chance to distinguish themselves as draught horses1 for which their width of chest1 short legs1 and strong back were well adapted3 so the ,war ,horse of the olden days became the ,old ,english ,cart ,horse4 ,farmers--particularly ,robert ,bakewell--discovered that they could do double1 or treble1 the quantity of ploughing with a pair of these heavy horses that they could with an ox team2 therefore draught horses superseded bullocks for agricultural and haulage purposes1 which meant that they were bred for weight and substance1 the biggest and heaviest being regarded as the best4 ,pedigrees of these massive animals were kept by a few progressive breeders from the year #ahjj1 at least2 therefore it was not difficult to compile a stud book for this ,old ,english breed when a society1 to protect its interests1 and promote its breeding1 was formed in #ahgh by a body of admirers1 among whom the late ,sir ,walter ,gilbey was conspicuous4 ,included were also the ,earl of ,ellesmere1 ,earl ,spencer1 ,lord ,wantage1 ,lord ,egerton of ,tatton1 the ,hon4 ,edward ,coke1 ,mr4 ,chandos ,pole-,gell1 ,mr4 ,anthony ,hamond1 and ,messrs4 ,george and ,frederic ,street1 while ,h4,r4,h4 the ,prince of ,wales 7,king ,edward ,,vii7 was a keen supporter of the ,shire ,horse ,society from its inception4 ,all of those named have passed away2 but not before they had seen their efforts bear rich fruit in the rapid establishment of the industry of ,shire ,horse breeding at home1 and the world-wide fame achieved by the breed abroad1 but particularly in the ,united ,states of ,america1 to which country the majority of those exported have been sent4 ,great changes have occurred since the ,hon4 ,e4 ,coke's dispersion sale at ,longford ,hall1 ,derby1 in ,october1 #ahhi1 this being the first of which the writer possesses a catalogue4 ,it was caused by his death1 and his stud manager went from thence to take charge of the ,royal ,stud of ,shires at ,sandringham for ,king ,edward1 who proved to be a very successful breeder4 ,two champion mares1 ,gloaming and ,solace1 were bred1 and more than one successful sale held at ,sandringham in the 'nineties of last century1 a decade during which it became the fashion for landowners and wealthy men to own a stud of ,shires so that they almost tumbled over each other to secure the most notable specimens for their studs4 7,the last sale of ,king ,edward's ,shires was held at ,wolferton in #aijg47 ,the result was a reign of high prices which led many farmers to believe that ,shire ,horse breeding was beyond the reach of their pockets4 ,stud sales to the number of ten or twelve were held each year from #ahij to #aijb1 when the total was fourteen and the number of ,shires sold #ehc1 after which they began to dwindle till the past year of #aiad1 during which there was not a single home sale4 ,to an outsider this might be taken to prove that the love and enthusiasm for the ,old ,english breed had fizzled out1 that the ,shire had been 8weighed in the balances and found wanting40 ,nothing could be further from the truth4 ,the last home sale held was the most successful that ever took place4 ,thirty-two animals1 including several yearlings1 averaged #ded each at ,lord ,rothschild's sale on ,february #adth1 #aiac1 one two-year-old colt1 ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 making the record price for a ,shire of #d1ajj guineas4 ,after this one may well wonder why such a good method of selling has been abandoned4 ,the chief reason is that the industry is no longer confined to those who live in mansions1 or think--financially--in thousands4 ,it has become part of the routine of hundreds of ,english tenant farmers to rear ,shire horses1 and as they have only a few animals to offer at one time the ,repository ,sale has superseded the ,home gathering1 helpful though these fraternal meetings have always proved to the breed's interests4 ,as before stated1 most of those who held sales have gone the way of all flesh1 but besides those already named may be mentioned ,sir ,p4 ,a4 ,muntz1 ,lord ,llangattock1 ,mr4 ,john ,parnell1 ,mr4 ,fred ,crisp1 ,mr4 ,philo ,l4 ,mills1 ,mr4 ,james ,eadie1 ,mr4 ,arthur ,ransom1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,barrs4 ,all of these were buyers1 breeders1 and exhibitors of the best in their day1 together with others too numerous to mention4 ,the loss of these supporters has1 however1 been made good by new ones1 more numerous1 if less influential2 therefore the ,shire breeding industry has never been on a broader base than it is to-day4 ,these lines are being written when horses are in greater demand for war purposes than they have ever been before in the world's history1 and although the ,shire has for generations been transformed into a peace1 rather than a war1 horse he has not escaped the notice of the army buyer4 ,we have it on the best authority--that of the official auctioneer to the ,shire ,horse ,society--that 8many a pure-bred ,shire mare and gelding are now pulling heavy guns and transport waggons in ,france and ,belgium1 besides which nearly all the best gunners are by ,shire stallions40 ,it is scarcely necessary to point out that the best ,shires of this period weigh over one ton1 and to pull weight you must have weighty animals2 therefore these massive modern cart horses are just as useful in hauling heavy guns1 the most effective weapons in modern warfare1 as their ancestors were in carrying the bold ,british knights cased from head to foot in steel armour4 ,but war1 though it lasts long--too long--comes to an end1 and when this one does horses will be wanted in thousands to make up for those lost by the eight or nine nations now fighting for their existence4 ,it is perfectly clear that the great studs of ,shires as they existed a few years ago are being dispersed4 ,very few breeders of the present time could have sixty high class animals paraded1 as the late ,lord ,ellesmere did for the benefit of visitors to the ,worsley show in ,august1 #ahhi2 but scores of farmers could muster a team or two of good ,shire mares2 therefore it is obvious that1 whatever the future of the ,shire may be1 ,english farmers will do much towards shaping it4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,founding ,a ,,stud ,as this little book is intended for farmers more than for stud owners1 a better heading for this chapter would have been 8,selecting the ,dams10 for without sound1 useful mares no breeder can hope to achieve success with the horses he breeds4 ,it has been possible to grade up one's old stock of mares by using registered stallions until they were eligible for the ,stud ,book2 but this is too tedious a course to recommend in these days2 moreover1 the demand for draught mares is now so keen that the difference in the price of a pedigree and a common non-pedigree mare is scarcely worth considering4 ,therefore the beginner who wishes to breed pedigree ,shires should dispose of his unregistered mares to re-invest his money in females which are worth mating with a really good sire1 so that the full benefits of the industry may be more quickly forthcoming4 ,of course there is a wide range of choice in ,shire mares2 consequently there is plenty of scope for the skill and judgment of the purchaser4 ,those which are fashionably bred1 perfectly sound and likely to make prize winners usually realize high prices1 while prizes already won add considerably to the market value of any ,shire1 male or female4 ,one must decide according to his means whether he will launch out and buy one or two of the most famous mares to be obtained1 or whether he will proceed cautiously1 and with as little outlay as possible1 by picking up useful specimens as they come under his notice2 but it may be pointed out that the man who attends sales and gives sensational prices advertises himself1 thus getting a more favourable start than the plodder4 ,the initial1 or foundation1 stock1 whatever its cost1 should be free from hereditary unsoundness1 otherwise disappointment will be encountered in the offspring4 ,it is much more easy to find sound ,shires now than it was in the early years of the ,shire ,horse ,society1 when the rejections for unsoundness were very numerous1 as the following extract from a show report of the past will prove3--8,the judges selected ten horses to be sent out for veterinary inspection in the hope1 vain though it proved to be1 that at least half of them would be again found in the ring with a certificate of soundness1 so that no difficulty would be experienced in securing sufficient sound animals to which they could award the three prizes and the reserve number4 ,not so1 however2 and the stewards were compelled to seek in the boxes for other horses to be sent out for examination in order that the rosettes might be placed40 ,unsoundness on such a scale has long ceased to exist1 largely through the efforts of the ,shire ,horse ,society in sticking to their rule of giving prizes and commendations to sound animals only4 ,this does not imply that unsoundness cannot be found in the ,shires of to-day4 ,unfortunately it is still possible to buy a mare1 or use a stallion1 with undesirable and readily inherited complaints2 therefore it is very necessary for farmers--who wish to make their ,shires do a share towards paying the rent--to discriminate between a sound and an unsound horse1 or mare1 or to decide for himself whether to take or refuse a blemished animal4 ,there are many of the latter which often prove a good investment1 and as a veterinary surgeon cannot always be found at a moment's notice it is desirable for breeders to make themselves acquainted with the conformation of a sound and perfectly moulded animal1 so as to be able to rely on one's own judgment when buying or selling4 ,shire ,horse history has proved that the purchase of one sound mare with good back breeding has led to fame and fortune1 a fact which should not be forgotten when home breeding is being embarked upon or extended4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,selection ,,of ,,sires ,the question of mating is one of great importance in the breeding of any class of live stock1 hence the necessity of rejecting a commonplace sire whether he is to be purchased or only patronized for nominations4 ,the cheap sire is common enough even in these days1 and the fact that his services cost little gives him a popularity altogether unmerited and very injurious to the best interests of ,shire breeding4 ,quite recently ,i saw twenty quarters of wheat delivered by a small farmer from whom it was purchased4 ,in one of the carts ,i was surprised to find a five-year-old stallion1 light in bone1 pale chestnut in colour1 and quite small--just the sort to haul guns or baggage to 8the front0 at the present time1 but obviously unfit to serve a mare if a weighty cart horse was expected as the result4 ,yet the owner claimed to have got a lot of mares to this horse for the past two seasons4 ,this sort of thing going on all over the country1 naturally lowers the standard4 ,a farmer saves a yearling colt because he 8likes the look of it40 ,at two years old he uses him on his own mares and invites his neighbours to send theirs1 the terms being something like #a each mare1 or1 perhaps1 8,no colt1 no pay10 and #a #ajs4 if the mare proves to be in foal4 ,such a system of breeding may help to increase the horse population1 and those bred in this haphazard fashion may find a ready market while a great war is in progress1 but it is not ,shire breeding in the true sense2 therefore a farmer who possesses even a useful mare should not object to paying a reasonable service fee1 or1 if he uses his neighbour's horse1 he should at least ascertain if he is sound and of good parentage4 ,the work of the ,shire ,horse ,society is to 8improve the ,old ,english ,breed of ,cart ,horses40 ,it has been carried on for thirty-six years very successfully1 notwithstanding the injurious effect wrought by such stallions as that above mentioned1 and it rests with the present members of the ,shire ,horse ,society to carry on the work which1 as aforesaid1 was so well begun and maintained by such men as the late ,sir ,walter ,gilbey1 to whom all lovers of ,shire ,horses are indebted for his book on 8,the ,great ,horse10 which gives the history of the breed from the time of the ,roman ,invasion till the year #ahhi 7when the first edition of the book appeared71 at which date ,shire ,horse breeding had become a great national industry1 that year having been the best on record for the number of export certificates granted4 ,a second edition brings the work up to #ahii4 ,when wealthy stud owners place the best of stallions within the reach of tenant farmers it is a mistake to miss the opportunity1 but those less fortunately placed are now able1 if they desire to do so1 to profit by the ,development ,grant of the ,state1 which enables them to get mares to sound--if not front rank--stallions at low fees or by assisted nominations4 ,that a horse breeder should be content to mate his mares with a mongrel when it is easily possible to aim higher seems difficult to understand in these days when pedigree means so much in market value4 ,for the production of geldings1 fashionable blood is not essential1 but it sometimes happens that a foal of outstanding merit is bred by quite a small farmer1 and if such an one is by a well-known sire of prize-winning stock1 a real good price may be obtained1 if the dam is only registered1 so there is much to be said in favour of using the highest type of ,shire stallion1 even by owners of one or two mares4 ,fortunately farmers are able to secure special terms for their mares from most stud owners1 and there are many local societies which hire a real good horse and charge a smaller sum to their own members than to outsiders4 ,among such societies may be mentioned ,peterborough1 ,welshpool1 and ,winslow1 in all of which districts many high-class ,shires have been bred4 ,then there are generous landlords who hire a real good horse for the benefit of their tenants--although not ,shire breeders themselves--so that it is quite possible for the majority of tenant farmers to obtain nominations to one of the best of ,shire stallions if he is bent on improvement and believes in being enterprising enough to obtain it4 ,the indifference which leads horse breeders to use a mongrel which comes into the yard1 rather than send further afield to a better animal is inexcusable in a member of the ,shire ,horse ,society1 neither is such an one likely to improve his financial position by means of his heavy horses1 which large numbers of farmers have done during the depressed times4 ,an extra five pounds for a service fee may be1 and often is1 fifty when the foal is sold4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,breeding ,,from ,,fillies ,for many years it has been a debatable point whether two-year-old fillies should be bred from or not4 ,the pros and cons have been discussed1 and in the end ,shire breeders have used their own discretion on the point4 ,superior animals have1 however1 been bred from youthful parents on both sides1 a notable instance being the late ,lord ,wantage's ,lady ,victoria2 her sire was ,prince ,william1 the ,london and ,royal ,champion1 and her dam ,glow1 by the ,london ,champion ,spark4 ,she was the first foal of a two-year-old colt1 with a two-year-old filly for her dam1 yet she made a great prize-winning mare1 having won first and cup in ,london in #ahhi and championship of the ,oxfordshire ,show in #ahij4 ,it may also be mentioned that ,buscot ,harold1 the ,london ,champion stallion of #ahih1 was begotten when his sire1 ,markeaton ,royal ,harold1 was but a two-year-old colt1 although his dam1 ,aurea1 was older4 ,at two years old he was preferred to his sire for the ,elsenham ,challenge ,cup4 ,this proves that ,shire breeders have been making good use of fillies for many years1 therefore the produce of a three-year-old filly need not be rejected1 neither should the nursing of a foal at that age necessarily result in a stunted or plain mare4 ,it is1 however1 necessary to grow fillies along with the aid of supplementary food and to 8do0 both them and their foals well while they are suckling4 ,there is no doubt that the ,shires of the present day do get more food and attention than they did in bygone days1 when it was unnecessary to strive after showyard size1 because shows did not exist in such numbers1 so that the farmer who exhibited cart horses was rarely met with1 and young horse stock were not fed to encourage size and growth4 ,so long as they could be put into the team at three years old and mated at four1 that was considered early enough to work or to breed4 ,at the present time the horse population of ,great ,britain and ,europe1 if not of the whole world1 is being reduced by the greatest of all wars1 consequently it is desirable for ,shire breeders to do their share towards making good the shortage4 ,if fillies are well kept from birth they will attain size and may be mated at two years old to a young horse1 but not too early in the season4 ,the end of ,may is early enough for fillies1 and a big heavy old horse should not be chosen under any circumstances4 ,if served at the right time they are more likely to breed than fillies a year older1 and it makes a lot of difference whether a five-year-old mare has a couple of sons and daughters or even one to her credit1 or no offspring at all1 when the profit and loss account is being made up by a farmer4 ,it may be that a three-year-old cannot be got into a fat state for show with a foal running by her side1 but the prolonged rest at that age does her no harm4 ,she will come up all right at a later period1 and is more likely to make a regular breeder than if not mated till three years old4 ,a mare which breeds from the age of three till she is fifteen is a great help in the way of production1 even if she only averages one foal in two years1 which is1 perhaps1 as many as it is safe to reckon on for rearing to maturity1 although1 of course1 there are plenty of mares which have produced a good foal for ten or eleven years in succession4 ,they will breed till they are twenty-five1 to the writer's knowledge1 but the average age at which ,shire mares breed their last foal must be put somewhere round fifteen4 ,there is no doubt that we have learned much in horse management since shows have become so popular1 although it may be that high feeding for show purposes has been--and is--the cause of a lower percentage of foals among high class show animals of both sexes4 ,to prepare fillies for mating at two years old may be compared to feeding for early maturity in cattle and sheep1 except that many of the latter are only grown and fattened to be killed1 whereas ,shires are meant to live a long and useful life4 ,it is1 therefore1 necessary to build up a frame with this idea in view4 ,an outdoor life should be led1 while the food should be both good and sufficient1 as well as being suitable4 ,there is no time to be wasted1 and if foals are allowed to get into low condition while being weaned1 or during their first winter1 they are less fit to make robust two-year-olds fit either to work or to breed1 or what is more profitable1 to accomplish both of these tasks together during part of the year4 ,if early maturity is aimed at with any class of stock1 feeding and management must be of the best1 therefore farmers who half starve their foals and allow their yearlings to be wintered on a bit of hay must not expect their two-year-olds to be well grown and in the best possible condition for parental duties4 ,the situation at the present time is such that every horse-breeder should do his best to utilize to the full the horse stock which he possesses1 so that a sufficient number of horses may be obtained to carry on the agriculture and trade of the country1 both of which are likely to require horses in large numbers in the immediate future4 ,mares will be relatively more scarce than stallions for the reason that the latter have not been 8commandeered0 for war purposes1 but as geldings have been taken in large numbers1 there is1 and will be1 a great demand for workers of all grades4 ,under such circumstances ,shire breeders may serve their own interests by mating their fillies with a good young sire at two years old and keeping them in good condition for producing a strong vigorous foal4 ,very few of ,robert ,bakewell's remarks are recorded1 but this one is1 8,the only way to be sure of good offspring is to have good cows as well as good bulls10 and this applies with equal1 if not greater1 force in the business of horse-breeding2 the sire cannot effect the whole of the improvement4 ,,chapter ,v ,,team ,,work ,since my very youthful days ,i have always been accustomed to putting cart colts into the team at two years old1 a system which cannot be too strongly advocated at the present time1 when every worker in the shape of a horse is needed4 ,there are numbers of high-class ,shires living a life of luxurious idleness to-day1 for the only reason that they were never trained to work1 yet they would be quite as well in health1 and more likely to breed1 if they were helping to do ploughing or almost any kind of farm work when not actually nursing a foal or being prepared for any important show4 ,when a ,shire mare can be sold as 8a good worker10 a buyer feels that he is getting something for his money1 even if she fails to breed1 so that there is much to be said in favour of putting fillies into the team1 and nothing against1 so far as ,i know1 unless they are over-worked1 strained1 or stunted4 ,a non-breeding mare which will not work is an impossible1 or useless1 sort of animal on a farm1 where mere ornaments are not required1 whereas if she is a worker in all gears she is 8anybody's mare02 on the other hand1 she is nobody's if she refuses either to work or to breed4 ,geldings for haulage purposes are always in demand1 but big powerful mares are equally useful for the same purpose1 and it is much better to sell a non-breeder for the lorry than to sell her for another breeder to meet with disappointment4 ,it is obvious that there will be a great scarcity of weighty working horses when the countries now involved in war settle down to peaceful trades and occupations1 and there is no country which stands to benefit more than ,great ,britain1 which is the best of all breeding grounds for draught horses4 ,to allow1 what would otherwise be1 a useful worker to eat the bread of idleness because it was regarded as too well bred or valuable to wear a collar is not a policy to pursue or to recommend1 especially to farmers1 seeing that the arable land tenant can put a colt into the team1 between two steady horses at almost any time of the year1 while the occupiers of grass farms may easily start their young ,shires as workers by hitching them to a log of wood or some chain harrows1 and afterwards work them in a roll4 ,there is no doubt1 whatever1 that many stallions would leave a much higher percentage of foals if they were 8broken in0 during their two-year-old days1 so that they would take naturally to work when they grew older and could therefore be relied upon to work and thus keep down superfluous fat4 ,this would be far better than allowing them to spend something like nine months of the year in a box or small paddock with nothing to do but eat4 ,in past times more working stallions could be found1 and they were almost invariably good stock getters1 but since showing has become popular it is almost a general rule to keep well-bred1 or prize-winning1 colts quite clear of the collar lest they should work themselves down in condition and so fail to please possible buyers on the look-out for show candidates4 ,a little more than twenty years ago there was an outcry against show condition in ,shires1 and this is what a very eminent breeder of those days said on the subject of fat-- 8,it is a matter of no consequence to any one1 save their owners1 when second or third-class horses are laden with blubber2 but it is a national calamity when the best animals--those that ought to be the proud sires and dams of an ever-improving race--are stuffed with treacle and drugged with poisons in order to compete successfully with their inferiors4 ,hence come fever in the feet1 diseased livers1 fatty degeneration of the heart1 and a host of ailments that often shorten the lives of their victims and always injure their constitutions40 ,this bears out my contention that ,shires of both sexes would pay for a course of training in actual collar work1 no matter how blue-blooded as regards ancestry or how promising for the show ring4 ,the fact that a colt by a ,london champion had been seen in the plough team1 or between a pair of shafts1 would not detract from his value in the eyes of a judge1 or prevent him from becoming a weighty and muscular horse2 in fact1 it would tend to the development of the arms and thighs which one expects to find in a ,shire stallion1 and if from any cause a stud or show career is closed1 a useful one at honest work may still be carried on4 ,wealthy stud owners can afford to pay grooms to exercise their horses1 but farmers find--and are more than ever likely to find--that it is necessary to make the best possible use of their men2 therefore1 if their colts and fillies are put to work and rendered perfectly tractable1 they will grow up as stallions which may be worked instead of being aimlessly exercised1 while the mares can spend at least half of their lives in helping to carry on the ordinary work of the farm4 ,it is certainly worth while to take pains to train a young ,shire1 which is worth rearing at all1 to lead from its foalhood days so that it is always approachable if required for show or sale1 and these early lessons prepare it for the time when it is old enough to put its shoulders into the collar1 this being done with far less risk than it is in the case of youngsters which have been turned away and neglected till they are three years old4 ,the breaking in of this class of colt takes time and strength1 while the task of getting a halter on is no light one1 and the whole business of lungeing1 handling1 and harnessing requires more brute force and courage than the docile animal trained in infancy calls for4 ,the secret of training any horse is to keep it from knowing its own strength2 therefore1 if it is taught to lead before it is strong enough to break away1 and to be tied up before it can break the headcollar by hanging back it is obvious that less force is required4 ,the horse which finds he can break his halter by hanging back is likely to become a troublesome animal to stand tied up1 while the one which throws its rider two or three times does not forget that it is possible to get a man off its back2 therefore it is better and safer if they never gain such knowledge of their own powers4 ,the ,shire breeding farmer ought to be able to go into his field and put a halter on any animal required1 from a foal to an old horse1 and he can do this if they have been treated with kindness and handled from their early days4 ,this is a matter to which many farmers should give more attention than they do1 seeing that an ill-trained show animal may lose a prize for no other reason than that its show manners are faulty1 whereas those of the nearest rival are perfect4 ,the writer was taught this while showing at a ,county ,show very early in his career4 ,the animal he was leading was--like himself--rather badly educated1 and this was noticed by one of the oldest and best judges of that day1 and this is what he whispered in his ear1 8,my lad1 if you would only spend your time training your horses instead of going to cricket they would do you more credit and win more prizes40 ,this advice ,i have never forgotten1 and ,i pass it on for the benefit of those who have yet to learn 8the ropes40 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,rearing ,,and ,,feeding ,during the past few years we have heard much about early maturity with all kinds of stock4 ,four-year-old bullocks are rarely seen in these days1 while wether sheep are being superseded by tegs4 ,with ,shire ,horses there has been a considerable amount of attention paid to size in yearlings1 two- and three-year-olds1 which1 as before stated1 is equivalent to early maturity in the case of cattle and sheep4 ,for the purpose of getting size an animal must be well fed from birth1 and this applies to foals4 ,of course1 the date of birth counts for a good deal when foals are shown with their dams1 as it does to a less extent with yearlings1 but after that age it makes very little difference whether a foal is born in ,february or in ,may4 ,from a farmer's point of view ,i do not believe in getting ,shire foals too early4 ,they have to be housed for a lengthened period1 and the dams fed on food which may be expensive4 ,at the present time good oats are worth #cjs4 per quarter1 and hay1 fit for horses1 at least #ijs4 per ton1 so that two or three months of winter feeding means a little sum added to the cost of raising a foal4 ,the middle of ,april is early enough for the average foal to arrive1 and he can then make quite a good size by ,september if his dam is an ordinarily good suckler and he contracts no ailments1 such as chills or scour1 to check his progress4 ,when colts are a month old they will begin to pick up crushed oats and bran while the dam is feeding1 therefore it is no trouble to teach them to eat from a manger4 ,a word of caution is necessary to the inexperienced in the matter of feeding the dam until the foal is a few days old and strong enough to take all her milk4 ,this is to feed the mare sparingly so as not to flush her milk while the youngster is unable to take it fast enough4 ,of course1 the surplus can be milked away1 as it should be if the bag is tight1 but this may be neglected and then scour is often set up1 which a very young foal often succumbs to4 ,it is better that the mare should have too little than too much milk while the youngster gets fairly on his legs4 ,cows always have most of their milk taken away1 but young lambs as well as foals often suffer through taking too much of the dam's milk during the first day or two of their existence4 ,if a foal is born during the grazing season the flow of milk can be regulated by keeping the mare in a bare pasture1 or shutting her up for part of the day4 ,supposing that the foal survives the ills incidental to its early life1 and gains in strength with the lengthening days1 its first dry food will be taken when the mare is fed1 which she should be1 especially if she is either a young or an old mare1 while show candidates will naturally need something more than grass4 ,the object is to promote steady growth and maintain good health1 and it should not be forgotten that oats are the best of all corn for horses2 therefore no other kind should be given to a foal1 but on good grazing land a mare will usually maintain herself and her foal in good condition for a good part of the summer without manger food4 ,it is towards weaning time that a manger is needed1 into which should be put crushed 7not whole7 oats1 together with an equal quantity of bran and a bit of good chaff4 ,at the outset the mare will eat most of it1 but the foal will benefit by getting richer milk and more of it1 which he can now take without any ill effects4 ,in time he acquires the habit of standing up to the manger and taking his share4 ,it is very necessary to see that all foals eat well before they are weaned4 ,the cost of feeding a foal during its first winter may be roughly reckoned at ten shillings per week1 which is made up as follows-- s4 d4 #hj lbs4 of oats #f #j #ef 0 hay #b #j #bh 0 bran #a #f #bh 0 oat straw #j #i #bh 0 carrots #j #c ,the bulk of the hay and all the oat straw should be fed in the form of chaff with the oats1 bran and carrots 7well cleaned and pulped71 then a very good everyday diet can be formed by mixing the whole together1 and one which few horses will refuse4 ,of course the items are not reckoned at the extreme prices prevailing in the winter of #aiad-aiae1 but they could often be bought for less1 so that it is a fair average4 ,it will be seen that oats form the biggest part1 for the reason aforesaid1 that they are better than other kinds of corn4 ,a little long hay should be given at night--more when there is snow on the ground--the other mixture divided into two feeds per day1 morning and evening1 unless showing is contemplated in the early ,spring1 when1 of course1 an extra feed will be given at mid-day4 ,the fashion has changed during the past few years as regards hay for horses4 ,meadow hay is regarded1 and rightly so1 as too soft1 so hard seeds are invariably chosen by grooms or owners who want value for money4 ,it is quite easy to ascertain which a horse likes best by putting some good hard mixture and equally well-gotten meadow hay side by side in front of him4 ,he will certainly eat that first which he likes best1 and it will be found to be the harder mixture4 ,the quantities mentioned are for foals which lie out or run on pasture4 ,the best place for wintering them is in a paddock or field1 with a roomy shed open to the south4 ,a yard1 walled or slabbed on three sides1 the south again being open to the field1 with doors wide enough to admit a cart1 is a very useful addition to the shed1 as it is then possible to shut the youngsters in when necessary4 ,both yard and shed should be kept littered1 if straw is plentiful1 but if not the shed should contain a good bedding of peat-moss litter4 ,no overhead racks should be used1 but one on the same level as the manger1 so that no seeds drop out of the rack into the colt's eyes4 ,it will be found that foals reared in this way are healthy and ready for their feed1 and they will often prefer to lie full length in the open than to rest in the shed4 ,to see them lying quite flat and fast asleep1 looking as if dead1 is a pretty sure sign that they are thriving4 ,they will often snore quite loudly1 so that a novice may consider that they are ill4 ,rock salt should be within reach for them to lick1 together with good clean water4 ,if a trough is used for the latter it should be cleaned out at intervals1 and if a pond or ditch is the drinking place1 there should be a stone mouth so as to avoid stalking in the mud4 ,a healthy horse is a hungry horse1 therefore the feed should be cleaned up before the next is put in4 ,this must be noted in the case of foals just weaned4 ,any left over should be taken away and given to older horses1 so that the little ones receive a sweet and palatable meal4 ,condition and bloom may be obtained by adding a small quantity of boiled barley or a handful of linseed meal to the food above mentioned1 while horses lying in should have a boiled linseed and bran mash about once a week4 ,it should be remembered1 as before stated1 that horses are not like cattle1 sheep1 or pigs1 being fattened to be killed4 ,they have a comparatively long life in front of them1 so that it is necessary to build up a good constitution4 ,then they may change hands many times1 and if they pass from where cooked foods and condiments are largely used to where plain food is given they are apt to refuse it and lose flesh in consequence1 thus leading the new owner to suppose that he has got a bad bargain4 ,reference has already been made to the pernicious system of stuffing show-animals1 and it is not often that farmers err in this direction4 ,they are usually satisfied with feeding their horses on sound and wholesome home-grown food without purchasing costly extras to make their horses into choice feeders4 ,it is always better for the breeder of any class of stock if the animals he sells give satisfaction to the purchasers1 and this is particularly true of ,shire horses4 ,a doubtful breeder or one which is not all that it should be may be fattened up and sold at more than its market value1 but the buyer would not be likely to go to the same man if he wanted another horse1 therefore it is better to gain a reputation for honest dealing and to make every effort to keep it4 ,it might be here mentioned that it is not at all satisfactory to rear a ,shire foal by itself1 even if it will stay in its paddock4 ,it never thrives as well as when with company1 and often stands with its head down looking very mopish and dull1 therefore the rearing of ,shires is not a suitable undertaking for a small holder1 although he may keep a good brood-mare to do most of his work and sell her foal at weaning time4 ,in the absence of a second foal a donkey is sometimes used as a companion to a single one1 but he is a somewhat unsatisfactory playfellow1 therefore the farmer with only one had far better sell it straight from the teat1 or if he has suitable accommodation he should buy another to lie with it and rear the two together4 ,of course1 two will need more food than one1 but no more journeys will be required to carry it to the manger4 ,care should be taken1 however1 to buy one quite as good1 and if possible better1 than the home-bred one4 ,if they are to make geldings the colour should match1 but if for breeding purposes the colour need not necessarily be the same4 ,except for making a working gelding1 however1 chestnuts should be avoided4 ,it is not a desirable colour to propagate1 so one can breed enough of that shade without buying one4 ,a remark which may be also made with regard to unsound ones1 viz4 that most horse-breeders get enough of them without buying4 ,during their second summer--that is as yearlings--,shires not wanted for show purposes should be able to do themselves well at grass1 supposing the land is of average quality and not overstocked1 but if the soil is very poor it may be necessary to give a small feed once a day1 of which pulped mangolds may form a part if they are plentiful4 ,this extra feeding is better than stunting the growth1 and the aim is to get a big romping two-year-old colt1 filly1 or gelding as the case may be4 ,colts not up to the desired standard should be operated on during their yearling days1 preferably in ,may or ,june1 and1 as before indicated1 merit should be conspicuous in those left for stud purposes1 while the back breeding on both sides counts for much in a stallion4 ,that is why ,lockinge ,forest ,king1 ,childwick ,champion1 and a few others which could be named1 proved to be such prepotent stock-getters4 ,after ,june or ,july colts should be separated from fillies unless the colts have been castrated1 and they must be put inside good fences1 this being something of a puzzle to a farmer with a few paddocks and poor fences4 ,consequently1 a second or third-rate young stallion often causes a good deal of trouble1 in fact1 more than he leaves a return for4 ,for the second winter the young ,shires still need a bit of help4 ,if they are to make1 or are likely to make1 anything out of the common they should be fed liberally1 otherwise a feed of chaff and corn once a day will do1 with a bit of hay to munch at night1 but it must be good wholesome forage4 ,during their second spring1 or when two years old1 they should be put to work as described in a former chapter1 after which they are able at least to earn their keep2 the cost of rearing on the lines indicated up to this age will be found to be considerable1 so that a good saleable animal is needed to make the business a profitable one2 but ,i have kept the rearing of good sound ,shires in view1 not crocks or mongrels4 ,the effect of the war on the cost of feeding horses has led the ,board of ,agriculture and ,fisheries to issue a leaflet telling horse owners of substitutes for oats4 ,when it was written beans were relatively cheaper1 so was maize1 while rice-meal was recommended to form part of the mixture1 owing to its lower cost4 ,those who have fed horses are aware that they do not like any food which is of a dusty nature4 ,it sticks in their nostrils1 causing them annoyance1 if not discomfort1 which a horse indicates by blowing its nose frequently4 ,any kind of light meal should therefore be fed either with damp chaff or with pulped roots1 well mixed with the feed in the manner described elsewhere4 ,if mangolds have to be purchased at #a per ton1 they help to make the meals more palatable4 ,the farmer who grows a variety of corn and roots is usually able to prepare and blend his own foods so as to make a diet on which horses will thrive although oats are scarce4 ,in ,scotland boiled swedes or turnips are largely used for farm horses1 but coal and labour are now scarce as well as horse corn4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,care ,,of ,,the ,,feet ,there is no part of a ,shire to which more attention should be paid than the feet1 and it is safe to say that the foot of the present-day cart-horse is infinitely better than were those of his ancestors of forty1 or even twenty1 years ago4 ,the shape as well as the size has been improved till the donkey-shaped hoof is rarely met with1 at least in show animals of this breed4 ,it is always advisable to keep the feet of foals1 yearlings1 and two-year-olds attended to whether they are required for show or not1 and if they have their feet quietly picked up and the edges rasped1 the heels being lowered a little when necessary1 the hoof is prevented from breaking1 and a better and more durable hoof well repays the trouble1 moreover the task of fixing the first set of shoes--which used to be quite a tough job for the smith when the colts were neglected till they were three years old--is rendered quite easy4 ,except for travelling on the road1 or when required for show1 there is no advantage in keeping shoes on young ,shires1 therefore they should be taken off when lying idle1 or if worked only on soft ground shoes are not actually necessary4 ,where several are lying together1 or even two1 those with shoes on may cause ugly wounds on their fellows1 whereas a kick with the naked hoof is not often serious4 ,there is also a possibility that colts turned away to grass with their shoes on will have the removing neglected1 and thus get corns1 so that the shoeless hoof is always better for young ,shires so long as it is sound and normal4 ,if not1 of course1 it should be treated accordingly4 ,in a dry summer1 when the ground is very hard1 it may be advisable to use tips so that the foot may be preserved1 this being especially necessary in the case of thin and brittle hoofs4 ,for growing and preserving good strong feet in ,shire horses clay land seems to answer best1 seeing that those reared on heavy-land farms almost invariably possess tough horn on which a shoe can be affixed to last till it wears out4 ,for the purpose of improving weak feet in young ,shires turning them out in cool clay land may be recommended1 taking care to assist the growth by keeping the heels open so that the frog comes into contact with the ground4 ,weakness in the feet has been regarded1 and rightly so1 as a bad fault in a ,shire stallion1 therefore good judges have always been particular to put bottoms first when judging4 ,horses of all kinds have to travel1 which they cannot do satisfactorily for any length of time if their feet are ill-formed or diseased1 and it should be borne in mind that a good or a bad foot can be inherited4 8,no foot1 no horse10 is an old and true belief4 ,during the past few years farmers have certainly paid more attention to the feet of their young stock because more of them are shown1 the remarks of judges and critics having taught them that a good top cannot atone for poor bottoms1 seeing that ,shires are not like stationary engines1 made to do their work standing4 ,they have to spend a good part of their lives on hard roads or paved streets1 where contracted or tender feet quickly come to grief1 therefore those who want to produce saleable ,shires should select parents with the approved type of pedals1 and see that those of the offspring do not go wrong through neglect or mismanagement4 ,there is no doubt that a set of good feet often places an otherwise moderate ,shire above one which has other good points but lacks this essential2 therefore all breeders of ,shires should devote time and attention to the production of sound and saleable bottoms1 remembering the oft-quoted line1 8,the top may come1 the bottom never40 ,in diseases of the feet it is those in front which are the most certain to go wrong1 and it is these which judges and buyers notice more particularly4 ,if fever manifests itself it is generally in the fore feet2 while side-bone1 ring-bone1 and the like are incidental to the front coronets4 ,clay land has been spoken of for rearing ,shires1 but there are various kinds of soil in ,england1 all of which can be utilized as a breeding ground for the ,old ,english type of cart-horses4 ,in ,warwickshire ,shires are bred on free-working red land1 in ,herts a chalky soil prevails1 yet champions abound there2 while very light sandy farms are capable of producing high-class ,shires if the farmer thereof sets his mind on getting them1 and makes up for the poorness or unsuitability of the soil by judicious feeding and careful management4 ,it may be here stated that an arable farm can be made to produce a good deal more horse forage than one composed wholly of pasture-land1 therefore more horses can be kept on the former4 ,heavy crops of clovers1 mixtures1 lucerne1 etc41 can be grown and mown twice in the season1 whereas grass can only be cut once4 ,oats and oat straw are necessary1 or at least desirable1 for the rearing of horses1 so are carrots1 golden tankard1 mangold1 etc2 consequently an arable-land farmer may certainly be a ,shire horse breeder4 ,this is getting away from the subject of feet1 however1 and it may be returned to by saying that stable management counts for a good deal in the growth and maintenance of a sound and healthy hoof4 ,good floors kept clean1 dry litter1 a diet in which roots appear1 moving shoes at regular intervals1 fitting them to the feet1 and not rasping the hoof down to fit a too narrow shoe1 may be mentioned as aids in retaining good feet4 ,as stated1 the improvement in this particular has been very noticeable since the writer's first ,shire ,horse ,show 7in #ahij71 but perfection has not yet been reached1 therefore it remains for the breeders of the present and the future to strive after it4 ,there was a time when exhibitors of 8,agricultural0 horses stopped the cracks and crevices in their horses' feet with something in the nature of putty1 which is proved by reading a report of the ,leeds ,royal of #ahfa1 where 8the judges discovered the feet of one of the heavy horses to be stopped with gutta-percha and pitch40 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,how ,,to ,,show ,a ,,shire ,a few remarks on the above subject will not come amiss1 at least to the uninitiated1 for it is tolerably certain that1 other things being equal1 the candidate for honours which makes the best show when it is actually before the judges stands the first chance of securing the honours4 ,it must not be expected that a colt can be fetched out of a grass field one day and trained well enough to show himself off creditably in the ring the next2 and a rough raw colt makes both itself and its groom look small4 ,training properly takes time and patience1 and it is best to begin early with the process1 from birth for choice4 ,the lessons need not1 and certainly should not1 be either long or severe at the outset1 but just enough to teach the youngster what is required of him4 ,when teaching horses to stand at 8attention0 they should not be made to stretch themselves out as if they were wanted to reach from one side of the ring to the other1 neither should they be allowed to stand like an elephant on a tub4 ,they should be taught to stand squarely on all fours in a becoming and businesslike way4 ,the best place for the groom when a horse is wanted to stand still is exactly in front and facing the animal4 ,the rein is usually gripped about a foot from the head4 ,mares can often be allowed a little more 8head10 but with stallions it may be better to take hold close to the bit1 always remembering to have the loop end of the rein in the palm1 in case he suddenly rears or plunges4 ,the leader should 8go with his horse10 or keep step with him1 but need not 8pick up0 in such a manner as to make it appear to bystanders that he is trying to make up for the shortcomings of his horse4 ,both horse and man want to practise the performance in the home paddock a good many times before perfection can be reached1 and certainly a little time thus spent is better than making a bad show when the critical moment arrives that they are both called out to exhibit themselves before a crowd of critics4 ,if well trained the horse will respond to the call of the judges with only a word1 and no whip or stick need be used to get it through the required walks and trots1 or back to its place in the rank4 ,there is a class of men who would profit by giving a little time to training young horse stock1 and that is the farmers who breed but do not show4 ,of course1 8professional show-men0 7as they are sometimes called7 prefer to 8buy their gems in the rough10 and put on the polish themselves1 and then take the profits for so doing4 ,but why should not the breeder make his animals show to their very best1 and so get a better price into his own pocket8 ,finally1 ,i would respectfully suggest that if some of the horse show societies were to have a horse-showing competition1 i4e4 give prizes to the men who showed out a horse in the best manner1 it would be both interesting and instructive to horse lovers4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,origin ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,the ,,shire ,it is evident that a breed of comparatively heavy horses existed in ,britain at the time of the ,roman ,invasion1 when ,queen ,boadicea's warriors met ,csar's fighting men 7who were on foot7 in war chariots drawn by active but powerful horses1 remarkable--as ,sir ,walter ,gilbey's book on 8,the ,great ,horse0 says--for 8strength1 substance1 courage and docility40 ,these characteristics have been retained and improved upon all down the ages since4 ,the chariot with its knives1 or blades1 to mow down the enemy was superseded by regiments of cavalry1 the animals ridden being the ,old ,english type of ,war ,horse4 ,in those days it was the lighter or second-rate animals1 what we may call 8the culls10 which were left for agricultural purposes4 ,the ,english knight1 when clad in armour1 weighed something like #d cwt41 therefore a weedy animal would have sunk under such a burden4 ,this evidently forced the early breeders to avoid long backs by breeding from strong-loined1 deep-ribbed and well coupled animals1 seeing that slackness meant weakness and1 therefore1 worthlessness for war purposes4 ,it is easy to understand that a long-backed1 light-middled mount with a weight of #d cwt4 on his back would simply double up when stopped suddenly by the rider to swing his battle axe at the head of his antagonist1 so we find from pictures and plates that the ,war ,horse of those far-off days was wide and muscular in his build1 very full in his thighs1 while the saddle in use reached almost from the withers to the hips1 thus proving that the back was short4 ,there came a time1 however1 when speed and mobility were preferred to mere weight4 ,the knight cast away his armour and selected a lighter and fleeter mount than the ,war ,horse of the ancient ,britons4 ,the change was1 perhaps1 began at the battle of ,bannockburn in #acad4 ,it is recorded that ,robert ,bruce rode a 8palfrey0 in that battle1 on which he dodged the charges of the ponderous ,english knights1 and he took a very heavy toll1 not only of ,english warriors but of their massive horses2 therefore it is not unreasonable to suppose that some of the latter were used for breeding purposes1 and thus helped to build up the ,scottish1 or ,clydesdale1 breed of heavy horses2 but what was ,england's loss became ,scotland's gain1 in that the ,clydesdale breed had a class devoted to it at the ,highland ,society's ,show in #ahbc1 whereas his ,english relative1 8the ,shire10 did not receive recognition by the ,royal ,agricultural ,society of ,england till #ahhc1 sixty years later4 ,as a ,war ,horse the ,british breed known as 8,the ,great ,horse0 seems to have been at its best between the ,norman ,conquest1 #ajff1 and the date of ,bannockburn above-mentioned1 owing to the fact that the ,norman nobles1 who came over with ,william the ,conqueror1 fought on horseback1 whereas the ,britons of old used to dismount out of their chariots1 and fight on foot4 ,the ,battle of ,hastings was waged between ,harold's ,english ,army of infantry-men and ,william the ,conqueror's ,army of horsemen1 ending in a victory for the latter4 ,the ,flemish horses thus became known to ,english horse breeders1 and they were certainly used to help lay the foundation of the ,old ,english breed of cart horses4 ,it is clear that horses with substance were used for drawing chariots at the ,roman invasion in the year #ee ,b4,c41 but no great development in horse-breeding took place in ,england till the ,normans proved that warriors could fight more effectively on horseback than on foot4 ,after this the noblemen of ,england appear to have set store by their horses1 consequently the twelfth and thirteenth centuries may be regarded as the age in which ,britain's breed of heavy horses became firmly established4 ,in ,sir ,walter ,gilbey's book is a quotation showing that 8,cart ,horses fit for the dray1 the plough1 or the chariot0 were on sale at ,smithfield 7,london7 every ,friday1 the extract being made from a book written about #aaed1 and from the same source we learn that during the reign of ,king ,john1 #aaii-abaf1 a hundred stallions 8of large stature0 were imported from the low countries--,flanders and ,holland4 ,passing from this large importation to the time of the famous ,robert ,bakewell of ,dishley 7#agbf-agie71 we find that he too went to ,flanders for stock to improve his cart horses1 but instead of returning with stallions he bought mares1 which he mated with his stallions1 these being of the old black breed peculiar--in those days--to ,leicestershire4 ,there is no doubt that the interest taken by this great breed improver in the ,old ,english type of cart horse had an effect far more important than it did in the case of the ,longhorn breed of cattle1 seeing that this has long lost its popularity1 whereas that of the ,shire horse has been growing and widening from that day to this4 ,bakewell was the first ,english stockbreeder to let his stud animals for the season1 and although his greatest success was achieved with the ,dishley or 8,new ,leicester0 sheep1 he also carried on the system with ,longhorn bulls and his cart horses1 which were described as 8,bakewell's ,blacks40 ,that his horses had a reputation is proved by the fact that in #aghe he had the honour of exhibiting a black horse before ,king ,george ,,iii4 at ,st4 ,james's ,palace1 but another horse named 8,k10 said by ,marshall to have died in that same year1 #aghe1 at the age of nineteen years1 was described by the writer just quoted as a better animal than that inspected by ,his ,majesty the ,king4 ,from the description given he appears to have had a commanding forehand and to have carried his head so high that his ears stood perpendicularly over his fore feet1 as ,bakewell held that the head of a cart horse should4 ,it can hardly be questioned that he was a believer in weight1 seeing that his horses were 8thick and short in body1 on very short legs40 ,the highest price he is credited with getting for the hire of a stallion for a season is #aej guineas1 while the service fee at home is said to have been five guineas1 which looks a small amount compared with the #hjj guineas obtained for the use of his ram 8,two ,pounder0 for a season4 ,what is of more importance to ,shire horse breeders1 however1 is the fact that ,robert ,bakewell not only improved and popularized the ,shire horse of his day1 but he instituted the system of letting out sires for the season1 which has been the means of placing good sires before farmers1 thus enabling them to assist in the improvement which has made such strides since the formation of the ,shire ,horse ,society in #ahgh4 ,it is worth while to note that ,bakewell's horses were said to be 8perfectly gentle1 willing workers1 and of great power40 ,he held that bad pullers were made so by bad management4 ,he used two in front of a ,rotherham plough1 the quantity ploughed being 8four acres a day40 ,surely a splendid advertisement for the ,shire as a plough horse4 ,,flemish ,,blood ,in view of the fact that ,flanders has been very much in the public eye for the past few months owing to its having been converted into a vast battlefield1 it is interesting to remember that we ,english farmers of to-day owe at least something of the size1 substance and soundness of our ,shire horses to the ,flemish horse breeders of bygone days4 ,bakewell is known to have obtained marvellous results among his cattle and sheep by means of in-breeding1 therefore we may assume that he would not have gone to the ,continent for an outcross for his horses unless he regarded such a step beneficial to the breed4 ,it is recorded by ,george ,culley that a certain ,earl of ,huntingdon had returned from the ,low ,countries--where he had been ,ambassador--with a set of black coach horses1 mostly stallions4 ,these were used by the ,trentside farmers1 and without a doubt so impressed ,bakewell as to induce him to pay a visit to the country whence they came4 ,if we turn from the history of the ,shire to that of the ,clydesdale it will be found that the imported ,flemish stallions are credited by the most eminent authorities1 with adding size to the ,north ,british breed of draught horses4 ,the ,dukes of ,hamilton were conspicuous for their interest in horse breeding4 ,one was said to have imported six black ,flemish stallions--to cross with the native mares--towards the close of the seventeenth century1 while the sixth duke1 who died in #ageh1 imported one1 which he named 8,clyde40 ,this is notable1 because it proves that both the ,english and ,scotch breeds have obtained size from the very country now devastated by war4 ,it may be here mentioned that one of the greatest lovers and breeders of heavy horses during the nineteenth century was schooled on the ,duke of ,hamilton's estate1 and he was eminently successful in blending the ,shire and ,clydesdale breeds to produce prizewinners and sires which have done much towards building up the modern ,clydesdale4 ,this was ,mr4 ,lawrence ,drew1 of ,merryton1 who1 like ,mr4 ,robert ,bakewell1 had the distinction of exhibiting a stallion 7named ,prince of ,wales7 before ,royalty4 ,it is well known that he 7,mr4 ,drew7 bought many ,shires in the ,midland ,counties of ,england4 ,so keen was his judgment that he would 8spot a winner0 from a railway carriage1 and has been known to alight at the next station and make the journey back to the farm where he saw the likely animal4 ,on at least one occasion the farmer would not sell the best by itself1 so the enthusiast bought the whole team1 which he had seen at plough from the carriage window on the railway4 ,quite the most celebrated ,shire stallion purchased by ,mr4 ,drew in ,england was ,lincolnshire ,lad #aaif1 who died in his possession in #ahgh4 ,this horse won several prizes in ,derbyshire before going north1 and he also begot ,lincolnshire ,lad ,,ii4 #acfe1 the sire of ,harold #cgjc1 ,champion of the ,london ,show of #ahhg1 who in turn begot ,rokeby ,harold 7,champion in ,london as a yearling1 a three-year-old and a four-year-old71 ,markeaton ,royal ,harold1 the ,champion of #ahig1 and of ,queen of the ,shires1 the ,champion mare of the same year1 #ahig1 and numerous other celebrities4 ,a great mare1 bought by ,mr4 ,drew in ,derbyshire1 was ,flora1 by ,lincolnshire ,lad1 who became the dam of ,pandora1 a great winner1 and the dam of ,prince of ,clay1 ,handsome ,prince1 and ,pandora's ,prince1 all of which were ,clydesdale stallions and stock-getters of the first rank4 ,there is evidence to show that heavy horses from other countries than ,flanders were imported1 but this much is perfectly clear1 that the ,flemish breed was selected to impart size1 therefore1 if we give honour where it is due1 these 8big and handsome0 black stallions that we read of deserve credit for helping to build up the breed of draught horses in ,britain1 which is universally known as the ,shire1 its distinguishing feature being that it is the heaviest breed in existence4 ,,chapter ,x ,,facts ,,and ,,figures ,the ,london ,show of #ahij was a remarkable one in more than one sense4 ,the entries totalled #fdf against #ddg the previous year4 ,this led to the adoption of measures to prevent exhibitors from making more than two entries in one class4 ,the year #ahhi holds the record1 so far1 for the number of export certificates granted by the ,shire ,horse ,society1 the total being #abfd against #cdf in #aiac1 yet ,shires were much dearer in the latter year than in the former4 ,twenty-five years ago the number of three-year-old stallions shown in ,london was #afa1 while two-year-olds totalled #acd1 hence the rule of charging double fees for more than two entries from one exhibitor4 ,another innovation was the passing of a rule that every animal entered for show should be passed by a veterinary surgeon1 this being the form of certificate drawn up3-- 8,i hereby certify that entered by ,mr4 for exhibition at the ,shire ,horse ,society's ,london ,show1 #ahia1 has been examined by me and1 in my opinion1 is free from the following hereditary diseases1 viz3 ,roaring 7whistling71 ,ringbone1 ,unsound ,feet1 ,navicular ,disease1 ,spavin1 ,cataract1 ,sidebone1 ,shivering40 ,these alterations led to a smaller show in #ahia 7which was the first at which the writer had the honour of leading round a candidate1 exhibited by a gentleman who subsequently bred several ,london winners1 and who served on the ,council of the ,shire ,horse ,society74 ,but to hark back to the #ahij ,show4 ,the ,champion ,stallion was ,mr4 ,a4 ,b4 ,freeman-,mitford's 7now ,lord ,redesdale7 ,hitchin ,conqueror1 one of whose sons1 ,i'm the ,sort the ,second1 made #ajjj at the show after winning third prize2 the second-prize colt in the same class being sold for #gjj4 ,the ,champion mare was ,starlight1 then owned by ,mr4 ,r4 ,n4 ,sutton-,nelthorpe1 but sold before the #ahia ,show1 at the ,scawby sale1 for #ibe guineas to ,mr4 ,fred ,crisp--who held a prominent place in the ,shire ,horse world for several years4 ,starlight rewarded him by winning ,champion prize both in #ahia and #ahib1 her three successive victories being a record in championships for females at the ,london ,show4 ,others have won highest honours thrice1 but1 so far1 not in successive years4 ,in #ahij the number of members of the ,shire ,horse ,society was #afae1 the amount given in prizes being just over #gjj4 ,a curious thing about that #ahij meeting1 with its great entry1 was that it resulted in a loss of #acjj to the ,society1 but in those days farmers did not attend in their thousands as they do now4 ,the sum spent in #aiad was #bbcj1 the number of members being #dbjj1 and the entries totalling #gai1 a similar sum being offered1 at the time this is being written1 for distribution at the ,shire ,horse ,show of #aiae1 which will be held when this country has1 with the help of her ,allies1 waged a great war for seven months1 yet before it had been carried on for seven days show committees in various parts of the country cancelled their shows1 being evidently under the impression that 8all was in the dust40 ,with horses of all grades at a premium1 any method of directing the attention of farmers and breeders generally to the scarcity that is certain to exist is justifiable1 particularly that which provides for over two thousand pounds being spent among members of what is admitted to be the most flourishing breed society in existence4 ,at the ,london ,show of #ahie two classes for geldings were added to the prize schedule1 making fifteen in all1 but even with twenty-two geldings the total was only #dhi1 so that it was a small show1 its most notable feature being that ,mr4 ,a4 ,b4 ,freeman-,mitford's ,minnehaha won the ,challenge ,cup for mares and died later4 ,up till the ,show of #ahih both stallions and mares commenced with the eldest1 so that ,class ,i was for stallions ten years old and upwards1 the yearlings coming last1 the mare classes following in like order4 ,but for the #ahih ,show a desirable change was made by putting the yearlings first1 and following on with classes in the order of age4 ,at this show1 #ahih1 ,sir ,alexander ,henderson performed the unique feat of winning not only the male and female ,challenge ,cups1 but also the other two1 so that he had four cup winners1 three of them being sire1 dam1 and son1 viz4 ,markeaton ,royal ,harold1 ,aurea1 and ,buscot ,harold1 this made the victory particularly noteworthy4 ,the last named also succeeded in winning champion honours in #ahii and #aijj1 thus rivalling ,starlight4 ,the cup-winning gelding1 ,bardon ,extraordinary1 had won similar honours the previous year for ,mr4 ,w4 ,t4 ,everard1 his owner in #ahih being ,mr4 ,james ,eadie4 ,he possessed both weight and quality1 and it is doubtful if a better gelding has been exhibited since4 ,he was also cup winner again in #ahii1 consequently he holds the record for geldings at the ,london ,show4 ,it should have been mentioned that the system of giving breeders prizes was introduced at the ,show of #ahif1 the first prizes being reduced from #be to #bj in the case of stallions1 and from #bj to #ae in those for mares1 to allow the breeder of the first prize animal #aj in each breeding class1 and the breeder of each second-prize stallion or mare #e1 the latter sum being awarded to breeders of first-prize geldings4 ,this was a move in the right direction1 and certainly gave the ,shire ,horse ,society and its ,london ,show a lift up in the eyes of farmers who had bred ,shires but had not exhibited4 ,since then they have never lost their claim on any good animal they have bred1 that is why they flock to the ,show in ,february from all parts of ,england1 and follow the judging with such keen interest2 there is money in it4 ,this ,show of #ahif was1 therefore1 one of the most important ever held4 ,it marked the beginning of a more democratic era in the history of the ,great ,horse4 ,the sum of #aadb was well spent4 ,by the year #aijj the prize money had reached a total of #acbb1 the classes remaining as from #ahie with seven for stallions1 six for mares1 and two for geldings4 ,the next year1 #aija1 another class1 for mares #af hands #b inches and over1 was added1 and also another class for geldings1 resulting in a further rise to #aecg in prize money4 ,the sensation of this ,show was the winning of the ,championship by new tenant-farmer exhibitors1 ,messrs4 ,j4 and ,m4 ,walwyn1 with an unknown two-year-old colt1 ,bearwardcote ,blaze4 ,this was a bigger surprise than the success of ,rokeby ,harold as a yearling in #ahic1 as he had won prizes for his breeder1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,rogers1 and for ,mr4 ,john ,parnell 7at ,ashbourne7 before getting into ,lord ,belper's possession1 therefore great things were expected of him1 whereas the colt ,bearwardcote ,blaze was a veritable 8dark horse40 ,captain ,heaton1 of ,worsley1 was one of the judges1 and subsequently purchased him for ,lord ,ellesmere4 ,the winning of the ,championship by a yearling colt was much commented on at the time 7#ahic71 but he was altogether an extraordinary colt4 ,the critics of that day regarded him as the best yearling ,shire ever seen4 ,said one1 8,we breed ,shire horses every day1 but a colt like this comes only once in a lifetime40 ,fortunately ,i saw him both in ,london and at the ,chester ,royal1 where he was also ,champion1 my interest being all the greater because he was bred in ,bucks1 close to where ,i 8sung my first song40 ,of two-year-old champions there have been at least four1 viz4 ,prince ,william1 in #ahhe2 ,buscot ,harold1 #ahih2 ,bearwardcote ,blaze1 #aija2 and ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 #aiac4 ,three-year-olds have also won supreme honours fairly often4 ,those within the writer's recollection being ,bury ,victor ,chief1 in #ahib1 after being first in his class for the two previous years1 and reserve champion in #ahia2 ,rokeby ,harold in #ahie1 who was ,champion in #ahic1 and cup winner in #ahid2 ,buscot ,harold1 in #ahii1 thus repeating his two-year-old performance2 ,halstead ,royal ,duke in #aiji1 the ,royal ,champion as a two-year-old4 ,the #aiji ,show was remarkable for the successes of ,lord ,rothschild1 who after winning one of the championships for the previous six years1 now took both of the ,challenge ,cups1 the reserve championship1 and the ,cup for the best old stallion4 ,the next and last three-year-old to win was1 or is1 the renowned ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 who took the ,challenge ,cup in #aiad for the second time4 ,when comparing the ages of the male and female champions of the ,london ,show1 it is seen that while the former often reach the pinnacle of fame in their youth1 the latter rarely do till they have had time to develop4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,high ,,prices ,it is not possible to give particulars of sums paid for many animals sold privately1 as the amount is often kept secret1 but a few may be mentioned4 ,the first purchase to attract great attention was that of ,prince ,william1 by the late ,lord ,wantage from ,mr4 ,john ,rowell in #ahhe for #aejj1 or guineas1 although ,sir ,walter ,gilbey had before that given a real good price to ,mr4 ,w4 ,r4 ,rowland for the ,bucks-bred ,spark4 ,the next sensational private sale was that of ,bury ,victor ,chief1 the ,royal ,champion of #ahia1 to ,mr4 ,joseph ,wainwright1 the seller again being ,mr4 ,john ,rowell and the price #bejj guineas4 ,in that same year1 #ahia1 ,chancellor1 one of ,premier's noted sons1 made #aajj guineas at ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,duncombe's sale at ,calwich1 when eighteen of ,premier's sons and daughters were paraded with their sire1 and made an average1 including foals1 of #bgc each4 ,in #ahib a record in letting was set up by the ,welshpool ,shire ,horse ,society1 who gave ,lord ,ellesmere #ajjj for the use of ,vulcan 7the champion of the #ahia ,london ,show7 to serve #ajj mares4 ,this society was said to be composed of 8shrewd tenant farmers who expected a good return for their money40 ,since then a thousand pounds for a first-class sire has been paid many times1 and it is in districts where they have been used that those in search of the best go for their foals4 ,two notable instances can be mentioned1 viz4 ,champion's ,goalkeeper and ,lorna ,doone1 the male and female champions of the ,london ,show of #aiad1 which were both bred in the ,welshpool district4 ,other high-priced stallions to be sold by auction in the nineties were ,marmion to ,mr4 ,fred ,crisp from ,mr4 ,arkwright in #ahib for #adjj guineas1 ,waresley ,premier ,duke to ,mr4 ,victor ,cavendish 7now the ,duke of ,devonshire7 for #aajj guineas at ,mr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,o4 ,duncombe's sale in #ahig1 and a similar sum by the same buyer for ,lord ,llangattock's ,hendre ,crown ,prince in the same year4 ,for the next really high-priced stallion we must come to the dispersion of the late ,lord ,egerton's stud in ,april1 #aiji1 when ,messrs4 ,w4 and ,h4 ,whitley purchased the five-year-old ,tatton ,dray ,king 7,london ,champion in #aijh7 for #cgjj guineas1 to join their celebrated ,devonshire stud4 ,at this sale ,tatton ,herald1 a two-year-old colt1 made #abjj guineas to ,messrs4 ,ainscough1 who won the championship with him at the ,liverpool ,royal in #aiaj1 but at the ,royal ,show of #aiad he figured1 and won1 as a gelding4 ,as a general rule1 however1 these costly sires have proved well worth their money4 ,as mentioned previously1 the year #aiac will be remembered by the fact that #dajj guineas was given at ,lord ,rothschild's sale for the two-year-old ,shire colt ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 by ,childwick ,champion1 who1 like ,tatton ,dray ,king and others1 is likely to prove a good investment at his cost4 ,twice since then he has championed the ,london ,show1 and by the time these lines are read he may have accomplished that great feat for the third time1 his age being four years old in #aiae4 ,of mares1 ,starlight1 previously mentioned1 was the first to approach a thousand pounds in an auction sale4 ,at the ,shire ,horse ,show of #ahic the late ,mr4 ,philo ,mills exhibited ,moonlight1 a mare which he had purchased privately for #ajjj1 but she only succeeded in getting a commended card1 so good was the company in which she found herself4 ,the first ,shire mare to make over a thousand guineas at a stud sale was ,dunsmore ,gloaming1 by ,harold4 ,this was at the second ,dunsmore ,sale early in #ahid1 the price being #ajaj guineas1 and the purchaser ,mr4 ,w4 ,j4 ,buckley1 ,penyfai1 ,carmarthen1 from whom she was repurchased by the late ,sir ,p4 ,albert ,muntz1 and was again included in the ,dunsmore catalogue of ,january #bg1 #ahih1 when she realized #ghj guineas1 ,sir ,j4 ,blundell ,maple being the lucky purchaser1 the word being used because she won the challenge cup in ,london1 both in #ahii and #aijj4 ,foaled in #ahij at ,sandringham1 by ,harold 7,london ,champion71 dam by ,staunton ,hero 7,london ,champion71 she was sold at ,king ,edward's first sale in #ahib for #bjj guineas4 ,as a three- and a four-year-old she was second in ,london1 and she also won second prize as a seven-year-old for ,sir ,p4 ,a4 ,muntz1 finally winning supreme honours at nine and ten years of age1 a very successful finish to a distinguished career4 ,on ,february #aath1 #ahih1 another record was set by ,his ,majesty ,king ,edward ,,vii41 whose three-year-old filly ,sea ,breeze1 by the same sire as ,bearwardcote ,blaze1 made #aaej guineas1 ,sir ,j4 ,blundell ,maple again being the buyer4 ,the next mare to make four figures at a stud sale was ,hendre ,crown ,princess at the ,lockinge sale of ,february #ad1 #aijj1 the successful bidder being ,mr4 ,h4 ,h4 ,smith-,carington1 ,ashby ,folville1 ,melton ,mowbray1 who has bought and bred many good ,shires4 ,the price was #aajj guineas4 ,this date1 ,february #ad1 seems to be a particularly lucky one for ,shire sales1 for besides the one just mentioned ,lord ,rothschild has held at least two sales on ,february #ad4 ,in #aijh the yearling colt ,king ,cole ,,vii4 was bought by the late ,lord ,winterstoke for #ijj guineas1 the highest price realized by the stud sales of that year4 ,then there is the record sale at ,tring ,park on ,february #ad1 #aiac1 when one stallion1 ,champions ,goalkeeper1 made #dajj guineas1 and another1 ,blacklands ,kingmaker1 #agej4 ,the honour for being the highest priced ,shire mare sold at a stud sale belongs to the great show mare1 ,pailton ,sorais1 for which ,sir ,arthur ,nicholson gave #abjj guineas at the dispersion sale of ,mr4 ,max ,michaelis at ,tandridge1 ,surrey1 on ,october #bf1 #aiaa4 ,it will be remembered by ,shire breeders that she made a successful appearance in ,london each year from one to eight years old1 her list being3 ,first1 as a yearling2 sixth1 as a two-year-old2 second1 as a three-year-old2 first and reserve champion at four years old1 five and seven2 first in her class at six4 ,she was not to be denied the absolute championship1 however1 and it fell to her in #aiaa4 ,no ,shire in history has achieved greater distinction than this1 not even ,honest ,tom #aaje1 who won first prize at the ,royal ,show six years in succession1 as the competition in those far-off days was much less keen than that which ,pailton ,sorais had to face1 and it should be mentioned that she was also a good breeder1 the foal by her side when she was sold made #caj guineas and another daughter #djj guineas4 ,such are the kind of ,shire mares that farmers want4 ,those that will work1 win1 and breed4 ,as we have seen in this incomplete review1 ,aurea won the championship of the ,london show1 together with her son4 ,belle ,cole1 the champion mare of #aijh1 bred a colt which realized #ijj guineas as a yearling a few days before she herself gained her victory1 a clear proof that showing and breeding are not incompatible4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,a ,,few ,,records ,the highest priced ,shires sold by auction have already been given4 ,so a few of the most notable sales may be mentioned1 together with the dates they were held-- s4 d4 ,tring ,park 7draft71 ,february #ad1 #aiac3 #cb ,shires averaged #ded #j #j ,tatton ,park 7dispersion71 ,april #bc1 #aiji3 #ba ,shires averaged #dfe #j #j ,tring ,park 7draft71 ,february #ad1 #aije3 #ce ,shires averaged #bff #ae #j ,the ,hendre1 ,monmouth 7draft71 ,october #ah1 #aijj3 #db ,shires averaged #bbf #j #j ,sandringham 7draft71 ,february #aa1 #ahih3 #eb ,shires averaged #bbd #g #i ,tring ,park 7draft71 ,january #ae1 #aijb3 #dj ,shires averaged #bag #ad #j ,tring ,park 7draft71 ,january #ab1 #ahih3 #ce ,shires averaged #bji #ah #b ,dunsmore 7dispersion71 ,february #aa1 #aiji3 #ea ,shires averaged #bjj #ab #j ,childwick 7draft71 ,february #ac1 #aija3 #df ,shires averaged #bjj #j #j ,tandridge 7dispersion71 ,october #bh1 #aiaa3 #hd ,shires averaged #ahh #ag #f ,these ten are worthy of special mention1 although there are several which come close up to the #bjj average4 ,that given first is the most noteworthy for the reason that ,lord ,rothschild only sold a portion of his stud1 whereas the executors of the late ,lord ,egerton of ,tatton sold their whole lot of twenty-one head1 hence the higher average4 ,two clear records were1 however1 set up at the historical ,tring ,park sale in #aiac1 viz4 the highest individual price for a stallion and the highest average price for animals by one sire1 seven sons and daughters of ,childwick ,champion1 making no less than #ibg each1 including two yearling colts4 ,the best average of the nineteenth century was that made at its close by the late ,lord ,llangattock1 who had given a very high price privately for ,prince ,harold1 by ,harold1 which1 like his sire1 was a very successful stock horse1 his progeny making a splendid average at this celebrated sale4 ,a spirited bidder at all of the important sales and a very successful exhibitor1 ,lord ,llangattock did not succeed in winning either of the ,london ,championships4 ,one private sale during #aijj is worth mentioning1 which was that of ,mr4 ,james ,eadie's two cup-winning geldings1 ,bardon ,extraordinary and ,barrow ,farmer for #bbe guineas each1 a price which has only been equalled once to the writer's knowledge4 ,this was in the autumn of #aiaj1 when ,messrs4 ,truman gave #bbe guineas for a gelding1 at ,messrs4 ,manley's ,repository1 ,crewe1 this specimen of the ,english lorry horse being bought for export to the ,united ,states4 ,in #ahid the late ,lord ,wantage held a sale which possessed unique features in that fifty animals catalogued were all sired by the dual ,london ,champion and ,windsor ,royal 7,jubilee ,show7 ,gold ,medal ,winner1 ,prince ,william1 to whom reference has already been made4 ,the average was just over #aaf4 ,as a great supporter of the old ,english breed1 ,lord ,wantage1 ,k4,c4,b41 a ,crimean veteran1 deserves to be bracketed with the recently deceased ,sir ,walter ,gilbey1 inasmuch as that in #ahij he gave the ,lockinge ,cup for the best ,shire mare exhibited at the ,london show1 which ,starlight succeeded in winning outright for ,mr4 ,fred ,crisp in #ahib4 ,sir ,walter ,gilbey gave the ,elsenham ,cup for the best stallion1 value #ajj guineas1 in #ahhd1 which1 however1 was not won permanently till the late ,earl of ,ellesmere gained his second championship with ,vulcan in #ahia4 ,since these dates the ,shire ,horse ,society has continued to give the ,challenge ,cups both for the best stallion and mare4 ,the sales hitherto mentioned have been those of landowners1 but it must not be supposed that tenant farmers have been unable to get ,shires enough to call a home sale4 ,on ,february #e1 #ahij1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,clark sold fifty-one ,shires at ,moulton ,eaugate1 the average being #abg #es41 the striking feature of this sale being the number of grey 7,thumper7 mares4 ,in ,february1 #aija1 ,mr4 ,clark and ,mr4 ,f4 ,w4 ,griffin1 another very successful farmer breeder in the ,fens1 held a joint sale at ,postland1 the former's average being #ajj #fs4 #i;d41 and the latter's #abc #is4 #h;d41 each selling twenty-five animals4 ,the last home sale held by a farmer was that of ,mr4 ,matthew ,hubbard at ,eaton1 ,grantham1 on ,november #a1 #aiab1 when an average of #gc was obtained for fifty-seven lots4 ,reference has already been made to ,harold1 ,premier1 and ,prince ,william1 as sires1 but there have been others equally famous since the ,shire ,horse ,society has been in existence4 ,among them may be mentioned ,bar ,none1 who won at the #ahhb ,london ,show for the late ,mr4 ,james ,forshaw1 stood for service at his celebrated ,carlton ,stud ,farm for a dozen seasons1 and is credited with having sired over a thousand foals4 ,they were conspicuous for flat bone and silky feather1 when round cannon bones and curly hair were much more common than they are to-day1 therefore both males and females by ,bar ,none were highly prized2 #bjjj was refused for at least one of his sons1 while a two-year-old daughter made #hjj guineas in #ahia4 ,for several years the two sires of ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,duncombe1 at ,calwich1 ,harold and ,premier1 sired many winners1 and in those days the ,ashbourne ,foal ,show was worth a journey to see4 ,in #ahii ,sir ,p4 ,albert ,muntz took first prize in ,london with a big-limbed yearling1 ,dunsmore ,jameson1 who turned out to be the sire of strapping yearlings1 two- and three-year-olds1 which carried all before them in the show ring for several years1 and a three-year-old son made the highest price ever realized at any of the ,dunsmore ,sales1 when the stud was dispersed in #aiji4 ,this was #ajbe guineas given by ,lord ,middleton for ,dunsmore ,jameson ,,ii4 ,for four years in succession1 #aijc to #aijf1 ,dunsmore ,jameson sired the highest number of winners1 not only in ,london1 but at all the principal shows4 ,his service fee was fifteen guineas to 8approved mares only10 a high figure for a horse which had only won at the ,shire ,horse ,show as a yearling4 ,among others he sired ,dunsmore ,raider1 who in turn begot ,dunsmore ,chessie1 ,champion mare at the ,london ,shows of #aiab and #aiac4 ,jameson contained the blood of ,lincolnshire ,lad on both sides of his pedigree4 ,by the #aijg show another sire had come to the front1 and his success was phenomenal2 this was ,lockinge ,forest ,king1 bred by the late ,lord ,wantage in #ahhi1 purchased by the late ,mr4 ,j4 ,p4 ,cross1 of ,catthorpe ,towers1 ,rugby1 who won first prize1 and reserve for the junior cup with him in ,london as a three-year-old1 also first and champion at the 7,carlisle7 ,royal ,show the same year1 #aijb4 ,it is worth while to study the breeding of ,lockinge ,forest ,king4 ,sire--,lockinge ,manners4 ,grand sire--,prince ,harold4 ,great grand sire--,harold4 ,great great grand sire--,lincolnshire ,lad ,,ii4 #acfe4 ,great great great grand sire--,lincolnshire ,lad #aaif 7,drew's74 ,the dam of ,lockinge ,forest ,king was ,the ,forest ,queen 7by ,royal ,albert1 #ahhe1 a great sire in his day72 she was first prize winner at the ,royal ,show1 ,nottingham1 #ahhh1 first and champion1 ,peterborough1 #ahhh1 first ,bath and ,west1 #ahhg and #ahhh1 and numerous other prizes4 ,her dam traced back to 7,dack's7 ,matchless 7#aeji71 a horse which no less an authority than the late ,mr4 ,james ,forshaw described as 8the sire of all time40 ,this accounts for the marvellous success of ,lockinge ,forest ,king as a stud horse1 although his success1 unlike ,jameson's1 came rather late in his life of ten years4 ,he died in #aiji4 ,we have already seen that he has sired the highest priced ,shire mare publicly sold4 ,at the ,newcastle ,royal of #aijh1 both of the gold medal winners were by him1 so were the two champions at the #aiji ,shire ,horse ,show4 ,his most illustrious family was bred by a tenant farmer1 ,mr4 ,john ,bradley1 ,halstead1 ,tilton1 ,leicester4 ,the eldest member is ,halstead ,royal ,duke1 the ,london ,champion of #aiji1 ,halstead ,blue ,blood1 #crd in ,london1 #aiaj1 both owned by ,lord ,rothschild1 and ,halstead ,royal ,duchess1 who won the junior cup in ,london for her breeder in #aiab4 ,the dam of the trio is ,halstead ,duchess ,,iii by ,menestrel1 by ,hitchin ,conqueror 7,london ,champion1 #ahij74 ,two other matrons deserve to be mentioned1 as they will always shine in the history of the ,shire breed4 ,one is ,lockington ,beauty by ,champion #deg1 who died at a good old age at ,batsford ,park1 having produced ,prince ,william1 the champion referred to more than once in these pages1 his sire being ,william the ,conqueror4 ,then ,marmion ,,ii 7by ,harold71 who was first in ,london in #ahia1 and realized #adjj guineas at ,mr4 ,arkwright's sale4 ,also a daughter1 ,blue ,ruin1 which won at ,london ,show of #ahhi for ,mr4 ,r4 ,n4 ,sutton-,nelthorpe1 but1 unfortunately1 died from foaling in that year4 ,another famous son was ,mars ,victor1 a horse of great size1 and also a ,london winner1 on more than one occasion4 ,he was purchased by ,mr4 7,sir7 ,walter ,gilbey from ,mr4 ,freeman-,mitford 7,lord ,redesdale7 in the year of his sire's--,hitchin ,conqueror's--championship in #ahij1 for the sum of #aejj4 ,another was ,momus by ,laughing ,stock4 ,blue ,ruin was own sister to ,prince ,william1 but the other three were by different sires4 ,to look at--,i saw her in #ahij--,lockington ,beauty was quite a common mare with obviously small knees1 and none too much weight and width1 her distinguishing feature being a mane of extraordinary length4 ,the remaining dam to be mentioned as a great breeder is ,nellie ,blacklegs by ,bestwick's ,prince1 famous for having bred five sons--which were all serving mares in the year #ahia--;and a daughter1 all by ,premier4 ,the first was ,northwood1 a horse used long and successfully by ,lord ,middleton and the sire of ,birdsall ,darling1 the dam of ,birdsall ,menestrel1 ,london champion of #aijd4 ,the second1 ,hydrometer1 first in ,london in #ahhi1 then sold to the late ,duke of ,marlborough1 and purchased when his stud was dispersed in #ahic by the ,warwick ,shire ,horse ,society for #fjj guineas4 ,then came ,chancellor1 sold at ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,duncombe's sale in #ahia for #aajj guineas1 a record in those days1 to ,mr4 ,f4 ,crisp1 who let him to the ,peterborough ,society in #ahib for #ejj4 ,calwich ,topsman1 another son1 realized #ejj guineas when sold1 and ,senator made #cej4 ,the daughter1 rightly named 8,sensible10 bred ,mr4 ,john ,smith of ,ellastone1 ,ashbourne1 a colt foal by ,harold in #ahic1 which turned out to be ,markeaton ,royal ,harold1 the champion stallion of #ahig4 ,this chapter was headed 8,a few records10 and surely this set up by ,premier and ,nellie ,blacklegs is one4 ,the record show of the ,shire ,horse ,society1 as regards the number of entries1 was that of #aijd1 with a total of #hfb2 the next for size was the #aijb meeting when #hfj were catalogued4 ,of course the smallest show was the initial one of #ahhj1 when #gf stallions and #cd mares made a total of #aaj entries4 ,the highest figure yet made in the public auction sales held at the ,london ,show is #aage guineas given by ,mr4 ,r4 ,heath1 ,biddulph ,grange1 ,staffs41 in #aiaa for ,rickford ,coming ,king1 a three-year-old bred by the late ,lord ,winterstoke1 and sold by his executors1 after having won fourth in his class1 although first and reserve for the junior cup as a two-year-old4 ,he was sired by ,ravenspur1 with which ,king ,edward won first prize in ,london1 #aijf1 his price of #hbe guineas to ,lord ,winterstoke at the ,wolferton ,sale of ,february #h1 #aijg1 being the highest at any sale of that year4 ,the lesson to be learned is that if you want to create a record with ,shires you must begin and continue with well-bred ones1 or you will never reach the desired end4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,judges ,,at ,,the ,,london ,,shows1 #ahij-aiae ,the following are the ,judges of a quarter of a century's ,shires in ,london3-- #ahij4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,chapman1 ,george1 ,radley1 ,hungerford1 ,berks4 ,morton1 ,john1 ,west ,rudham1 ,swaffham1 ,norfolk4 ,nix1 ,john1 ,alfreton1 ,derbyshire4 #ahia4 ,blundell1 ,peter1 ,ream ,hills1 ,weeton ,kirkham1 ,lancs4 ,hill1 ,joseph ,b41 ,smethwick ,hall1 ,congleton1 ,cheshire4 ,morton1 ,joseph1 ,stow1 ,downham ,market1 ,norfolk4 ,smith1 ,henry1 ,the ,grove1 ,cropwell ,butler1 ,notts4 #ahib4 ,heaton1 ,captain1 ,worsley1 ,manchester4 ,morton1 ,john1 ,west ,rudham1 ,swaffham1 ,norfolk4 ,nix1 ,john1 ,alfreton1 ,derbyshire4 ,rowland1 ,john ,w41 ,fishtoft1 ,boston1 ,lincs4 #ahic4 ,byron1 ,a4 ,w41 ,duckmanton ,lodge1 ,chesterfield1 ,derbyshire4 ,crowther1 ,james ,f41 ,knowl ,grove1 ,mirfield1 ,yorks4 ,douglas1 ,c4 ,i41 #cd1 ,dalebury ,road1 ,upper ,tooting1 ,london4 ,smith1 ,henry1 ,the ,grove1 ,cropwell ,butler1 ,notts4 #ahid4 ,heaton1 ,captain1 ,worsley1 ,manchester4 ,chamberlain1 ,c4 ,r41 ,riddings ,farm1 ,alfreton1 ,derbyshire4 ,tindall1 ,c4 ,w41 ,brocklesby ,park1 ,lincs4 ,rowland1 ,john ,w41 ,fishtoft1 ,boston1 ,lincs4 #ahie4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,freshney1 ,t4 ,b41 ,south ,somercotes1 ,louth1 ,lincs4 ,rowell1 ,john1 ,manor ,farm1 ,bury1 ,huntingdon4 ,smith1 ,henry1 ,the ,grove1 ,cropwell ,butler1 ,notts4 #ahif4 ,green1 ,edward1 ,the ,moors1 ,welshpool4 ,potter1 ,w4 ,h41 ,barberry ,house1 ,ullesthorpe1 ,rugby4 ,rowland1 ,john ,w41 ,fishtoft1 ,boston1 ,lincs4 #ahig4 ,chamberlain1 ,c4 ,r41 ,riddings ,farm1 ,alfreton1 ,derbyshire4 ,lewis1 ,john1 ,trwstllewelyn1 ,garthmyl1 ,mont4 ,wainwright1 ,joseph1 ,corbar1 ,buxton1 ,derbyshire4 #ahih4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,freshney1 ,t4 ,b41 ,south ,somercotes1 ,louth1 ,lincs4 ,richardson1 ,wm41 ,london ,road1 ,chatteris1 ,cambs4 #ahii4 ,green1 ,edward1 ,the ,moors1 ,welshpool4 ,griffin1 ,f4 ,w41 ,borough ,fen1 ,peterborough4 ,welch1 ,william1 ,north ,rauceby1 ,grantham1 ,lincs4 #aijj4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,forshaw1 ,james1 ,carlton-on-,trent1 ,newark1 ,notts4 ,paisley1 ,joseph1 ,waresley1 ,sandy1 ,beds4 #aija4 ,eadie1 ,j4 ,t4 ,c41 ,barrow ,hall1 ,derby4 ,heaton1 ,captain1 ,worsley1 ,manchester4 ,freshney1 ,t4 ,b41 ,south ,somercotes1 ,louth1 ,lincs4 #aijb4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,griffin1 ,f4 ,w41 ,borough ,fen1 ,peterborough4 ,rowell1 ,john1 ,manor ,farm1 ,bury1 ,huntingdon4 #aijc4 ,nix1 ,john1 ,alfreton1 ,derbyshire4 ,richardson1 ,william1 ,eastmoor ,house1 ,doddington1 ,cambs4 ,grimes1 ,joseph1 ,highfield1 ,palterton1 ,chesterfield1 ,derbyshire4 #aijd4 ,freshney1 ,t4 ,b41 ,south ,somercotes1 ,louth1 ,lincs4 ,smith1 ,henry1 ,the ,grove1 ,cropwell ,butler1 ,notts4 ,whinnerah1 ,james1 ,warton ,hall1 ,carnforth1 ,lancs4 #aije4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,blundell1 ,john1 ,ream ,hills1 ,weeton ,kirkham1 ,lancs4 ,green1 ,edward1 ,the ,moors1 ,welshpool4 #aijf4 ,eadie1 ,j4 ,t4 ,c41 ,the ,knowle1 ,hazelwood1 ,derby4 ,rowell1 ,john1 ,bury1 ,huntingdon4 ,green1 ,thomas1 ,the ,bank1 ,pool ,quay1 ,welshpool4 #aijg4 ,griffin1 ,f4 ,w41 ,borough ,fen1 ,peterborough4 ,paisley1 ,joseph1 ,moresby ,house1 ,whitehaven4 ,whinnerah1 ,edward1 ,warton ,hall1 ,carnforth1 ,lancs4 #aijh4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,blundell1 ,john1 ,lower ,burrow1 ,scotforth1 ,lancs4 ,howkins1 ,w41 ,hillmorton ,grounds1 ,rugby4 #aiji4 ,eadie1 ,j4 ,t4 ,c41 ,the ,rock1 ,newton ,solney1 ,burton-on-,trent4 ,rowell1 ,john1 ,bury1 ,huntingdon4 ,thompson1 ,w41 jun41 ,desford1 ,leicester4 #aiaj4 ,blundell1 ,john1 ,lower ,burrow1 ,scotforth1 ,lancs4 ,cowing1 ,g41 ,yatesbury1 ,calne1 ,wilts4 ,green1 ,edward1 ,the ,moors1 ,welshpool4 #aiaa4 ,green1 ,thomas1 ,the ,bank1 ,pool ,quay1 ,welshpool4 ,gould1 ,james1 ,crouchley ,lymm1 ,cheshire4 ,measures1 ,john1 ,dunsby1 ,bourne1 ,lincs4 #aiab4 ,clark1 ,a4 ,h41 ,moulton ,eaugate1 ,spalding1 ,lincs4 ,flowers1 ,a4 ,j41 ,beachendon1 ,aylesbury1 ,bucks4 ,whinnerah1 ,edward ,warton1 ,carnforth1 ,lancs4 #aiac4 ,blundell1 ,john1 ,lower ,burrow1 ,scotforth1 ,lancs4 ,betts1 ,e4 ,w41 ,babingley1 ,king's ,lynn1 ,norfolk4 ,griffin1 ,f4 ,w41 ,borough ,fen1 ,peterborough4 #aiad4 ,forshaw1 ,thomas1 ,carlton-on-,trent1 ,newark1 ,notts4 ,keene1 ,r4 ,h41 ,westfield1 ,medmenham1 ,marlow1 ,bucks4 ,thompson1 ,william1 jun41 ,kibworth ,beauchamp1 ,leicester4 #aiae4 ,eadie1 ,j4 ,t4 ,c41 ,newton ,solney1 ,burton-on-,trent4 ,green1 ,edward1 ,the ,moors1 ,welshpool4 ,mackereth1 ,henry ,whittington1 ,kirkby ,lonsdale1 ,lancs4 ,this list is interesting for the reason that those who have awarded the prizes at the ,shire ,horse ,show have1 to a great extent1 fixed the type to find favour at other important shows4 ,very often the same judges have officiated at several important exhibitions during the same season1 which has tended towards uniformity in prize-winning ,shires4 ,on looking down the list1 it will be seen that four judges were appointed till #ahie1 while the custom of the ,society to get its ,council from as many counties as possible has not been followed in the matter of judges' selection4 ,for instance1 ,warwickshire--a great county for ,shire breeding--has only provided two judges in twenty-six years1 and one of them--,mr4 ,potter--had recently come from ,lockington ,grounds1 ,derby1 where he bred the renowned ,prince ,william4 ,for many years ,hertfordshire has provided a string of winners1 yet no judge has hailed from that county1 or from ,surrey1 which contains quite a number of breeders of ,shire horses4 ,no fault whatever is being found with the way the judging has been carried out4 ,it is no light task1 and nobody but an expert could1 or should1 undertake it2 but it is only fair to point out that high-class ,shires are1 and have been1 bred in ,cornwall1 and ,devonshire1 ,kent1 and every other county1 while the entries at the show of #aiad included a stallion bred in the ,isle of ,man4 ,in #ahij1 as elsewhere stated1 the membership of the ,society was #afae1 whereas the number of members given in the #aiad volume of the ,stud ,book is #dbjj4 ,the aim of each and all is 8to improve the ,old ,english breed of ,cart ,horses10 many of which may now be truthfully described by their old title of 8,war ,horses40 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,export ,,trade ,among the first to recognize the enormous power and possibilities of the ,shire were the ,americans4 ,very few ,london shows had been held before they were looking out for fully-registered specimens to take across the ,atlantic4 ,towards the close of the 'eighties a great export trade was done1 the climax being reached in #ahhi1 when the ,shire ,horse ,society granted #abfd export certificates4 ,a society to safeguard the interests of the breed was formed in ,america1 these being the remarks of ,mr4 ,a4 ,galbraith 7,president of the ,american ,shire ,horse ,society7 in his introductory essay3 8,at no time in the history of the breed have first-class animals been so valuable as now1 the praiseworthy endeavour to secure the best specimens of the breed having the natural effect of enhancing prices all round4 ,breeders of ,shire horses both in ,england and ,america have a hopeful and brilliant future before them1 and by exercising good judgment in their selections1 and giving due regard to pedigree and soundness1 as well as individual merit1 they will not only reap a rich pecuniary reward1 but prove a blessing and a benefit to this country40 ,from the day that the ,shire ,horse ,society was incorporated1 on ,june #c1 #ahgh1 until now1 ,america has been ,britain's best overseas customer for ,shire horses1 a good second being our own colony1 the ,dominion of ,canada4 ,another stockbreeding country to make an early discovery of the merits of 8,the ,great ,horse0 was ,argentina1 to which destination many good ,shires have gone4 ,in #aijf the number given in the ,stud ,book was #aah4 ,so much importance is attached to the breed both in the ,united ,states and in the ,argentine ,republic that ,english judges have travelled to each of those country's shows to award the prizes in the ,shire ,classes4 ,another great country with which a good and growing trade has been done is ,russia4 ,in #aijd the number was eleven1 in #aiac it had increased to fifty-two1 so there is evidently a market there which is certain to be extended when peace has been restored and our powerful ally sets about the stupendous1 if peaceful1 task of replenishing her horse stock4 ,our other allies have their own breeds of draught horses1 therefore they have not been customers for ,shires1 but with war raging in their breeding grounds1 the numbers must necessarily be reduced almost to extinction1 consequently the help of the ,shire may be sought for building up their breeds in days to come4 ,german buyers have not fancied ,shire horses to any extent--,british-bred re-mounts have been more in their line4 ,in #aije1 however1 ,germany was the destination of thirty-one4 ,by #aiaj the number had declined to eleven1 and in #aiac to three1 therefore1 if the export of trade in ,shires to 8,the ,fatherland0 is altogether lost1 ,english breeders will scarcely feel it4 ,australia1 ,new ,zealand1 and ,south ,africa are parts of the ,british ,empire to which ,shires have been shipped for several years4 ,substantial prizes in the shape of ,cups and ,medals are now given by the ,shire ,horse ,society to the best specimens of the breed exhibited at ,foreign and ,colonial ,shows4 ,,encouraging ,,the ,,export ,,of ,,shires ,the following is reprinted from the 8,farmer and ,stockbreeder ,year ,book0 for #aijf1 and was written by ,s4 ,h4 ,l4 7,j4 ,a4 ,frost73-- 8,the ,old ,english breed of cart horse1 or #8,shire1' is universally admitted to be the best and most valuable animal for draught purposes in the world1 and a visitor from ,america1 ,mr4 ,morrow1 of the ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture1 speaking at ,mr4 ,john ,rowell's sale of ,shires in #ahhi1 said1 #8,great as had been the business done in ,shire horses in ,america1 the trade is but in its infancy1 for the more ,shire horses became known1 and the more they came into competition with other breeds1 the more their merits for all heavy draught purposes were appreciated4' 8,these remarks are true to-day1 for although sixteen years have elapsed since they were made 7#aijf71 the massive ,shire has more than held his own1 but in the interests of the breed1 and of the nearly four thousand members of the ,shire ,horse ,society1 it is still doubtful whether the true worth of the ,shire horse is properly known and appreciated in foreign countries and towns needing heavy horses1 and whether the export trade in this essentially ,british breed is not capable of further development4 ,the number of export certificates granted by the ,shire ,horse ,society in #ahhi was #abfd1 which takes a good deal of beating1 but it must be remembered that since then ,shire horse breeding at home has progressed by leaps and bounds1 and tenant farmers1 who could only look on in those days1 are now members of the flourishing ,shire ,horse ,society and owners of breeding studs1 and such prices as #hjj guineas for a two-year-old filly and #bcj guineas for a nine-months-old colt1 are less frequently obtainable than they were then2 therefore1 an increase in the demand from other countries would find more ,shire breeders ready to supply it1 although up to the present the home demand has been and is very good1 and weighty geldings continue to be scarce and dear40 ,,the ,,number ,,exported 8,it may be true that the number of horses exported during the last year or two has been higher than ever1 but when the average value of those that go to #8other countries' than ,holland1 ,belgium1 and ,france1 is worked out1 it does not allow of such specimens as would excite the admiration of a foreign merchant or ,colonial farmer being exported1 except in very isolated instances2 then the tendency of ,american buyers is to give preference to stallions which are on the quality rather than on the weighty side1 and as the mares to which they are eventually put are also light boned1 the typical ,english dray horse is not produced4 8,during the past year 7#aije7 foreign buyers have been giving very high prices for ,shorthorn cattle1 and if they would buy in the same spirited manner at the ,shire sales1 a much more creditable animal could be obtained for shipment4 ,as an advertisement for the ,shire it is obviously beneficial that the ,shire ,horse ,society--which is unquestionably the most successful breed society in existence--gives prizes for breeding stock and also geldings at a few of the most important horse shows in the ,united ,states4 ,this tends to bring the breed into prominence abroad1 and it is certain that many ,colonial farmers would rejoice at being able to breed working geldings of a similar type to those which may be seen shunting trucks on any large railway station in ,england1 or walking smartly along in front of a binder in harvest4 ,the writer has a relative farming in the ,north-,west ,territory of ,canada1 and his last letter says1 #8,the only thing in the stock line that there is much money in now is horses2 they are keeping high1 and seem likely to for years1 as so many new settlers are coming in all the time1 and others do not seem able to raise enough for their own needs'2 and it may be mentioned that almost the only kind of stallions available there are of the ,percheron breed1 which is certainly not calculated to improve the size1 or substance1 of the native draught horse stock4 ,,the ,,cost ,,of ,,shipping 8,the cost of shipping a horse from ,liverpool to ,new ,york is about #aa1 which is not prohibitive for such an indispensable animal as the ,shire horse1 and if such specimens of the breed as the medal winners at shows like ,peterborough could be exhibited in the draught horse classes at the best horse shows of ,america1 it is more than probable that at least some of the visitors would be impressed with their appearance1 and an increase in the export trade in ,shires might thereby be brought about4 8,a few years ago the price of high-class ,shire stallions ran upwards of a thousand pounds1 which placed them beyond the reach of exporters2 but the reign of what may be called #8fancy' prices appears to be over1 at least for a time1 seeing that the general sale averages have declined since that of ,lord ,llangattock in ,october1 #aijj1 when the record average of #bbf #as4 #h;d4 was made1 although the best general average for the sales of any single year was obtained in #aija1 viz4 #aab #es4 #aj;d4 for #fcc animals1 and it was during that year that the highest price for ,shires was obtained at an auction sale1 the sum being #aeej guineas1 given by ,mr4 ,leopold ,salomons1 for the stallion ,hendre ,champion1 at the late ,mr4 ,crisp's sale at ,girton4 ,other high-priced stallions purchased by auction include ,marmion ,,ii41 #adjj guineas1 and ,chancellor1 #aajj guineas1 both by ,mr4 ,crisp4 ,waresley ,premier ,duke1 #aajj guineas1 and ,hendre ,crown ,prince1 #aajj guineas1 were two purchases of ,mr4 ,victor ,cavendish in the year #ahig4 ,these figures show that the worth of a really good ,shire stallion can hardly be estimated1 and it is certain that the market for this particular class of animal is by no means glutted1 but rather the reverse1 as the number of males offered at the stud sales is always limited1 which proves that there is #8room on the top' for the stallion breeder1 and with this fact in view and the possible chance of an increased foreign trade in stallions it behoves ,british breeders of ,shires to see to it that there is no falling off in the standard of the horses #8raised1' to use the ,american word1 but rather that a continual improvement is aimed at1 so that visitors from horse-breeding countries may find what they want if they come to #8the stud farm of the world4' 8,the need to keep to the right lines and breed from good old stock which has produced real stock-getting stallions cannot be too strongly emphasised1 for the reason that there is a possibility of the ,british market being overstocked with females1 with a corresponding dearth of males1 both stallions and geldings1 and although this is a matter which breeders cannot control they can at least patronise a strain of blood famous for its males4 ,the group of ,premier--,nellie ,blacklegs' brothers1 ,northwood1 ,hydrometer1 ,senator1 and ,calwich ,topsman--may be quoted as showing the advisability of continuing to use the same horse year after year if colt foals are bred1 and wanted1 and the sire is a horse of merit4 8,with the number of breeders of ,shire horses and the plentiful supply of mares1 together with the facilities offered by local stallion-hiring societies1 it ought not to be impossible to breed enough high-grade sires to meet the home demand and leave a surplus for export as well1 and the latter of the class that will speak for themselves in other countries1 and lead to enquiries for more of the same sort4 ,,few ,,high ,,prices ,,from ,,exporters 8,it is noteworthy that few1 if any1 of the high prices obtained for ,shires at public sales have come from exporters or buyers from abroad1 but from lovers of the heavy breed in ,england1 who have been either forming or replenishing studs1 therefore1 #8the almighty dollar' has not been responsible for the figures above quoted4 ,still it is probable that with the opening up of the agricultural industry in ,western ,canada1 ,south ,africa1 and elsewhere1 ,shire stallions will be needed to help the ,colonial settlers to build up a breed of horses which will be useful for both tillage and haulage purposes4 8,the adaptability of the ,shire horse to climate and country is well known1 and it is satisfactory for home breeders to hear that ,mr4 ,martinez de ,hoz has recently sold ten ,shires1 bred in ,argentina1 at an average of #bbc #bs4 #f;d41 one1 a three-year-old1 making #ebe4 8,meanwhile it might be a good investment if a syndicate of ,british breeders placed a group of typical ,shire horses in a few of the biggest fairs or shows in countries where weighty horses are wanted1 and thus further the interests of the ,shire abroad1 and assist in developing the export trade40 ,it may be added that during the summer of #aijf1 ,h4,m4 ,king ,edward and ,lord ,rothschild sent a consignment of ,shires to the ,united ,states of ,america for exhibition4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,prominent ,,present-,,day ,,studs ,seeing that ,lord ,rothschild has won the greatest number of challenge cups and holds the record for having made the highest price1 his name is mentioned first among owners of famous studs4 ,he joined the ,shire ,horse ,society in ,february1 #ahia1 and at the show of #ahib made five entries for the ,london ,show at which he purchased the second prize three-year-old stallion ,carbonite 7by ,carbon by ,lincolnshire ,lad ,,ii47 from ,mr4 ,edward ,green for #aajj guineas4 ,he is remembered by the writer as being a wide and weighty horse on short legs which carried long hair in attendance1 and this type has been found at ,tring ,park ever since4 ,in #ahie his lordship won first and third with two chestnut fillies--,vulcan's ,flower by the ,champion ,vulcan and ,walkern ,primrose by ,hitchin ,duke 7by ,bar ,none74 ,the former won the ,filly ,cup and was subsequently sold to help to found the famous stud of ,sir ,walpole ,greenwell at ,marden ,park1 ,surrey1 the sum given being a very high one for those days4 ,the first championship was obtained with the mare ,alston ,rose in #aija1 which won like honours for ,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,hudson in #aijb1 after costing him #gej guineas at the second sale at ,tring ,park1 ,january #ae1 #aijb4 ,solace1 bred by ,king ,edward1 was the next champion mare from ,lord ,rothschild's stud4 ,girton ,charmer1 winner of the ,challenge ,cup in #aije1 was included in a select shipment of ,shires sent to ,america 7as models of the breed7 by our late lamented ,king and ,lord ,rothschild in #aijf4 ,princess ,beryl1 ,belle ,cole1 ,chiltern ,maid1 were mares to win highest honours for the stud1 while a young mare which passed through ,lord ,rothschild's hands1 and realized a four-figure sum for him as a two-year-old from the ,devonshire enthusiasts1 ,messrs4 ,w4 and ,h4 ,whitley1 is ,lorna ,doone1 the ,champion mare of #aiad4 ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 the ,tring record-breaker1 has been mentioned1 so we can now refer to the successful stud of which he is the central figure1 viz4 that owned by ,sir ,walpole ,greenwell at ,marden ,park1 ,woldingham1 ,surrey1 who1 as we have seen1 bought a good filly from the ,tring ,stud in #ahie1 the year in which he became a member of the ,shire ,horse ,society4 ,at ,lord ,rothschild's first sale in #ahih1 he purchased ,windley ,lily for #dcj guineas1 and ,moorish ,maiden1 a three-year-old filly1 for #cej1 since when he has bid only for the best4 ,at the ,tandridge dispersion sale he gave over a thousand pounds for the ,lockinge ,forest ,king mare1 ,fuchsia of ,tandridge1 and her foal4 ,sir ,walpole was one of the first to profit by the ,lockinge ,forest ,king blood1 his filly1 ,marden ,peach1 by that sire having been a winner at the ,royal of #aijh1 while her daughter1 ,marden ,constance1 has had a brilliant show career1 so has ,dunsmore ,chessie1 purchased from ,mr4 ,t4 ,ewart as a yearling1 twice ,london ,champion mare4 ,no sale has been held at ,marden1 but consignments have been sold at ,peterborough1 so that the prefix is frequently met with4 ,the stud owner who is willing to give #dcje for a two-year-old colt deserves success4 ,,the ,,primley ,,stud ,at the ,dunsmore ,sale on ,february #ad1 #aijg1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,whitley purchased ,dunsmore ,fuchsia 7by ,jameson71 the ,london ,cup winner of #aije and #aijf1 for #ebj guineas1 also ,quality by the same sire1 and these two won second and third for him in ,london the same month1 this being the first show at which the ,primley shires took honours4 ,the purchase of ,tatton ,dray ,king1 the ,champion stallion of #aijh1 by ,messrs4 ,w4 and ,h4 ,whitley in the spring of #aiji for #cgjj guineas created quite a sensation1 as it was an outstanding record1 it stood so for nearly four years4 ,one of the most successful show mares in this--or any--stud is ,mollington ,movement by ,lockinge ,forest ,king1 but the reigning queen is ,lorna ,doone1 the ,london and ,peterborough ,champion of #aiad1 purchased privately from the ,tring ,park ,stud4 ,another built on the same lines is ,sussex ,pride with which a ,bucks tenant farmer1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,h4 ,keene1 won first and reserve champion at the ,london ,show of #aiac1 afterwards selling her to ,messrs4 ,whitley1 who again won with her in #aiad4 ,with such animals as these ,devonshire is likely to hold its own with ,shires1 although they do not come from the district known to the law makers of old as the breeding ground of 8the ,great ,horse40 ,,the ,,pendley ,,females ,one of the most successful exhibitors of mares1 fillies1 and foals1 at the shows of the past few seasons has been ,mr4 ,j4 ,g4 ,williams1 ,pendley ,manor1 ,tring4 ,like other exhibitors already mentioned1 the one under notice owes much of his success to ,lockinge ,forest ,king4 ,in #aijh ,lord ,egerton's ,tatton ,may ,queen was purchased for #dbj guineas1 she having been first in ,london as a yearling and two-year-old2 ,bardon ,forest ,princess1 a reserve ,london ,champion1 and ,barnfields ,forest ,queen1 ,cup winner there1 made a splendid team of winners by the sire named4 ,at the ,tring ,park sale of #aiac ,mr4 ,williams gave the highest price made by a female1 #hbe guineas1 for ,halstead ,duchess ,,vii41 by ,redlynch ,forest ,king4 ,she won the ,royal ,championship at ,bristol for him4 ,one of the later acquisitions is ,snelston ,lady1 by ,slipton ,king1 ,cup winner and reserve ,champion in ,london1 #aiad1 as a three-year-old1 first at the ,royal1 and reserve ,champion at ,peterborough4 ,mr4 ,williams joined the ,shire ,horse ,society in #aijf1 since when he has won all but the ,london ,championship with his mares and fillies4 ,a ,,new ,,stud ,after ,champion's ,goalkeeper was knocked down ,mr4 ,beck announced that the disappointed bidder was ,mr4 ,c4 ,r4 ,h4 ,gresson1 acting for the ,edgcote ,shorthorn ,company1 ,wardington1 ,banbury1 his date of admission to the ,shire ,horse ,society being during that same month1 ,february1 #aiac4 ,having failed to get the popular colt1 his stable companion and half brother1 ,stockman ,,iii41 was purchased for #edj guineas1 and shown in ,london just after1 where he won fourth prize4 ,from this single entry in #aiac the foundation of the stud was so rapid that seven entries were made at the #aiad ,london ,show4 ,fine ,feathers was the first prize yearling filly1 ,blackthorn ,betty the second prize two-year-old filly1 the own bred ,edgcote ,monarch being the second prize yearling colt4 ,after the show ,lord ,rothschild's first prize two-year colt1 ,orfold ,blue ,blood1 was bought1 together with ,normandy ,jessie1 the third prize yearling colt2 so with these two1 ,fine ,feathers1 ,betty1 ,chirkenhill ,forest ,queen1 and ,writtle ,coming ,queen1 the ,edgcote ,shorthorn ,co41 ,ltd41 took a leading place at the shows of #aiad4 ,in future ,edgcote promises to be as famous for its ,shires as it has hitherto been for its ,shorthorns4 ,,ducal ,,studs ,a very successful exhibitor of the past season has been his ,grace the ,duke of ,westminster1 who owns a very good young sire in ,eaton ,nunsuch--so good that he has been hired by the ,peterborough ,society4 ,shires have been bred on the ,eaton ,hall estate for many years1 and the stud contains many promising animals now4 ,mention must be made of the great interest taken in ,shires by the ,duke of ,devonshire who1 as the ,hon4 ,victor ,cavendish1 kept a first-class stud at ,holker1 ,lancs4 ,at the ,royal ,show of #aiji 7,gloucester7 ,holker ,mars was the ,champion ,shire stallion1 ,warton ,draughtsman winning the ,norwich ,royal ,championship1 and also that of the ,london ,show of #aiab for his popular owner4 ,,other ,,studs ,among those who have done much to promote the breeding of the ,old ,english type of cart-horse1 the name of ,mr4 ,clement ,keevil deserves a foremost place4 ,at ,blagdon1 ,malden1 ,surrey1 he held a number of stud sales in the eighties and nineties1 to which buyers went for massive-limbed ,shires of the good old strains2 those with a pedigree which traced back to ,honest ,tom 7alias ,little ,david71 foaled in the year #agfi1 to ,wiseman's ,honest ,tom1 foaled in #ahjj1 or to ,samson a sire weighing #a ton #h cwt4 ,later he had a stud at ,billington1 ,beds1 where several sales were held1 the last being in #aijh1 when ,mr4 ,everard gave #hfj guineas for the stallion1 ,lockinge ,blagdon4 ,shortly before that he sold ,blagdon ,benefactor for #ajjj guineas4 ,the prefix 8,birdsall0 has been seen in show catalogues for a number of years1 which mean that the animals holding it were bred1 or owned1 by ,lord ,middleton1 at ,birdsall1 ,york1 he being one of the first noblemen to found a stud1 and he has ably filled the ,presidential ,chair of the ,shire ,horse ,society4 ,as long ago as the #ahib ,london ,show there were two entries from ,birdsall by ,lord ,middleton's own sire1 ,northwood1 to which reference is made elsewhere4 ,another notable sire purchased by his lordship was ,menestrel1 first in ,london1 #aijj 7by ,hitchin ,conqueror71 his most famous son being ,birdsall ,menestrel1 dam ,birdsall ,darling by ,northwood1 sold to ,lord ,rothschild as a yearling4 ,as a two-year-old this colt was ,cup winner and reserve ,champion1 and at four he was ,challenge ,cup winner4 ,a good bidder at ,shire sales1 the breeder of a champion1 and a consistent supporter of the ,shire breeding industry since #ahhc1 it is regrettable that champion honours have not fallen to ,lord ,middleton himself4 ,another stud1 which was founded near ,leeds1 by ,mr4 ,a4 ,grandage1 has now been removed to ,cheshire4 ,joining the ,shire ,horse ,society in #ahib1 his first entry in ,london was made in #ahic1 and four years later1 in #ahig1 ,queen of the ,shires 7by ,harold7 won the mare ,championship for ,mr4 ,grandage4 ,in #aiji the winning four-year-old stallion1 ,gaer ,conqueror1 of ,lincolnshire ,lad descent1 was bought from ,mr4 ,edward ,green for #hbe guineas1 which proved to be a real good investment for ,mr4 ,grandage1 seeing that he won the championship of the ,shire ,horse ,show for the two following years1 #aiaj and #aiaa4 ,candidates from the ,bramhope ,stud1 ,monks ,heath1 ,chelford1 ,cheshire1 are likely to give a very good account of themselves in the days to come4 ,among those who will have the best ,shires is ,sir ,arthur ,nicholson1 ,highfield1 ,leek1 ,staffs4 ,his first ,london success was third prize with ,rokeby ,friar 7by ,harold7 as a two-year-old in #ahic1 since which date he has taken a keen personal interest in the breeding of ,shire horses1 and has the honour of having purchased ,pailton ,sorais1 the highest-priced mare yet sold by auction4 ,at the ,tring sale of #aiac he gave the second highest price of that day1 viz41 #agej guineas for the three-year-old stallion1 ,blacklands ,kingmaker1 who won first prize for him in ,london ten days after1 but1 alas1 was taken ill during his season1 for the ,winslow ,shire ,horse ,society1 and died4 ,another bad loss to ,sir ,arthur and to ,shire breeders generally was the death of ,redlynch ,forest ,king1 seeing that he promised to rival his renowned sire1 ,lockinge ,forest ,king1 for begetting show animals4 ,among the many good ones recently exhibited from the stud may be mentioned ,leek ,dorothy1 twice first in ,london1 and ,leek ,challenger1 first as a yearling1 second as a two-year-old1 both of these being by ,redlynch ,forest ,king4 ,with such as these coming on there is a future before the ,shires of ,sir ,arthur ,nicholson4 ,the name of ,muntz is familiar to all ,shire breeders owing to the fame achieved by the late ,sir ,p4 ,albert ,muntz4 ,in #ahii ,mr4 ,f4 ,e4 ,muntz1 of ,umberslade1 ,hockley ,heath1 ,warwickshire1 a nephew of the ,dunsmore ,baronet1 joined the ,shire ,horse ,society1 and has since been ,president4 ,quite a good share of prizes have fallen to him1 including the ,cup for the best old stallion in ,london both in #aiac and #aiad4 ,the winner1 ,danesfield ,stonewall1 was reserved for the absolute championship on both occasions1 and this typical 8,old ,english ,black0 had a host of admirers1 while ,jones--the ,umberslade stud groom--will never forget his parade before ,his ,majesty ,king ,george at the #aiac show4 ,it used to be said that ,shires did not flourish south of ,london1 but ,mr4 ,leopold ,salomons1 ,norbury ,park1 ,dorking1 has helped to prove otherwise4 ,beginning with one entry at the #ahii ,show1 he has entered quite a string for several years1 and the stud contains a number of high-class stallions1 notably ,norbury ,menestrel1 winner of many prizes1 and a particularly well-bred and promising sire1 and ,king of ,tandridge 7by ,lockinge ,forest ,king71 purchased by ,mr4 ,salomons at the ,tandridge dispersion sale for #afjj guineas4 ,at the sale during the ,london ,show of #aiad ,mr4 ,salomons realized the highest price with his own bred ,norbury ,coronation1 by ,norbury ,menestrel1 who1 after winning third prize in his class1 cost the ,leigh ,shire ,horse ,society #hej guineas1 ,norbury ,george1 by the same sire1 winning fifth prize1 and making #fjj guineas1 both being three years old4 ,this is the kind of advertisement for a stud1 no matter where its situation4 ,another ,surrey enthusiast is ,sir ,edward ,stern1 ,fan ,court1 ,chertsey1 who has been a member of the ,shire ,horse ,society since #aijc4 ,he purchased ,danesfield ,stonewall from ,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,hudson1 and won several prizes before re-selling him to ,mr4 ,f4 ,e4 ,muntz4 ,his stud horses now includes ,marathon ,,ii41 champion at the ,oxford ,county ,show of #aiaj4 ,mares and fillies have also been successfully shown at the ,royal ,counties1 and other meetings in the south of ,england from the ,fan ,court establishment4 ,a fine lot of ,shires have been got together1 at ,tarnacre ,house1 ,garstang1 and the first prize yearling at the ,london ,show of #aiad1 ,king's ,choice1 was bred by ,messrs4 ,j4 ,e4 and ,a4 ,w4 ,potter1 who also won first with ,monnow ,drayman1 the colt with which ,mr4 ,john ,ferneyhough took first prize as a three-year-old4 ,with stallions of his type and mares as wide1 deep1 and well-bred as ,champion's ,choice 7by ,childwick ,champion71 ,shires full of character should be forthcoming from these ,lancashire breeders4 ,the ,carlton ,stud continues to flourish1 although its founder1 the late ,mr4 ,james ,forshaw1 departed this life in #aijh4 ,his business abilities and keen judgment have been inherited by his sons1 one of whom judged in ,london last year 7#aiad71 as his father did in #aijj4 ,this being a record in ,shire ,horse history for father and son to judge at the great ,show of the breed4 ,carlton has always been famous for its stallions4 ,it has furnished ,london winners from the first1 including the ,champions ,stroxton ,tom 7#aijb and #aijc71 ,present ,king ,,ii4 7#aijf71 and ,stolen ,duchess1 the ,challenge ,cup winning mare of #aijg4 ,the sires owned by the late ,mr4 ,forshaw and his sons are too numerous to mention in detail4 ,bar ,none is spoken of elsewhere4 ,another very impressive stallion was ,what's ,wanted1 the sire of ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,duncombe's ,premier 7also mentioned in another chapter71 and a large family of celebrated sons4 ,his great grandsire was 7,dack's7 ,matchless #aeji1 a great sire in the ,fen country1 which travelled through ,moulton ,eaugate for thirteen consecutive seasons4 ,the late ,mr4 ,forshaw's opinion of him is given on another page4 ,one of the most successful ,carlton sires of recent years has been ,drayman ,,xxiii41 whose son1 ,tatton ,dray ,king1 won highest honours in ,london1 and realized #cgjj guineas when sold4 ,seeing that prizes were being won by stallions from this stud through several decades of last century1 and that a large number have been travelled each season since1 while a very large export trade has been done by ,messrs4 ,forshaw and ,sons1 it need hardly be said that the influence of this stud has been world-wide4 ,it is impossible to mention all the existing studs in a little book like this1 but three others will be now mentioned for the reason that they are carried on by those who formerly managed successful studs1 therefore they have 8kept the ball rolling10 viz4 that of ,mr4 ,thomas ,ewart1 at ,dunsmore1 who made purchases on his own behalf when the stud of the late ,sir ,p4 ,a4 ,muntz--which he had managed for so long--was dispersed1 and has since brought out many winners1 the most famous of which is ,dunsmore ,chessie4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,h4 ,keene1 under whose care the ,shires of ,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,hudson 7,past-,president of the ,shire ,horse ,society7 at ,danesfield attained to such prominence1 although not actually taking over the prefix1 took a large portion of the land1 and carries on ,shire breeding quite successfully on his own account4 ,the other of this class to be named is ,mr4 ,c4 ,e4 ,mc,kenna1 who took over the ,bardon stud from ,mr4 ,b4 ,n4 ,everard when the latter decided to let the ,leicestershire stud farm where ,lockinge ,forest ,king spent his last and worthiest years4 ,such enterprise gives farmers and men of moderate means faith in the great and growing industry of ,shire ,horse breeding4 ,of stud owners who have climbed to prominence1 although neither landowners1 merchant princes1 nor erstwhile stud managers1 may be mentioned ,mr4 ,james ,gould1 ,crouchley ,lymm1 ,cheshire1 whose ,snowdon ,menestrel was first in his class and reserve for the ,stallion ,cup at the #aiad ,london ,show2 ,messrs4 ,e4 and ,j4 ,whinnerah1 ,warton1 ,carnforth1 who won seventh prize with ,warton ,draughtsman in #aiaj1 afterwards selling him to the ,duke of ,devonshire1 who reached the top of the tree with him two years later4 ,mr4 ,henry ,mackereth1 the new ,london judge of #aiae1 entered the exhibitors' list at the ,london ,show of #ahii4 ,perhaps his most notable horse is ,lunesdale ,kingmaker1 with which ,lord ,rothschild won fourth prize in #aijg1 he being the sire of ,messrs4 ,potter's ,king's ,choice above mentioned4 ,many other studs well meriting notice could be dealt with did time and space permit1 including that of a tenant farmer who named one of his best colts 8,sign of ,riches10 which must be regarded as an advertisement for the breed from a farmer's point of view4 ,of past studs only one will be mentioned1 that of the late ,sir ,walter ,gilbey1 the dispersal having taken place on ,january #ac1 #aiae4 ,the first ,shire sale at ,elsenham was held in #ahhe--thirty years ago--when the late ,lord ,wantage gave the highest price1 #dge guineas1 for ,glow1 by ,spark1 the average of #agb #ds4 #f;d4 being unbeaten till the ,scawby sale of #ahia 7which was #aih #ags4 #c;d474 ,sir ,walter has been mentioned as one of the founders of the ,shire ,horse ,society2 his services in aid of horse breeding were recognized by presenting him with his portrait in oils1 the subscribers numbering #abej4 ,the presentation was made by ,king ,edward 7then ,prince of ,wales7 at the ,london ,show of #ahia4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,future ,,outlook ,this book is written when war1 and all that pertains to it1 is the absorbing topic4 ,in fact1 no other will be listened to4 ,what is the good of talking about such a peaceful occupation as that of agriculture while the nation is fighting for its very existence8 ,to a certain extent this can be understood1 but stock breeding1 and more particularly horse breeding1 cannot be suspended for two or three seasons and then resumed without causing a gap in the supply of horses coming along for future use4 ,the cry of the army authorities is for 8more and more men10 together with a demand for a constant supply of horses of many types1 including the weight-moving ,war ,horse1 and if the supply is used up1 with no provision being made for a quantity of four-footed recruits to haul the guns or baggage waggons in the days to come1 the ,british ,army1 and most others1 will be faced with a problem not easily solved4 ,the motor-mad mechanic may think that his chance has come1 but generals who have to lead an army over water-logged plains1 or snow-covered mountains1 will demand horses1 hitherto--and henceforth--indispensable for mounting soldiers on1 rushing their guns quickly into position1 or drawing their food supplies and munitions of war after them4 ,when the mechanic has provided horseless vehicles to do all this1 horse breeding can be ignored by fighting men--not before4 ,but horses1 particularly draft horses1 are needed for commercial use4 ,so far1 coal merchants are horse users1 while brewers1 millers1 and other lorry users have not altogether discarded the horse-drawn vehicle4 ,for taking loads to and from the landing stage at ,liverpool heavy horses will be in great demand after the war--perhaps greater than they have ever been4 ,the railways will continue to exist1 and1 while they do1 powerful ,shire geldings must be employed2 no other can put the necessary weight into the collar for shunting loaded trucks4 ,during the autumn of #aiad no other kind of advice--although they got plenty of it--was so freely and so frequently given to farmers as this1 8grow more wheat40 ,if this has been acted upon1 and there is no doubt that it has1 at least to some extent1 it follows1 as sure as the night follows the day1 that more horses will be required by those who grow the wheat4 ,the land has to be ploughed and cultivated1 the crop drilled1 cut1 carted home and delivered to mill1 or railway truck1 all meaning horse labour4 ,it may happen that large farmers will use motor ploughs or steam waggons1 but these are beyond the reach of the average ,english farmer4 ,moreover1 when bought they depreciate in value1 whether working or standing idle1 which is exactly what the ,shire gelding or brood mare does not do4 ,if properly cared for and used they appreciate in value from the time they are put to work until they are six or seven years old1 and by that age most farmers have sold their non-breeders to make room for younger animals4 ,horse power is therefore the cheapest and most satisfactory power for most farmers to use in front of field implements and farm waggons1 a fact which is bound to tell in favour of the ,shire in the coming times of peace which we anticipate4 ,when awarding prizes for the best managed farm1 the judges appointed by the ,royal ,agricultural ,society of ,england are instructed to consider-- 8,general ,management with a view to profit10 so that any breed of live stock which leaves a profit would help a competitor4 ,only a short time ago a ,warwickshire tenant farmer told his landlord that ,shire horses had enabled himself and many others to attend the rent audit1 8with a smile on his face and the rent in his pocket40 ,most landlords are prepared to welcome a tenant in that state1 therefore they should continue to encourage the industry as they have done during the past twenty-five years4 ,wars come to an end--the 8,thirty ,years' ,war0 did--so let us remember the ,divine promise to ,noah after the flood1 8,while the earth remaineth seedtime and harvest ''' shall not cease10 ,gen4 #h3bb4 ,as long as there is sowing and reaping to be done horses--,shire horses--will be wanted4 8,far back in the ages ,the plough with wreaths was crowned2 ,the hands of kings and sages ,entwined the chaplet round2 ,till men of spoil disdained the toil ,by which the world was nourished1 ,and dews of blood enriched the soil ,where green their laurels flourished3 ,now the world her fault repairs-- ,the guilt that stains her story2 ,and weeps2 her crimes amid the cares ,that formed her earliest glory4 ,the glory1 earned in deadly fray1 ,shall fade1 decay and perish4 ,honour waits1 o'er all the ,earth ,through endless generations1 ,the art that calls her harvests forth ,and feeds the expectant nations40 ,,index ,a ,alston ,rose1 champion mare #aija ''' #ajd ,armour-clad warriors1 #a1 #g ,army horses1 #f ,ashbourne ,foal ,show1 #hj ,attention to feet1 #db ,aurea1 champion mare1 #ah1 #fe ,author's ,preface1 v ,average prices1 #gf ,b ,back breeding1 value of1 #aa1 #ac1 #ci ,bakewell1 ,robert1 #b1 #bb1 #ed ,bardon ,extraordinary1 champion gelding1 #fe1 #gh ,bardon ,stud1 #aah ,bar ,none1 #hj ,bearwardcote ,blaze1 #fj ,bedding1 #ce ,birdsall ,menestrel1 #hd1 #aaa ---- stud1 #aaj ,black horses1 ,bakewell's1 #ee ,black horses from ,flanders1 #eh ,blagdon ,stud1 #aaj ,blending ,shire and ,clydesdale breeds1 #ei ,boiled barley1 #cf ,bradley1 ,mr4 ,john1 #hc ,bramhope stud1 #aaa ,breeders1 farmer1 #bg ,breeders1 prizes for1 #fe ,breeding from fillies1 #ag ,breeding1 time for1 #ca ,bury ,victor ,chief1 champion in #ahib ''' #fh1 #fi ,buscot ,harold1 champion stallion1 #ag1 #fe ,c ,calwich ,stud1 #fa1 #hj ,canada1 #aja ,carbonite1 #ajc ,care of the feet1 #db ,carlton ,stud1 #aaf ,cart-colts1 #bc ,cart-horses1 #ed ,castrating colts1 #ci ,certificate of ,soundness1 #fb ,champion's ,goalkeeper1 champion in #aiac and #aiad ''' #fg1 #ajd ,champions bred at ,sandringham1 #c ,cheap sires1 #ab ,clark1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,h41 #gi ,clydesdales1 #eh ,coats of mail1 #ea ,coke's1 ,hon4 ,e41 dispersion sale1 #c ,colonies1 #id ,colour1 #ch ,composition of food1 #cc ,condition and bloom1 #cf ,cost of feeding1 #cc ,cost of shipping ,shires1 #ih ,crisp1 ,mr4 ,f41 #fc1 #gj ,cross1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,p41 #ha ,crushed oats and bran1 #ca ,d ,dack's ,matchless1 #hb1 #aaf ,danesfield ,stonewall1 #aad ,details of shows1 #fj ,development grant1 #ad ,devonshire1 ,duke of1 #aji ,doubtful breeders1 #cg ,draught horses1 #bc ,drayman ,,xxiii1 #aag ,drew1 ,lawrence1 of ,merryton1 #ei ,duncombe1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,c41 #fi1 #hj ,dunsmore ,chessie1 #ha1 #aje ---- ,gloaming1 #c1 #gb ---- ,jameson1 #hj ---- ,stud1 #hj ,e ,eadie1 ,mr4 ,james1 #fe1 #gh ,early breeding1 #ag ,eaton ,hall ,stud1 #aji ,eaton ,nunsuch1 #aji ,edgcote ,shorthorn ,company's ,stud1 #ajh ,effect of war on cost of feeding1 #dj ,egerton of ,tatton1 ,lord1 #b1 #gg ,ellesmere1 ,earl of1 #b1 #g1 #gj ,elsenham ,cup1 #ah1 #gi ,elsenham ,hall ,stud1 #aai ,english cart-horse1 #b ,entries at ,london shows1 #fa ,everard1 ,mr4 ,b4 ,n41 #aah ,ewart1 ,mr4 ,t41 #aag ,exercise1 #bc1 #bg ,export trade1 #ib1 #ie ,f ,facts and figures1 #fa ,fattening horses1 #bf ,feet1 care of1 #db ,fillies1 breeding from1 #ag ,flemish horses1 #a1 #ec1 #eg ,flora1 by ,lincolnshire ,lad1 #fj ,foals1 time for1 #ca ,foals1 treatment of1 #cb ,foods and feeding1 #cj ,formation of ,shire ,horse ,society1 #ac ,forshaw1 ,mr4 ,james1 #hj1 #aaf ,foundation stock1 #i ,founding a stud1 #h ,freeman-,mitford1 ,mr41 now ,lord ,redesdale1 #fb ,future outlook1 #ba ,g ,gaer ,conqueror1 #aab ,galbraith1 ,mr4 ,a41 #ib ,geldings at the ,london ,show1 #fd ----1 demand for1 #ae1 #bd ----1 production of1 #ae ,gilbey1 ,sir ,walter1 #b1 #ad1 #ea1 #ed1 #aai ,girton ,charmer1 champion in #aije ''' #ajd ,glow1 famous mare1 #af1 #aai ,good workers1 #bc ,gould1 ,mr4 ,james1 #aah ,grading up1 #h ,grandage1 ,mr4 ,a41 #aaa ,green1 ,mr4 ,e41 #aab ,greenwell1 ,sir ,walpole1 #aje ,griffin1 ,mr4 ,f4 ,w41 #gi ,h ,halstead ,duchess ,,vii41 #ajg ,halstead ,royal ,duke1 champion in #aiji ''' #fh1 #hc ,haltering1 #bh ,hamilton1 ,duke of1 importations1 #eh ,harold1 #fj ,hastings1 ,battle of1 #ec ,hay1 #cc ,heath1 ,mr4 ,r41 #he ,henderson's1 ,sir ,alexander1 successes in #ahih ''' #fd ,hendre ,champion1 #ii ,hendre ,crown ,prince1 #gj1 #ii ,hereditary diseases1 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