Facts
Shire horses can be black, bay (sometimes called "brown"), or gray. In the United Kingdom the Shire must not be roan or chestnut. In the United States, roaning is considered "undesirable" but chestnut (also known as "Sorrel") is permitted, though considered rare. The legs should have white stockings or socks (except on gray horses). The hair down the back of the legs is called the "feather", while the hair over the foot is known as the "spats".
Shire horses average around 17.2 hands (178cms) tall at maturity (measured at the withers, with the breed standard being at least 17 hands, although a shire horse was recorded 220cm.
The girth of a shire horse varies from 183cms to 244 cms.
Shire stallions weigh, on average, between 900kg to 1100kg.
Shape The head should be long and lean, with a Roman nose, and widely spaced eyes. The breed standard specifies that the eyes should be docile in expression, and they are generally brown.
The neck should be long and lean, with an arch. This leads to a short, muscular back, with no pronounced dipping or roaching.
The most recent Shire to hold the record was Goliath, a dray horse for the Young & Co. brewery who held the Guinness World Record for the tallest living horse at 1.98 m until he died in July 2001.
Base Facts
Source: England Expansion: globalt Type: Cold-blood horse Height: Over 170 cm Colour: Brown, black and roan Use: Driving, farming Climate: Cool climate, wold
