HISTORY OF THE
SHIRES
Brass band
Shires are the largest horse breed in the world:
a mature stallion stands between 16.2 and 17.2
hands and weighs up to 1100 kilos. The history
of the breed, originating in England, can be
traced to the days of the Roman Conquest. It is
one of the oldest of the well-defined draft
breeds. Its name, "Shire", which is also English,
derives from the Saxon "schyran," which means
to shear or divide; hence its meaning
synonymous with "county". King Henry VIII first
applied the name "Shire" to the horse early in
the sixteenth century. Historians mention the
breed by a variety of names, most notably the
Great Horse, the War-Horse, the Cart Horse, the
Old England Black Horse, and the Lincolnshire
Giant, as well as the Shire. It was during the
eighteenth century that it came to be used
specifically for draft and farm purposes. With
the improvement of roads and the increased
use of coaches, the draft horse came into
special demand. During this time, Robert
Bakewell greatly improved the Shire, under the
name of the Leicestershire Cart Horse, by
introducing blood from the best Holland had to
offer, the Dutch Friesian. Today the Shire, like
most draft breeds, is making a comeback, and
while in the 1950s there were 5,000 registered
Shires, today there are more than 50,000.
Once in the room we see a strapping man working with the harness leather,
dressing it with shoe polish and brass cleaner. He barely acknowledges my
presence as he works away. "Martin," he says with a dense baritone, "Martin
van Ede." Slapping down the thick black strap he is working on he tells me
about the harnesses: "It can take a week to dress one; polishing and
cleaning," he explains, taking me over to the wall where the harnesses-
massive leather yokes encased in beautiful brasswork, green trim for
Heineken and red for Amstel—hang like trophies on the wall. The harnesses
are from 1984, when the Shires were brought over from England: a leather
master crafted them for the team. "They've got to look good if you think
how many people see the Shires in action—at events we take part in and on
the streets. The harnesses, the drays: everything has to look perfect." We
calculate that the number of people who see the Shires per year exceeds a
million.
The harnesses are also personalised with the first names of the horses:
Guus, Thony, Gerard, Karei, René, Jean-Frangois, Henry, Charly, and of
course Freddy. "There's always a Freddy," Wouter explains as he dons a
green waterproof jacket. Martin, who's been working with the Heineken
horses for 28 years, nods his head in agreement. "It was something that Mr.
Heineken requested so we keep a Freddy at all times. The Freddy you see
now is the first one since Mr. Heineken passed away." The team is soon to
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