What’s the biggest horse breed in the world? What’s the tallest horse ever? We take a look at the equine record breakers <\/p>
The biggest horse breed in the world is the Shire horse. <\/strong><\/p> Standing on average 173cm high at the shoulder the shire horse is a British breed of heavy draught\u00a0horse that was used throughout history for farm work and towing barges and other general work vehicles, including brewery wagons<\/strong>. <\/p> The breed dates back to the 18th century with a breed society\u00a0forming in 1876, and two years later the first\u00a0stud-book\u00a0was published in 1878.<\/p> These beautiful majestic, gentle giants are black, bay (brown with black mane and tail) and grey and famed for their big feathers around their fetlocks (ankles).<\/p> In the 19th century shire numbers boomed. The Shire Breed Society reported that the railway companies had a stud of 6,000 horses<\/a><\/strong> – probably shires. The society also estimates carrier firms had around 19,000 horses in London alone, whilst the city’s rubbish collection would have employed another 1,500 horses – probably draught breeds.<\/p> However with the rise of motor vehicles and farm machinery in the early 20th century shire numbers declined from well over a million in Britain to just a few thousand by the 1960s and today it is considered a rare breed.<\/p> Did you know the Household Cavalry’s drum horse is a shire horse called Juno<\/strong><\/a>? Look out for her at ceremonial occasions like Trooping of the Colour.<\/p> Want to see these gentle giants in their finery? Visit the National Shire Horse Show <\/strong><\/a><\/p>