British Shire

Winston Churchill was an inspirational statesman, writer, orator and leader, and as the Prime Minister of Britain, led the people to victory in the Second World War.  Winston showed amazing strength as well as kindness, and the ability to unite and inspire Britain during a dark time in history.  It is this strength that is best represented in our shire Winston’s steadfast nature, an unstoppable working horse with a flowing mane and tail and just enough feathers to shield him from rough terrain.  Winston is a gentle giant, sculpted by Kelly Sealey with every attention to detail.  We feel she has brought every bit of this horse to life with her care and we hope you enjoy him as much as we have.  

The British Shire, as Winston is carefully modeled after, is a tall breed, often holding the records for the world’s tallest horse.  This coupled with a lean stature makes him the perfect working horse.  For example, two shire horses pulled the Harrod’s Department store wagon through the historic cobblestone streets of London. These gentle giants usually come in bay, black or grey, however can have many variations depending on where the horse is bred. 

A breed society was founded in 1876, yet the breed is much older.  As technology was developed around the world, the need for these working horses decreased, and thus their numbers decreased, from over a million to just a few thousand.  While lovers of the breed have worked tirelessly to increase these numbers, they are still considered at risk today.