Wimpole’s heavy horse appeal

For centuries they have tirelessly worked the land, but Shire horses are a breed under threat. At Wimpole Home Farm in Cambridgeshire we need your help to look after these magnificent beasts and secure their future.

Two shire horses laying down in a field — Wimpole's gentle giants

Two shire horses in a field — Life at Wimpole Home Farm

Caring for a rare breed

The Shire is one of Britain's rare breeds. Loved by many visitors to Wimpole Home Farm, we hope to get these working horses back out into the field and helping us with agricultural jobs, such as harrowing and ploughing in the future. But we need your help to care for them. Each horse requires food, bedding, dentist visits, vaccinations and new shoes to keep them happy and healthy.

Donate to Wimpole’s heavy horse appeal

Please select an amount

A Shire horse walking in the traditional farmyard

£10 will buy one bag of feed that provides a nutritious alternative to our luscious grass to support vitamin and supplement delivery.

£45 will pay for a visit from the dentist, ensuring a horse has no teeth problems and are happily able to eat and work pain free.

A dentist inspects the teeth of a shire horse

Erddig farrier replacing shire horse shoe

£100 will buy one set of horse shoes, which will protect their feet – a new set is needed every six to eight weeks!

Or enter your own amount

There are less than 1500 Shire's breeding in the UK
The Wimpole Shire's pull over 100 carriage rides a year
One large bale of straw provides 3 days of bedding for five horses

Help save a rare breed

Wimpole's gentle giants

At Wimpole we have five Shire’s - Queenie, Murphy, Jasper, Harry and Lady. This year we're renovating their stables so that we can house them together for the first time and enable visitors to have better access to these amazing animals.

View over the shire as the carriage goes down the drive

All in a days work

In the past, their great strength and placid nature made them useful on a farm for pulling heavy loads. Today, we want to carry on that tradition and tell the history of a working estate. An incredibly versatile breed they will turn their hoof to many tasks, including farming, carriage work and riding.

A rare breed in need of help

With the arrival of the railway resulting in less goods being transported by barge and the introduction of the tractor, the days soon became numbered for Shire horses. To help keep this magnificent rare breed alive, at Wimpole we've raised numerous foals at Home Farm.

" I have always loved shire horses so today was a fulfillment of a dream. Spending the day with such gentle chaps has been amazing."

Why give to the National Trust?

As a charity, we are dedicated to conserving our nation’s natural and human history so that it can be enjoyed for generations to come. Our conservation projects range from preserving the historic buildings in our care to protecting the plants and wildlife found in outdoor spaces. Your donation will allow us to act quickly, wherever the need is greatest at this special place, and do vital conservation work.

Fundraising Regulator

Donate now to Wimpole's heavy horse appeal