Shire Horses at Wimpole

Five shire horses in a row in the paddock at Home Farm — Shire line up

The Shire horse is a rare breed which is categorised as ‘at risk’ on the rare breed register, which means that there are less than 1,500 breeding females left in the world.

Here at Wimpole we are very much working towards keeping this magnificent breed alive, as we promote the work heavy horses can do by showcasing their versatility. Our horses are used for carriage rides, experience days and ridden work.

We have 5 shires here at Wimpole, 3 boys and 2 girls. Although currently between breeding females, we have had a successful breeding programme in the past, showcased through our homebred and home trained horses Lady and Jasper.

The horses spend their days either out in the field, working or on display at the farm so that visitors get a chance to say hello. Our next step for the horses is to take them back to their roots by starting some agricultural work, such as harrowing and haymaking.