Books about Shire Horses

Just thought --- depending on where you are situated -- their spring show is on at the East of England Showground at Peterborough on 19th and 20th of March, you'd get laods of info there.
 
Thanks Joyfull,

I wasn't aware of this site and it is helpful. I have got family who live within 30 miles of Peterborough and might see if I can combine a visit to the show on Saturday with them. The website was useful, but still didn't recommend any books!
 
Pickles has found a couple of good ebay auctions and is right that the first one is way to high for the postage. They have to cover their costs in case the bidding doesn't go very high, but £8.50 for the books and then the same for postage is way excessive. The second one for the postage of a paper back book is reasonable. It is also a very good book
 
Thanks for the suggestions on ebay. I have never logged onto ebay before and am not 100% sure how it all works but I will check it out if I can get some bargins. Any money saving tips are always welcome.

Joyfull - I wasn't able to go to the show as I was actually riding my other horse in a local show on the Sunday and I couldn't make the Saturday. I will be visiting some county shows over the summer so hopefully will get to see some shires there. The more that I get to know the shire I am loaning, the more I want to know about her breed. I was looking on the internet for holidays and there is a place in Scotland where they specialise in Shire and Cylesdale horses. You can go for as long or short a time as you want and they even take out 7 hour hacks (although my legs kill me after 2 hours of riding my shire so I am not sure I could cope with 7 hours).
 
west highland heavy horses???? i'm gonna go there when i can get time off work!!! my advice would be to go along to a show and speak to clydesdale/shire owners. they really are friendly and as long as you aren't disturbing their preparation they usually like to chat! they guy who owned our old yard bred clydesdales and was more than happy to give advice/talk to people at shows. they are wonderful horses aren't they?? :) the only thing i miss about our old yard are the clydesdales :(
 
I think that it is West Highland Heavy horses I am talking about but can't remember the name at the moment - it is in the Isle of Skye - I will post the link when I get on my home computer tonight. I would really love to go there but it is quite a journey from the South of England. I like the way they give personal information about their horses on the website. I would worry about getting on and off in the middle of a hack though as I am only 5'3" and most of their horses are over 17hh! My mare is 16:2hh (she is a small shire) but we have a huge mounting block!

Talking to people at shows is good advice. I want to know how other shires behave and if mine is typical of the breed. She is very laid back and kind but as I have never known a shire horse before so I don't know how she compares. I also want to know if shires are prone to having sensitive skin and sweet itch. Someone told me that heavy horses suffer from these conditions more but without any other shires on the yard I haven't got anyone to compare her with.
 
well, i've only experience with clydesdales, but a couple i knew seemed to have a problem with warts, fixed by the vet coming up with some sort of injection. they can get very itchy. one gelding rubbed all his mane and feathers out last summer (owner/breeder wasn't bothered so i ended up putting the antiseptic cream on the poor thing :( ) and if she has a pink muzzle, watch out for sun burn. yup, west highland heavy horses are on skye, i saw them do a demo at Blair horse trials and they are just awesome!!!
 
I will be showing cattle at a few shows again this year, and know there are classes at the Suffolk [ june 1 & 2 ] and the Royal [ july 3 - 6 ]. Hang on just unearthed the catalogue from P'boro --- loads of qualifying shows for Shire Horse of the Year Champs. If you'd like a list let me know.
 
Thanks for the advice eventerbabe - I can't think if she does have pink muzzle, there may be some pink in it but not as bright pink as some horses I have seen. I have got her a fly mask which goes right down to the end of her nose, so hopefully this will offer some protection against the sun as well. Can you use human sun screen on horses or do you have to get proper horsey stuff?

Joyfull - I would love to have the dates of the horse shows in Peterborough if you have got them handy. As I said i have family pretty near there so it will be easy for me to get to - I might even drag them along as well. Thanks for all your help - is much appreciated.
 
i had some special horsey suntan lotion for my old boy who used to get sun burnt. the chemicals in human lotions would concern me, incase they licked it off. i attatched a fly fringe to his noseband in the end to stop sunburn.
 
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