The Shire is one of Britain's rare breeds. There are less than 1,500 breeding Shires in the UK. To help keep the Shire breed alive, many foals have been raised at Wimpole Home Farm.
Originally, Shires took knights into battle – a knight’s armour was very heavy in the Middle Ages. But as it grew lighter, the Shire turned to agricultural work, helping to plough the fields and pull canal barges along. Today they are often used for carriage work and riding.
This is a beautiful breed - majestic, strong yet gentle. They are often called gentle giants because of their strength and good nature.
A number of places in the UK have Shire Horse or Heavy Horse experience days - there's a list of them here
At the National Trust’s Wimpole Home Farm in Cambridgeshire, there are five Shire horses - Queenie, Murphy, Jasper, Stanley and Lady. And there's Joan, a Suffolk Punch, who arrived in January 2025 and who's struck up a friendship with Lady.
The hope is that they will head back into the field and help with jobs like harrowing and ploughing. Meantime, help is needed to keep them well and healthy. They need food, bedding, dentist visits, vaccinations and new shoes. You can sponsor a Shire horse at Wimpole Farm to help!
You can pre-book carriage rides or a Shire driving experience - a great gift idea or have a more hands-on approach with an experience day. Find out more here.
Also new to Wimpole Estate ...
Joan, a beautiful Suffolk Punch, joined Wimpole Estate in May. She is four years old and she is a calm, well mannered and friendly horse. The hope is that Joan will be doing some practical tasks such as harrowing fields and maybe timber extraction. It is also that she will help the future of her breed through considered breeding activities. Welcome, Joan!
AND...
Five Dartmoor ponies arrived at the Wimpole Estate! The three mares and two geldings are going to be busy helping to restore nature and biodiversity there. By grazing naturally, they will help control thistles and other plants, giving wildflowers and grasses the conditions they need to thrive. Find out all about it here. It's very exciting!