How Tall Is A Shire Horse? Shire Horse Breed Breed & Facts

Did you know that in this year 2021, about 1500 shire horses are left in the whole world? Yeah, the shire horse is on the verge of extinction. But what makes this horse so special is hidden in its height.

How tall is a shire horse?

A rough estimation about shire horses exposed is that they can be above 17 hands high, about 175 centimeters and 68 inches. A shire horse can weigh more than 900 kilograms (about 2000 lb.).

This blog post will discuss the height of a Shire horse and what makes it so big! 

Let’s start the interesting topic without wasting any time.

How Tall Is A Shire Horse In Feet??

As you know, a shire horse is seen as a strong and hardy horse, but the truth is, despite its bigger height, the shire horse is very docile.

But what’s the height of this horse in feet?

Measuring the height of a Shire Horse is also easy. A Shire horse is longer than 17 hands, and one hand is roughly 4 inches. So a shire horse would be like 6 feet and some inches in length.

How Tall Is A Horse At The Shoulder?

The length of various horses is varied according to the breeds. Withers is the distance from a horse’s feet to its shoulders. So a horse is about 16 hands high on average whereas, the ponies stand at 14 hands or shorter.

How Tall Is A Shire Horse

But a shire horse is the tallest of all, and it could be about 17 hands high and one of the best breeds which are not hard to train and easy to ride.

Is A Shire Horse Strong Or Weak?

A shire horse is quite strong to do all the heavy lifting which you wish a horse can. Like for instance, I would like to discuss how strong a shire horse can be.

How strong is a shire horse?

A shire is very strong and can lift more than 500 pounds easily. A young stallion Shire horse can be over 17 hands high and weighs about a ton.

Is A Shire Horse Bigger Than A Clydesdale?

Have you heard about the Clydesdale horses? They are originally from the Scottish lands and are draught breeds.

So, what’s the height comparison of the Shire and a Clydesdale?

A Clydesdale is not bigger than the Shire; it may be a hand or two shorter than the Shire Horse but has been very similar to the shire horse at characteristics related to nature. Both are very docile, calm, and peaceful.

What Horse Is Bigger Than A Shire?

Did you know that there is another breed of dog bigger than the Shire horse? Well, I guess now you know that it is Budweiser Clydesdale.

How big is a horse bigger than a shire horse?

A Clydesdale is one of the biggest horses, but Budweiser Clydesdale horses have a height of more than 17 hands, with a weight of 2500 pounds. The biggest Budweiser Clydesdale horse is estimated to be about 3000 pounds with a height of 20 hands.

Are Shire Horses Good For Riding?

People often ask if the Shires are good for riding or not. I would always be making an honest decision about it.

Is it easy to ride a Shire?

A shire is an ideal choice for riding because of its calm and sophisticated nature. The Shire learns and follows up very quickly and is very willing to its owners’ commands.

So, if you want a good horse for riding as a beginner, shire horses are a good option, and you can enjoy the British royal ride which came to England in 1077.

Are Shire Horses Good For Beginners?

Are big horses scary for you? Well, it’s nothing new that bigger things scare people! Am I right? But the big Shire is not as scary as it is perceived.

So, can beginners use the Shire horses?

A beginner can easily ride a shire horse, as they are very docile, gentle, calm, and willing horses. People can easily train these horses, and you can easily ride them and play with the Shire horses with no fear.

It is one of the best horse breeds that are bigger, stronger, but very calm and cool.

How Fast Is A Shire Horse?

Let’s talk about a horse’s sped first. Like many animals, horses are very fast and serve for fast riding to the Royal British house in the 11th and 12th centuries.

But are shires fast?

A shire is very fast, and it could be thought that the males are faster than females due to higher testosterone. Shires can run at the rate of 30 to 35 miles per hour (about 50 km/h).

You can train your Shire to run faster with regular running and nutritious meals with a lot of care and love, encouraging them to be good horses.

How Many Shire Horses Are Left?

Shire horses were first seen in England during the 1070s, but they were widely used worldwide after that.

But their number has been declining. So what’s the ratio of shire horses left today?

Today, about less than fifteen hundred (1500) shires are left in the world, which is a very alarming situation as they are about to extinct and some better measures must be taken to preserve their species.

What Is The Tallest Breed Of Horse?

There are a lot of horses around the world with great heights. But there’s a British version of horses which have won this round.

So, who’s the tallest horse of all?

The tallest and strongest breed of the world is the Shires! The Shires are more than 17 hands and weigh about 900 kilos (2000 pounds). They are very easy to handle, train, ride, and control.

Therefore, Shires are the tallest group of horses but have very nice and calm temperaments, making them appealing to ride.

What Does A Shire Horse Cost?

As you know that shires are near to be extinct if proper measures are not taken. It makes them a scarce breed that costs a fortune as well.

So, what’s the price of a shire horse?

A shire horse is available for sale between $6000 to $13000. But there are some young horses and experienced show shires which are about $2000.

These factors increase the number of dollars for a Shire horse:

  • Age
  • Show record
  • Bloodlines
  • Color
  • Training

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Final Verdict

Shire horses have been in the world for centuries. They were first seen in 1077 in the British kingdom. Shires are brilliant horses and are one of the tallest horses in the world.

So, that concludes our topic for today; please share it with your friends if you like it!

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  3. How Tall Is A Shire Horse? Shire Horse Breed Breed & Facts