WINTER 2007 ISSUE
 The Lord Mayor’s Coach was pulled by a team from Waldburg Shires in November, the first time the coach could not be pulled by brewery horses, following the demise of Young’s Shires in the capital. Waldburg Shires, run by Elspeth Ross and David Lawless, won the contract after it was put out to tender. The team of six was driven by Alan Tillier, with Elspeth Ross riding postillion, backed up by a brakeman, footman and six walking grooms. Many weeks were spent in preparation and practice at the Waldburg Shires base at The Shire Horse Society’s centre at Sacrewell Farm & Country Centre near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Robert Eddy drove 10 working Shires at the Cornish Horsepower working day at Trevaban Farm, Marazion, Cornwall this year. Driving them all on snaffle bits in five pairs, the six mares (with foals left in the lorry), one other mare, two geldings and one stallion were driven on a 70-metre square ring of stubble in figures of eight. It took two hours to prepare the team for the event and two hours to get all back into the lorry to head for home at the end of the day.
The British Festival of the Working Horse 2012, is to take place on 8/9 September at Windsor Great Park. Promoted by the British Horse Loggers, the festival will be a first for this country, and has been inspired by events such as PferdeStark in Germany. Following the sad death of Charlie Pinney the event will feature The Charlie Pinney Memorial Award for Innovation for new and innovatory horse-drawn equipment or machinery. Further information: www.britishfestivaloftheworkinghorse.co.uk
Shire breeder Ray Williams’s dispersal sale in September was topped by Moorfield Sarah selling for £9,400 to J Walsh, Birmingham. However Mr Williams, who made his mark on the breed in the relatively short period of 20 years, decided to retain his prize animals, the stallions Moorfield Edward and his son, Moorfield Ted, turning down bids to over £15,500. Ray Williams’s daughter, Ruth Walton, explained that the family is now considering the possibility of loaning Ted for the coming season. The auction totalled £521,000.
Swedish horseman Hans Sidbäck explores the qualities horsemen need to get the best from their equine companion. In an extract from his book, Hans looks at good personal qualities of the horseman, collaboration between horse and man, interpreting a horse’s behaviour and praise and correction.
British Horse Loggers chair, Doug Joiner, asks are we breeding working horses for the future? In an article intended to stimulate debate he points out that elsewhere in Europe there are rigorous standards to ensure the correct horses are bred from, while in the UK no such standard is required. “The only way to achieve higher standards in the long term is to impose minimum standards,” he says. “We would like to see breeders and breed associations insisting on their breeding stock, male and female, providing their working ability, their docility and their adherence to the breed standard before being allowed to be used.”
Draught horses and ponies have a valuable role to play in increasing the availability of local, sustainably-grown vegetables, says Rebecca Laughton. A few people are pioneering the re-use of horses in horticulture and succeeding in running economically viable businesses. Case studies included are from South Wales, Cornwall and north west France. “Draught animals are ideally suited to organic market gardens, where weed control is done mechanically and care of the soil is of primary importance,” she says.
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