THE SHIRE HORSE
IN PEACE AND WAR
BY
J. ALBERT FROST
LONDON
VINTON & COMPANY, Ltd.
8, Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.C.
1915
PREFACE
During the past year I have seen enquiriesfor a book on the management of ShireHorses; therefore I have made an attemptto supply the want. That the result leavesmuch—very much—to be desired I am wellaware, but at least the little work is freefrom fine phrases and technical terms. Farmersprefer practical advice to literary merit inany book, or paper, that they read, andthis is written by one of their own class.
For six months England has been engagedin war, the most awful yet waged for thereason that half the world is involved in it.It naturally follows that little is read butwar news. Consequently these pages will beregarded as dull and uninteresting by thosewho have become accustomed to thrillingstories from battlefields, seas, or skies.
By those who take an interest in theworld’s heaviest breed of horses, as well aswar news, this book may be tolerated, seeingthat it deals with the old “War Horse” ofBritain, many true descendants being activelyengaged in moving “tons and guns” at thepresent time. I make no claim to havingwritten anything new, but as a kind of pocketrecord of what Shire breeders, and exhibitors,have hitherto accomplished with their animalsthe facts herein contained may be useful, andI hope that all readers, as well as Shirebreeders, will forgive any inaccuracies in myfigures and all the imperfections in this myfirst attempt at book-writing.
In 1899 I won a small prize, offered byan agricultural paper for a short article entitled“Rent-Paying Horses,” which I triedto point out were Shire Horses. Since thenI have contributed a little to the live stockpapers on the same subject, including anarticle for the Farmer and Stockbreeder YearBook of 1906, which is reprinted by the[Pg vii]editor’s permission. It was over the initials“S. H. L.,” which mean “Shire Horse Lover.”I have been that from my school days, butnever a greater one than now.
J. ALBERT FROST.
The Homestead,
Bletchley, Bucks.
January, 1915.
For figures and quotations I am indebtedto the Stud Books and Catalogues of theShire Horse Society; the Journals of theRoyal Agricultural Society of England; toarticles on Shire Horses, in the Live StockJournal Almanac, by the late Mr. G. M.Sexton (who died in 1894); and his successor,Mr. A. C. Beck; also to the late SirWalter Gilbey’s book on The Great Horse,published in 1899.
J. A. F.