Meet two wonderful heavy horses, Brigadier and Commander, the pride of the Hook Norton Brewery Company in Oxfordshire.

They have been nominated to be our October Virtual Calendar entry by head coachman Nicholas Carter. “There are few better sights than Hook Norton’s beautiful shire horses, stamping their feet and snorting on a cold winter’s morning, fully harnessed to a loaded brewer’s dray weaving its way through local Cotswold villages and country lanes,” he said.

“These wonderful workhorses have been an integral part of brewery life since its founding day back in 1849 and for many, many years were the reliable backbone of its delivery system. At present, the Brewery has three heavy horses, Shire horses, Brigadier and Nelson, and Clydesdale, Commander. Our horses live the life of luxury onsite in their purpose built onsite stables accompanied by 18 acres of rolling Cotswold countryside for them to graze at their leisure.”

The Shire horse has played a huge role in history, first in England and then worldwide. Originally it was used as a war horse carrying knights in armour and became the main source of power in industry and agriculture for 250 years. The origin of the Shire Horse dates back to a cold blooded heavy horse, first mentioned in around 1066, brought into England after the Norman Conquest. From this developed the “English Great Horse” of the Middle Ages often referenced by Medieval writers.

During the reign of Henry VIII, from 1509 to 1547, special attention was directed to the raising and breeding of strong horses and several laws were passed with that in mind. Acts in 1535 and 1541 forbade the use for breeding of horses under 15 hands in height and also prohibitied all exportation, even into Scotland. It is from this heritage as a war horse that the Shire of today was originally bred.

A war horse is often thought of as a huge cavalry charger or a smart officer’s mount. But during the First World War (1914-18), horses’ roles were more varied. Their contribution included carrying and pulling supplies, ammunition, artillery and the wounded. Sturdy Shires and Clydesdales were used in teams to pull heavy artillery guns weighing about 5,000lbs.

The Shire and Clydesdale are now at critical risk of extinction due to their rapid decline in numbers. But at the Hook Norton Brewery open stables and a knowledgeable shire horse team aim to raise awareness of their plight to help secure their future for years to come.

Hook Norton Brewery is proud to have gained status as an ‘Approved Shire Horse Society Centre’ earning this accreditation in October 2021, Follow the team on the Brewery’s website www.hooky.co.uk to keep up to date with their activities.