Pride of the Shires. The Story of the Whitbread Horses

Year: 1979
Place: London
Publisher: Hutchinson & Co
Edition: 1st
Language: English
Pages: 60
Condition: VG
Cover condition: G
Binding: HC
Illustrated: with photography by Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon
Ft: 30,5x21,5 cm. 510 gr.

- First published in 1979 by Hutchinson (also listed under Century Benham/Penguin Random House). It's a hardcover, English-language edition.
The narrative traces the origins of Shire horses—from cavalry mounts of William the Conqueror to their more modern roles. It particularly highlights the Whitbread horses: heavy draft breeds used ceremonially and commercially in the Whitbread brewery. The book features captivating photographs of the horses at work, at leisure, and in retirement.
Shire horses are a British draught breed renowned for their strength, size, and calm temperament. Traditionally used for heavy farm work, towing barges, and pulling brewer’s drays, their numbers declined sharply with mechanisation in the mid-20th century. However, thanks in part to dedicated efforts by entities like the Whitbread brewery, they were preserved and remain an "at risk" breed today.