Oxfordshire roads have once again heard the sounds of heavy footfall as the Hook Norton Shire horses get back to work.
Commander and Lucas get back to work. Photograph: Hook Norton Brewery
Due to the various lockdown restrictions, it has been almost two years since Commander and Lucas visited local pubs in the area, delivering Hook Norton Brewery ales — and to get their pint of beer!
But now they are back and ready to go under the new whip of professional coachman Nicholas Carter and groom Sarah Nash. As one of only three breweries in the UK still using the Shire horse for deliveries, Hook Norton Brewery is proud to be able to get the boys back to work.
Managing director, James Clarke, said: “We have a long tradition of working Shire horses here at the brewery, which we feel is really important. Our horses are a firm favourite amongst the village and we believe wholeheartedly that they have a true place in our team, delivering locally and representing us at external events.
“We have a new team here and we are pleased that the boys are fit and ready to go back to work after the easing of the lockdown restrictions.”
The Shire horses can be seen out on their duties every week in Hook Norton, and daily in the brewery stables. The brewery is also pleased to announce it is opening a small museum space within the stable block, dedicated to the history of working shire horses and their history here at the brewery.
This can be seen on each of the brewery tours, bookable through the Visitor Centre, commencing once more on Monday, 12th April. If you would like the Hook Norton Brewery heavy horses to appear at your event, contact the team by emailing shirehorse@hooky.co.uk.
Shire horse note book
The Shire horse is one of three native British Breeds of heavy working horse — Shire, Clydesdale, and Suffolk Punch — but has, since the second world war, declined in numbers so dramatically that they are now reputedly rarer than the giant panda!
There are five breweries which currently have Shire horses — Hook Norton, Wadworth in
Devizes, Samuel Smith’s in Tadcaster, Robinsons in Stockport, and Thwaites in Blackburn (Thwaites and Robinsons do not deliver).
