Can you ride Shires?10 POINTS BEST ANSWER!!!!?

Question

obviously you can ride them but are they just really slow and not really that good for riding?I read on the internet that they are actually very good riding horses just not that good at jumping or galloping really fast but i want to make sure that's true.i love what they look like and act like,but i want a horse that can gallop(it doesn't have to be really fast or anything)and i'm not sure if shire's can gallop that well.PLEASE REPLY ASAP

Answer 1

All horse can BE ridden-Yes Shire can GALLOP!

I think Shire have quite a slow canter, but arm chair like ride as it comfortable because of there huge size , but it depends on the ACTUALLY horse, All horse CAN JUMP, They just need trainning to jump properly

Alot of Shire x & Clydesdles x are performance horses as they get the docile nature from the Shire Gene and the Performance gene from the thoroughbred or other performance type horses

Shire Horse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZc1WFAX...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLWJRo_UF...

Shire Horse Jumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdOfWlcq4...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lsHIAl-Z...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8eUKgFDJ...

Answer 2

Yes you can ride them they can gallop just not fast cause how heavy they are. You have to remember they are not throughbreds.  

Answer 3

yes shires can gallop. they are drafts so remember they really "thump" the ground with their steps. they arent gaited so they do gallop. ANY horse can be good at anything with the right training. the breed of the horse doesnt mean they can run fast or jump high. i had a tb that was the slowest mover you'd ever see! and a QH that shoulda been a race horse! but good choice! drafts usually have a great disposition and are sweet and loving!

Answer 4

Shires can be ridden, and are a dream to ride, if you like a rocking horse effect. the barn where i board my horse has one. they can gallop. they go faster than you might think by looking at them. they are some of the sweetest horses as far as disposition. i have seen shires jump. in shows. and i have seen quite a few show horses that were shires. in fact, the girl who one Highpoint at our fair this year was riding a shire. they do good in english and western. i know someone who has a shire and they do english pleasure/equitation, dressage and Jumping, and they have the ribbons to prove it. do not let the fact that they are huge and seem slow prevent you from getting a horse you like. if your still in doubt, ask around and see if anyone around you has a shire you can test ride to see if you like it. good luck!

Answer 5

A friend of mine (who's parents have a ranch) have told me they're really affection and easy to ride though like you said, not the most adventurist ride ever.

As for galloping I really don't know, sorry.

Answer 6

ive been riding a full blood shire stallion over a 3 foot jump course for his training. it varies from horse to horse. some can gallop really well some cant, it just depends on their build. if you cant find a pure blood shire that works for you try a shire TB cross, they usually have the shire looks but have a warmblood build.

Answer 7

thy arnet actually that slow.... ive never seen one gallop but im sure its possible.

Answer 8

Any horse can gallop.

Shires (or any drafts) can be great for riding. However, some drafts are trained never to canter or gallop, and/ or are too lazy too. Make sure you pick one with enough energy.

You can also jump with draft horses. Granted, most won't be doing the upper level jumps, but my draft mare does 4 feet no problem (I won't jump higher- not sure if she could).

My aunt has a clydesdale who barrel races and beats most of the QHs at local shows- ends up in 3rd or 4th place out of 20 horses or so- very impressive for a draft.

My aunt's shire horse has competed in dressage and has jumped competitively up to 4 feet.

My draft mare- I compete first level dressage, but have dabbled in jumping, speed events, and calf roping.

Drafts are great for riding- just be aware that they do not have as long as endurance levels as lighter horses. My mare is good after an hour of hard riding (and I ride 5-6 days a week), while most light horses under the same workload can go over an hour.

  However, I love the calm personality and willingness to please you find more often in drafts than breeds.

If you want a horse that has a bit more endurance, try a shire cross that had a shire as the mother (usually a calmer horse)

EDIT: for the posts who said that drafts have horrible gaits- get a horse that has better conformation. ALL our drafts have excellent gaits (we have  had 15 over the years)- the trot suspension and uphill canter of the lighter breeds- I find it a lot less jarring, and couch like on a draft. You just need to find one that has good gaits- same as with any horse. There are some QHs I would never ride again because the gaits were so bad- it is not a draft specific thing

Answer 9

Sure you can ride them!

I've ridden our Clydesdale on occasion.

He loves to trot, and once he gets going, he's like a Mack truck going around the arena!

He's kind of old, though. Although he canters around the field, he's finding it harder to move his heavy body around, let alone a rider for anything but a walk.

Since their legs are so heavy, they get tired out quicker when they have to pick their feet up as high as they'd need to at the canter/gallop.

I would get a shire crossed with something smaller or with a lighter bone structure if you want to gallop more. A Shire/Fresian cross would be a good idea.

Answer 10

Yes you can ride them and yes they can gallop. How well and fast is an individual thing. Some of them can be lazy and quite slow and some are the opposite, same as any breed. As they are a bigger horse they have a bigger gait so it is your own preference as to whether you find it more or less comfortable and certainly takes some getting used to. I personally don't like riding horses that big although I can and have but find I am at my most comfortabloe on a 15hh horse say arab or qh. You may be the complete opposite. I would suggest trying them out before you buy see if you can lease one that's already broken in so you can get a feel for it and see how you like it

Answer 11

You sure can. And they can gallop. Since they're bigger, they can't go as fast because it takes more energy for them to move their bulk, but they can do it. Same for the jumping I expect, just more effort would be required by them, and also, since they aren't bred to run fast and jump, they'll take a while to build up the right muscles for it, during which time they'll be slower and less able than another breed.

Answer 12

They are actually fun to ride but not as comfortable as say, a QH or a TB. It all depends on the actual horse though. But, I have known people who have jumped them and galloped on them and loved it. So its really your decision, try it out first. Remember, they are draft  horses and stronger than most horses so when they canter or gallop they really drive those back legs and it can almost feel like they are bucking you off. But, they are just so powerful. Just try it out and see what you like :) I hope all works out for you :)

Answer 13

there is no reason you can't ride a shire, i have always wanted a clydsdale (they are beautiful!!). Shires would be able to gallop for sure!! perhaps not as fast as some other breeds tho, and all horses can jump just some are better than others, if you want a shire i say go for it and don't let anyone tell you your silly or it's wrong, there is no reason you can't compete or take one to pony club, im sure other ppl do, you jus don't see it very often.  they will be much different to ride then say a 'regular horse', but i personally think they would be comfortable as to ride, like a big lounge chair!!

Answer 14

OMG YES YOU CAN and YES the can move!

just because it's bigger doesnt mean it cant move. . . and people who have never rode a draft horse really shouldnt answer. i rode a draft (18hands) on a jumping coarse and placed. so yeah you can ride and they can move.

BUT the thing about draft horses, is they have "draft horse gaits" (as it was explained to me) they arent as comfty to ride (unless your like me who likes their gaits) as a lighter breed horse.

have NO fear! cross breeding is here! they now promote draft horses by crossing them, i saw two drop dead beautiful draft/paint crosses (that were conformationally correct) at the fair the other week.  the owner (who was telling about the gaits/movements of drafts) said that the draft cross do have the normal comfty gaits of the light breed.

draft horses (and any horse) can gallop. it just takes them more enegery to move all of them (more energy means more feed ect)

but i could say so much more about draft horses,but ya just asked botu gaits and riding