The Erddig Shire Horses

The shire horses at Erddig are a familiar sight and popular with visitors. Probably best known is Duke, a brown and white Welsh cob, seen here getting tacked up, taking up to six people at a time on carriage trips round the estate.

Guiness and Jerry often treat visitors to a wonderful sight too as they work together hitched up to chains hauling timber, pulling an old tractor wheel or demonstrating grasscutting with the old horse-pulled lawnmower.

Using shire horses to haul timber is more than just tradition - it's more practical too as they are far better at working the steep pieces of land.

Belladonna of course has also delighted visitors with her new foal Yorkie Boy, born March 31st. Not suprisingly many visitors return time and time again just to see the horses and take the carriage rides.