As an out and out fan of the panther like grace of the Thoroughbred I've been surprised how at many country shows recently I've been magnetically pulled to the edge of the ring to ogle at the Rubenesque form of a mesmerizing redhead-the Suffolk Punch.
Wanting to know more about the object of my new horsey love affair I spoke to Matt Bundock the Head Horseman at Banham Zoo.
The Suffolk Punch is the oldest heavy horse breed in Great Britain. Bred for agricultural work it's numbers dwindled after the invention of the combustion engine to the point that it is now classed as a category one, rare breed. Today there are only 480 Suffolks registered in the UK, of which 102 are mares and only 80 of which are of breeding age.
Which is a good reason to celebrate the birth of Banham Zoo's second foal this year. Take some time out to watch this moving slideshow of Nell giving birth to the gorgeous Bazoo Xiu.
Luckily for us, there are a few places like Banham Zoo dedicated to keeping this glorious breed alive. But don't think just because they're at a Zoo these horses just stand around being admired and patted all day, although there is a fair bit of that going on. Matt points out "it's not just about the breeding, it's important that we keep the skills alive too and train young people to be able to use them. We have an extensive collection of vehicles and equipment here-there's pretty much any job we can do"
The horses regularly give rides in drays at the Zoo, they're used for weddings and funerals, in ploughing contests and demos, for clearing timber in areas where they want a low environmental impact and they've even pulled a water bowser around Bury St Edmunds to water the town's plants.
Here are some interesting bits of info about the Suffolk Punch that Matt gave me:
- Unlike other heavy breeds they were bred with clean legs which is better for the heavy clay land of the East Anglian region.
- There's an old farmers saying that a good Suffolk Punch 'has the face of an angel, the body of a beer barrel and a backside like a farmer's daughter!'
- They only come in Chesnut-it's traditionally spelt without the middle T. There are seven different shades from light mealy up to chocolate brown.
- In the 1930's they were exported to Afghanistan where they were crossed with donkeys to produce a heavyweight mule that could work for the military.
Source: http://blog.trotontv.com/2011/08/suffolk-punch-redhead-with-pulling.html
book free Best Online Sports Fishing Book Horse books book books online Books My Sports Books book for
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق