Britain's largest horse

[Still Waters]

The main challenge when it comes to riding Sovereign is not the riding bit. It is the simple business of clinging on.

For Sovereign is not just Europe’s tallest horse. He also has no saddle. ‘We did have one once,’ says Sovereign’s owner, Paul Evans. ‘But then he just got too big around the girth and it didn’t fit any more.’

Oh great. I am about to ride bareback on something the size of an entry-level elephant. At that height, I am going to need a parachute rather than a helmet.

http://www.dailymail...^editors_choice

[brlesq1]

D***...that's what I call a HORSE. Looks so gentle and sweet. But why doesn't the owner just get a custom-made saddle? I suppose it's less expensive just to hitch Sovereign up to a wagon and let him roll.

[Q-C]

Wow! And "rescued"! I like that!

[Space Commander Travis]

He is a very handsome fellow. How many people, though, even try to ride a Shire horse? That's not really what they're designed for.

[rodentraiser]

Actually, I think they were bred for riding. The horses were bred large so they could carry all the armor they and the knights wore back in whenever. In fact, some king, (the name escapes me right now), wanted nothing but large horses, so he tried to destroy all the smaller horses and ponies around at that time.

[Mr.United_Nations]

Actually, I think they were bred for riding. The horses were bred large so they could carry all the armor they and the knights wore back in whenever. In fact, some king, (the name escapes me right now), wanted nothing but large horses, so he tried to destroy all the smaller horses and ponies around at that time.

Actually, I think they were bred for riding. The horses were bred large so they could carry all the armor they and the knights wore back in whenever. In fact, some king, (the name escapes me right now), wanted nothing but large horses, so he tried to destroy all the smaller horses and ponies around at that time.

source

[Lava_Lady]

Whoa! Now that's a big boy!

[Space Commander Travis]

source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destrier was what they were called. They needed to have a bit more of a turn of speed than a Shire would capable of. Modern attempts to reproduce the destrier type, I find, usually involve crossing an athletic riding horse with a light draft type. These includes crossbreds such as the "Spanish-Norman", a cross between the Percheron and the Andalusian ^[12] and the Warlander a cross between the Andalusian and the Friesian horse.