symptoms of progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis, and fibrosis of distal limbs. The disease is similar to chronic lymphedema in humans. The Shire has an enormous capacity for pulling weight. In 1924, at a British exhibition, a pair of horses was estimated to have pulled a starting load equal to 50 tonnes, although an exact number could not be determined as their pull exceeded the maximum reading on the dynamometer. Working in slippery footing, the same pair of horses pulled 18.5 tonnes at a later exhibition. The largest horse in recorded history was probably a Shire named Mammoth (also known as Sampson), born in 1848. He stood high, and his peak weight was estimated at . Uses The Shire horse was originally the staple breed used to draw carts to deliver ale from the brewery to the public houses. A few breweries still maintain this tradition in the UK. These include the Wadworth Brewery in Devizes, Wiltshire, the Hook Norton Brewery, the Samuel Smith Brewery in Tadcaster, Robinsons Brewery and Thwaites Brewery, which made Shire-drawn deliveries from the early 1800s to the 1920s, then resumed service in 1960, with deliveries continuing to be horse-drawn to the present day. Several breweries have recently withdrawn their Shire horse teams, including the Tetley brewery in Leeds. Today, the breed is also used for forestry work and leisure riding. References Horse breeds originating in England Horse breeds Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy Animal breeds on the RBST Watchlist