A 94-year-old dementia care home resident who spent his boyhood on a farm with Shire horses has welcomed a surprise visitor more than 18 hands tall.
John Porter got ‘up close’ with Bromford Supreme, nicknamed Guinness, when the beautiful Shire called in at Colten Care’s Lymington home Linden House.
The experience prompted memories for John of growing up on his family’s Lincolnshire farm in the 1930s, a time before mass mechanisation when horses still worked the land.
Remembering the two Shire horses his father owned, John told carers how vital they were to the 50-acre farm and how in the days before tractors, they were used in the fields when it was time to cut the hay.
On meeting Guinness, John said: “He is magnificent, in such good condition, and I loved how gentle he was.”
The visit was arranged by Sian Harris who, as well as being Companionship Team Leader at Linden House, owns Guinness and four other Shire horses.
Sian said: “John has pictures of Shire horses in his room and has many a story to tell of his time growing up on the farm which was 200 years old. He has spoken of falling through a set of chain harrows, aged eight, something that still gives him gyp now. He told me the doctor advised him to ‘rub some ointment into it and it’ll be alright’. John has an aerial photo of the farm, and with his daughter’s help has written down his tales and memories of farming life, from working the horses to giving the kiss of life to a newborn calf.”
Sian, who keeps her Shire horses in Brockenhurst and actively promotes the breed at summer shows and events, said: “Being able to get up close with a Shire is not an everyday experience and I knew John would appreciate it. On the visit, we talked about shoeing horses. We picked up Guinness’s feet so John could see his big shoes. John remembers going to the blacksmith with his father and watching how they would take a bar of steel and create a shoe, nailing it on with no effects to the horses. ‘It was fascinating,’ he told us.”
Sian added: “Guinness is used to public life as he is successful in the show ring, competes at dressage and harness work, and is a happy hacker around the New Forest. He has also attended our Brockenhurst care home, Woodpeckers.”
As well as making friends with John, ten-year-old Guinness met several fellow Linden House residents and attracted much interest from passers-by as he stood prominent in the home’s front car park alongside Lymington’s New Street.
“He’s a gentle giant and was more than happy with the extra fuss and cuddles from his new fans,” said Sian, who added that Shire horses are considered ‘at risk’ by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust with only 1,500 breeding mares in the country.
“That’s ironic when you consider the history and industry of Britain was once powered by these magnificent animals,” she said. “However, John and I have spoken about how things are going full circle. Both the National Trust and the Royal Parks are using heavy horses once again for farm work, especially as we understand more about the ecological benefits. At the same time, the Shire Horse Society is seeing a revival of interest in Shire horses with the importance of conservation work. They are finding the need for Shire horses is growing.”
