Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Shire

The Shire, the largest horse breed in the world (though, there have been reports for decades of various draft breed individuals exceeding the height of the Shire. It's just common knowledge that the Shire is the biggest). The ancestors are believed to be the "great horse" since they were used for jousting mounts during the Middle Ages in the mainland of Europe. These horses were introduced to England during the reign of King John I (1199-1216). By the time of Queen Elizabeth I, large horses were desired for war. Leaning towards modern days, these horses were used to pull in boats to shore, hauling, farming, and other heavy work. Like other work horses, the Shire's population numbers decreased after WWII with the invention of the tractor. Other influences to the breed were the Friesian and the extinct Flanders Horse.
The height ranges from 16.1hh-17.3hh. They come in all the basic colors: Bay, Black, Chestnut, Grey, and Seal Brown. Their most distinctive markings are caused by the KIT Mutation gene called Sabino. Most individuals are minimally to moderately marked with crisp edges - which are caused by the Sabino1 gene. Some can be completely solid in color with no white patterns. It is not uncommon for a Shire to be both Grey and Sabino.
Breyerfest 2020 Special Run Ash portrays the breed perfectly with the correct coloring and choice of mold.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks