The magnificent Shire horse was once the quintessential staple of Britain, driving our economic growth from villages to cities.
Sadly, there are now fewer Shire horses left in the world than giant pandas, but you have the opportunity to experience them doing what they do best this Christmas.
The Royal Parks is offering exclusive, magical and festive rides on a Victorian carriage pulled by these horses through Richmond Park.
The shires are the tallest breed of horse in the world and came into being after King Henry VIII ordered selective breeding to create the ultimate war horse.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
The stunning creatures weigh around one tonne each and are capable of pulling immense loads, and were used in agriculture, manufacturing and transport for centuries.
However by 1954, shires became consigned to the history books as the internal combustion engine in cars, vans and tractors began to offer more speed, convenience and value for money.
Numbers sharply dwindled over the decades prompting the Royal Parks, in collaboration with Operation Centaur, to start using the shires to do work in a traditional and sustainable way.
Shire horses are used to trim wildflower meadows as well as in forestry and logging and bracken control.
But with it being the 21st century, the incredibly friendly horses also work as therapy animals in Richmond Park for young people with autism, as well as delivering anti-bullying messages in Hyde Park.
HRH Prince Charles was shown around Hyde Park in a shire-drawn carriage and commented after the experience that "the difficulty nowadays is that not enough people have the opportunity to encounter working horses and are unaware of what they are capable of".
Those wanting to take an unforgettable ride through Richmond Park can pay £125 for two seats on a six-person restored Victorian carriage on selected days from November 25 to December 30.
To find out what is included in the package and how to book, visit the website .
