Don't panic, we're still a long way from hearing 'howdy pardner' as you stroll down the main street!

The American we're referring to in this case is a Shire Horse called Carbon, and he's not only a first for Dayboro, he's a first for Australia!

While many people are familiar with their cousins the Clydesdales, a lot of people will draw a blank when asked what a Shire is.  The best way to describe a Shire to the layman is to picture a Clydesdale and make it a little bit bigger, a little bit thicker and a little bit blacker!
Although the Shire is now listed as a rare breed both in England and Australia, there were actually more Shires originally imported into Australia than there were Clydesdales. In the present though, there are under 100 pure Shires left in Australia, with an unfortunately equally limited genetic pool. However there are dedicated breeders trying to turn back this tide before the Shire is completely washed away from Australian shores.  There have been 10 Shires imported into Australia from England in the last year or so, mostly mares, or mares in foal.  What makes Dayboro's new arrival stand apart is he and his mother are the first Shires ever to be imported from the United States.  And Jenson's Major Ivy's (Ivy's) young foal Carbon represents an entirely new and very exciting genetic pool for Australia.
Ivy first arrived in Dayboro pregnant in November last year, but has only last week delivered her foal after many sleepless nights for the residents of Terror's Creek Drum and Gypsy Horse Stud at Mt Pleasant.
It turned out she was carrying a bouncing black baby boy who was attempting his first shaky steps at just an hour old.  This was no mean feat - having being born taller than a full grown Shetland, he had to get a head for heights very quickly!
Weighing 80 kilos at birth, Carbon is expected to top out at over a tonne in weight and grow to somewhere around 19 hands in height, making him 6 foot 4 inches at the shoulder! Although he will be a monster to most people, he'll still come nowhere near Noddy, the world's tallest horse (A Shire horse in Victoria) who measures 20.2 hands tall, or a touch under 6 foot 8 inches in the old money.
His owner Jane Greenman frequently jokes she gets altitude sickness when she goes riding on him!
Thankfully these horses epitomise the 'gentle giant' attitude and they are beautiful, soft animals capable of amazing grace when required.  Our panic watching Carbon and Ivy, who was a first time mum, was that she would accidently step on him, or bump him, not realising he was there. Our fears were unfounded fortunately, although now it appears she is perhaps too patient with him.  When he becomes too sleepy or lazy to walk around her he'll walk underneath her belly and she'll suck in her stomach and lift a back leg to oblige him!  For better or worse, at least we know this is one habit he'll grow out of very quickly!!