Sad news about Colonel the Shire Horse

11/02/2010 It is with great sadness that the National Coal Mining Museum for England has to announce that Colonel the Museum’s Shire horse passed away on Sunday 7 February.

The gentle giant’s life came to a peaceful end as old age finally caught up with him. Whilst the vet made Colonel as comfortable as possible, the Museum’s horsekeepers, Neil Beaumont and Wendy Priest, stayed by his side.

Colonel started his career at the Museum in 1991 as a youngster. He represented the Museum at county shows in heavy-horse turnout classes where he won many prizes and proved to be a magnificent ambassador. He used to give carriage rides to visitors on site, but with encroaching arthritis, retired from these duties in 2003. Everyone who met him was captivated by his size and kind nature; all fell in love with him.

If you are one of the people who had adopted Colonel, please bear with us as we will be writing to you in the next couple of weeks. If anyone would like to make a donation to the Museum’s pit pony appeal in Colonel’s memory, please contact the Museum on 01924 848806 or visit our website www.ncm.org.uk.


Back to News