CANNON HALL FARM HEARTBREAK AS THE YORKSHIRE VET REMEMBERS RUBY AND IRIS

Cannon Hall Farm has opened up about one of the most difficult chapters in its Shire horse programme, as the team continues to care for its remaining horses following the heartbreaking deaths of beloved mare Ruby and foal Iris.

The emotional story has also featured in The Yorkshire Vet, where viewers have followed the farm’s attempts to protect the future of its Shire horses and preserve the legacy of Herkules, the much-loved stallion who died from colic in 2025.

For the team at Cannon Hall Farm, the past few months have brought both devastating losses and moments of hope.

A HEARTBREAKING LOSS FOR THE FARM

Cannon Hall Farm has now confirmed the deaths of both Ruby and Iris.

The farm recently hosted an online evening with equine vet Marco to reflect on what it described as an “incredibly difficult few months” for its Shire horses.

The event focused specifically on the loss of Ruby and Iris, the efforts made to save them and some of the difficult decisions involved in caring for large, vulnerable animals.

The farm described Ruby as a much-loved Shire mare and Iris as a beautiful foal whose loss had deeply affected the team.

The programme was described as emotional but also hopeful, with the farm looking ahead to the future of its breeding programme.

THE LEGACY OF HERKULES

Herkules had become a hugely important part of Cannon Hall Farm’s Shire breeding programme before his death from colic.

The three-year-old stallion was remembered by farmers Rob and Dave Nicholson as their “horse of a lifetime.”

His death left the farm facing uncertainty about whether his bloodline could continue.

That is why the pregnancies of mares Silver and Brooke became particularly significant.

In the September 17 episode of The Yorkshire Vet, vet Shona Searson visited Cannon Hall Farm to scan the two mares and determine whether they were carrying foals by Herkules.

The scans represented a possible continuation of the stallion’s legacy after his unexpected death.

THE FIVE FOALS WHO CAPTURED HEARTS

Earlier in 2026, Cannon Hall Farm introduced viewers to five Shire foals:

Soldier, Iris, Athena, Captain and Major.

Their progress attracted attention from viewers around the world, particularly after Iris and Soldier experienced serious complications that required specialist veterinary treatment.

The farm previously announced that both foals had received hospital care before returning safely to Cannon Hall Farm.

But the story later took a devastating turn with Iris’s death.

The farm’s current Shire Foal Experience now explicitly asks visitors to remember Ruby and Iris, while continuing to introduce people to the remaining Shire horses.

A RARE BREED FACING A DIFFICULT FUTURE

The emotional story is about more than individual horses.

Cannon Hall Farm has been working to increase the numbers of Shire horses, a breed the farm describes as increasingly rare.

The loss of Ruby and Iris has therefore been particularly difficult for a team already committed to a long-term breeding programme.

Despite the setbacks, the farm says there have also been brighter moments.

Its September event with Marco highlighted the progress of the remaining Shires, including Yorkshire Rose’s success in the show ring, while looking at what comes next for the breeding programme.

VIEWERS HAVE FOLLOWED EVERY TWIST

The Shire horses have become some of Cannon Hall Farm’s most recognisable animals, with their journeys shared through the farm’s videos, livestreams and television appearances.

The June 2026 online broadcast introduced viewers to the five foals and documented the team’s efforts after Iris and Soldier suffered complications.

Months later, the farm’s story has changed dramatically.

Two of the animals viewers had followed so closely are now gone, while the remaining horses continue to receive care.

For the farmers and veterinary team, their work is now focused on protecting the Shires that remain and giving the breeding programme a future.

FROM HEARTBREAK TO HOPE

Cannon Hall Farm has not hidden the difficult reality behind its Shire programme.

Instead, the team has continued sharing both the celebrations and the losses with the public.

Ruby and Iris’s deaths have left a lasting mark on the farm, but their story is now part of a much larger effort to preserve one of Britain’s most iconic heavy horse breeds.

As Silver, Brooke and the remaining young Shires move forward, the hope is that the next chapter will bring new life and fewer heartbreaks.

For the people who have followed these horses from their earliest days, Ruby and Iris may be gone — but they have certainly not been forgotten.