About Us


The Cheshire Horse is a leading source for horse, pet, and farm supplies in the Northeast. Established in 1997, The Cheshire Horse is a family-owned and operated business located in Swanzey, NH, with a partner store in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Cheshire Horse retail stores and CheshireHorse.com offer a one-stop shopping destination for animal owners. Our mission is to enrich the lives of horses, pets, and farm animals by providing quality products, backed by knowledgeable, friendly service.

Our Beginnings

In 1997, The Cheshire Horse grew out of the Hamshaw family’s long-established business, Hamshaw Lumber in Keene, New Hampshire. The Cheshire Horse's original modest 1,200-square-foot shop catered to the local equestrian community in Keene. By 2002, The Cheshire Horse outgrew its original location and moved into a 4,000-square-foot site also in Keene, which allowed for expanded inventory and growth. A year later in 2003, The Cheshire Horse of Saratoga opened its doors in New York State.

The Cheshire Horse's current location was built in collaboration with Hamshaw Lumber and opened its doors in 2007. This 23,000-square-foot retail store in Swanzey, New Hampshire is set on five acres. It is made up of 13,000 square feet of showroom and office space, as well as 10,000 square feet of warehouse space which includes a drive-through for our customers' convenience. A lounge area with a large-screen television, couches, coffee, and snacks is available to shoppers. Feed and supply delivery is offered, and services such as blanket cleaning, saddle-fitting, saddle trials, tack repair, engraving, feed consultations, and equipment rentals are available. The Cheshire Horse is also an authorized dealer of Featherlite, Frontier, Bravo, Shadow, and High Country trailers. The Cheshire Horse is proud to still be a subdivision of Hamshaw Lumber.

What We Offer

We are proud to offer the best and largest selection possible, including top brands and many products you won't find anywhere else. This is backed by our knowledgeable staff and personalized customer service. Our sales team is composed of experienced equestrians and animal lovers who are devoted to helping you find exactly what you need - in the store, online, or toll free (877-358-3001). Both English and Western tack and apparel are available, as well as supplies for a variety of other animals and pets. We always welcome special orders for items that are not currently in stock.

Price Match Guarantee

Our pricing is competitive, and we offer a price match guarantee. If you find a lower price from another website or catalog, simply let us know and we will match it.

  • The price being matched must be for the exact same product.
  • Shipping costs and tax must be factored into the price.
  • It must be an everyday price, not a sale.
  • It must be in stock with our competitor, ready to ship to you.
  • We will not price match products priced illegally, against the manufacturer's standards.

 

What Our Customers Say

I'd drive a million miles to shop at The Cheshire Horse! And the fact you're family-owned makes me very, very happy!
-Lisa of Bolton, MA

I received my blanket today, and I am so thrilled with it! It is beautiful. From now on when I need to shop for anything equestrian, I will check with your store first. You are first on my list, and I appreciate your quality, excellent prices, and friendly communication.
-Tammy of West Virginia

My human mom loves to shop at The Cheshire Horse, and everything I wear and eat comes from there! I really love all the Buckeye products. They make yummy grain and Foal-Aid! Me and my mom would like to thank The Cheshire Horse for helping to keep my real mom healthy through her pregnancy and keeping me handsome and healthy every day.
-"Rozzi" owned by Kelli of Chesterfield, MA


The saddle arrived this morning in perfect condition. This is a 27th wedding anniversary present for my wife. We lost our home last April to the tornadoes that hit Alabama, and the storm ruined her precious 55 year-old Stubben that she had bought used 24 years ago. She was devastated. This saddle will truly be treasured and loved by her for the rest of her life.
-David of Navarre, FL

By chance I found your website today. And I thought I knew of every horse online catalog there was! I have been looking for a pair of western boots for months and found them today in your online store. The funny part is that I ride hunters, I’m from Nebraska, and I find the western boot I want in New Hampshire! I will be visiting your online store often, as I've seen many items to purchase.
-SueAnn of Lincoln, NE

 

Giving Back

The Cheshire Horse is proud to give back to our local equestrian community. Here are some highlights of our recent community involvement:

Monadnock United WayMulti-Year Donor
Monadnock United Way collaborates with a variety of partners to help identify and address emerging issues and specific human service needs. These partners include social service providers, foundations, local government, education and the medical community. Learn more.

Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA)Multi-Year Event Sponsor
The IEA introduces students in private and public middle and secondary schools to equestrian sports and promotes and improves the quality of equestrian competition and instruction. The IEA is a non-profit organization that offers riders in grades 6-12 the ability to compete regardless of whether they own a horse or not. Learn more.

Mt. Holyoke College Sunrise Pleasure Horse Show SeriesMulti-Year Event Sponsor
The Mt. Holyoke College Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Western Team hosts this show series with three shows per season, as well as a year-end ceremony. Horses and riders of all levels come to have a fun and educational showing experience at the state of the art facility at Mt. Holyoke. Learn more.

Massachusetts Horse BenefitMulti-Year Division Sponsor
This event began in 2005 to raise money for the Children's Equitation Center in Ashfield, MA. Since then, the event has raised more than $71,000 for various local nonprofit organizations. Learn more.

Komen VT and NH Rides for the CureMulti-Year Event Sponsor
These horseback pleasure rides out of the beautiful New England trails benefit the VT-NH affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. Learn more.

Dressage4Kids Lendon Youth Dressage FestivalMulti-Year Event Sponsor
This is the flagship event of Dressage4Kids, Inc. a non-profit organization incorporated for the express purpose of providing educational and competitive opportunities for youth riders and the adults who support them. This foundation building event gives future high performance dressage riders a chance to compete at various levels among approximately 300 other youth competitors. Learn more.

Draft Gratitude Draft Horse RescueDonor
Draft Gratitude rescues draft horses from kill or neglect type situations. Once rehabilitated, these horses are paired with qualified adoptive homes to be used for light work including farming, homesteading, pleasure driving and riding, and companionship. Horses that are not able to be adopted for any reason will live out their lives in their care. Learn more.

Monadnock Humane SocietyDonor
The mission of Monadnock Humane Society is to foster a compassionate community by promoting and providing for the well-being of animals. The Monadnock Humane Society brand promise is to honor and respect the mutually beneficial relationship between people and pets. Learn more.

Monadnock Kitty Rescue & Adoption (KRA),  Donor
KRA is a no-kill cat shelter in Jaffrey, NH staffed by only unpaid volunteers. They assist the community by helping maintain control of the local stray and feral cat population. They accept cats who might otherwise be euthanized or abandoned, regardless of age or health issues. KRA relies solely on donations and adoption fees to sustain their efforts. Learn more.

Saratoga County Animal Shelter,  Donor
The Saratoga County Animal Shelter in Ballston Spa, NY takes in and finds loving homes for cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, pot-bellied pigs and more. Learn more.

Stonewall Farm Sap Gathering ContestMulti-Year Event Sponsor
Families across the region come each year to enjoy this unique and traditional New England event. Teams consist of two draft horses hitched to a sap sled, a teamster, and two "sap runners."  They race to collect all of the sap buckets on the course while being judged on the teamster's command of the horses. The event highlights not only the state’s important maple syrup industry, but also celebrates New Hampshire's rich farm heritage. Learn more.

Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA),  Multi-Year Event Sponsor
GMHA hosts competitive, educational, and recreational equestrian events in five disciplines at their 65 acre facility in South Woodstock, Vermont. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, GMHA is dedicated to holding equestrian events, educating equestrians of all ages, and preserving trails and open space. Founded in 1926, they are the nation's oldest continuously operating horse organization. Learn more.

Blandford Fair Horse Show,   Multi-Year Event Sponsor
The Blandford Fair Horse Show gives back to the community in a variety of ways. They hold classes that benefit Rainbow Rescues Pet Rescue out of Chicopee, MA, the Dana Farber Institute for Cancer Research, and more. In 2015 they began offering a Youth Scholarship Challenge where the winner receives a $250 scholarship to go toward educational expenses. Learn more.