The National Trust, an independent charity and membership organization for environmental and heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, replaced the heavy machinery with a 17th-century technique of using shire horses to cut grass in London. /VCG Photo

As part of its efforts to maintain the land more sustainably, the charity called in a herd of shire horses to help to cut the hay on its Ham House Estate near Richmond on Monday. /VCG Photo

Although each shire horse weighs up to one ton, it is still lighter than a tractor, which makes it a lighter alternative to reduce the compaction of soil, helping the wildflowers to grow and in turn providing habitats for wildlife. /VCG Photo