- Hackney Horse -

The Hackney horse developed in Great Britain through the 18th and 19th centuries, and evolved from the two trotting breeds of that time, which were the Norfolk Roadster and the Yorkshire Roadster, also known as Trotters. Both the Norfolk and the Yorkshire were similar types of trotting horse which developed according to their region - the former being of a more cobby conformation and the latter having more quality.

The Norfolk is perhaps the better known of the two and was famous in its day for its great trotting the two and was famous in its day for its great trotting speed. It was also highly influential in the development of many other breeds such as the Gelderlander, Furioso, French Trotter, Welsh Cob, Maremmana, Orlov Trotter, American Saddlebred, and Standardbred. Both the Norfolk and the Yorkshire evolved primarily for the purpose of transportation, at which they excelled, having a tremendous turn of speed combined with great stamina and endurance. Both the Norfolk and the Yorkshire are traced to a single stallion, Original Shales, who was born in East Anglia in 1755. He was out of a hackney mare, which in those days, and when spelt with a small "h", simply meant a type of riding horse, He was sired by the stallion Blaze. Blaze had a notable ancestry, being the son of the famous Flying Childers, the first great racehorse of the day, and was also the grandson of the Darley Arabian, one  of the founders of the Thoroughbred breed. Original Shales went on to father the two stallions, Scot Shales, and Driver, who had a great influence on the Norfolk Trotter.

The eventual emergence of the Hackney Horse through the combining of the Norfolk Roadster and Yorkshire Roadster should be largely accredited to Robert and Philip Ramsdales. This father and son team took some of the first Norfolk horses to Yorkshire, Wroot's Pretender and Phenomenon, and mated them with Yorkshire trotting mares. The resulting progeny combined the best elements of both parents, and by 1833, the Hackney Horse Society was formed in Norwich, and their studbook opened. Interestingly, one of Phenomenon's daughters, called Phenomena, who was a mere 14 hh, trotted a record 17 miles in 53 minutes in 1832.

The advent of the railroads in the 19th century and the beginnings of mechanization drastically effected the numbers of the Norfolk and the Yorkshire Trotters, both of which sadly went into decline and eventually died out altogether. The Hackney, however, managed to survive, and this is largely credited to their extraordinary showiness and style, which far exceeded that of the Roadsters, and led to their use in the show ring.

The Hackney horse measures from 14.3 hh upward, although they are occasionally smaller, and are easily recognizable by their extravagant, flashy knee and hock action. They move very freely from the shoulder, throwing the front legs forward with a distinct moment of suspension in every stride, where the horse appears to float over the ground. The hind leg action is similar, bet to a slightly lesser degree. Their action is quite stunning and has been described, among other things, as spectacular, electric, and effortless in the extreme. The Hackney is unique in its appearance and carriage, and should be considered the very top of its class on a world standing. Like the Hackney Pony, the Hackney Horse is used mainly for driving, both on the road and to great effect in the show ring. They have also been very successfully crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce excellent riding and show jumping horses. They are generally chestnut, bay, or black in color, but can be any solid color, and may carry some white markings.

In appearance, they have a small, fine head with a slightly convex profile. The ears are small, alert, and mobile, and the eyes should be large and kind. The neck is of reasonable length, is thick and crested, and is usually set and carried quite upright. The chest should be broad, but is not typically deep, and the shoulders should be of god harness type conformation, as well as being extremely powerful. They are compact thought the back, with the barrel running up, and the ribs are well rounded. The quarters are immensely powerful and the croup is level. They characteristically have a very high-set and carried tail, with is increased by the use of the traditional crupper and dock piece. The legs are very strong with good broad joints, with the hocks particularly low to ground, which provides the forward thrust from behind. Their hooves are also very hard and tough, and they are renowned for exceptional soundness, both in the leg and foot.

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