52 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



patible with the other features of the type that are de- 

 sired. It might be mentioned that until recent years the 

 Hackney rings at the exhibitions of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of England were open only to horses not exceeding 

 15.2 hands in height. So many of the noted sires of later 

 years have been over that height, that it was not advisable 

 to enforce the restriction, and consequently it was re- 

 moved. A well-known writer states that it is somewhat 

 remarkable to note that most of the successful stallions, 

 both as sires and exhibition horses, of the present and 

 past generations, have stood 15.2 hands high. 



For a horse of such substance, the Hackney is not 

 deficient in quality, although to combine the two in a 

 right degree is as much a problem with the Hackney 

 breeders as it is with the breeders of the other breeds of 

 coach horses. Substance, meaning thereby muscular de- 

 velopment and size of bone, is easily enough secured ; 

 but to have with it the refinement of features and tissues, 

 with fluted legs, which makes up quality, is a combination 

 of the highest excellencies. x 



Such being the general form, a more careful analysis 

 of the several features that blend into the type desired 

 is necessary to fill out the details of the true type. The 

 Hackney head sometimes approaches meatiness, but, as 

 a rule, it is well proportioned to the body, clean-cut, with 

 full eyes and specially alert and medium-sized ears. It 

 has been criticized for a tendency towards being " bull " 

 or thick-necked. In the Hackney, the shoulder is a 

 point of particular importance, for it has a great deal to 

 do with the high knee-folding action, so very much ad- 

 mired in the heavy-harness horse. A long, sloping shoul- 

 der, well clothed with muscle, gives it that lifting power 

 in front which is a feature of the front action more often 



