54 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



horses, other than Hackneys, in the heavy-harness classes, 

 is that the hind-leg dwells somewhat like a duck swimming 

 in water ; it is not brought up quickly to the body. Very 

 frequently, the leg from the hock down is thrown stiffly 

 forward, making the horse spread or sprawl in his gait, 

 as his hind-feet have to be thrown out and past the fore- 

 feet. Such a horse, no matter how high or folding or 

 even perfect his fore action may be, cannot go with that 

 collected and well-balanced stride that a heavy-harness 

 horse should have. He may likely go faster, but at a 

 moderate gait, such as that which is most useful for heavy- 

 harness horses, he cannot go collected and with snap and 

 style. Snap and style in hind action are as neces- 

 sary in the view of the critical horseman as that of the 

 fore-feet, and, to have it, the hocks must be properly 

 flexed, with perhaps less stifle action than that required 

 for speed. 



50. Color of the Hackney. In reference to the color, 

 it may be said that these horses are mostly chestnut, bay 

 or brown, with white markings. A rich, dappled brown 

 is not an infrequent color. 



61. Soundness of the Hackney. A note should be 

 made of the fact that unsoundness is not frequent among 

 Hackneys. While not in the least desiring to detract 

 from this desirable trait, yet it needs to be qualified some- 

 what, especially when it is used to make invidious com- 

 parisons with the Standardbred trotter. The Standard- 

 bred trotter usually leads a strenuous life, beginning to 

 race when two years old. The popularity of the colt 

 trotter as a money-maker, because of the large stakes for 

 two- and three-year-olds, as well as the large purses for 

 free-for-all campaigners, puts our Standardbred trotter 

 through a course of racing that is a very trying ordeal. 



