THE HEAVY-HARNESS BREEDS OF HORSES 55 



The Hackney is more carefully kept and is never tried 

 out in the sense that our trotting horses are, consequently 

 it should be sounder and always fresher. The fact re- 

 mains that the Hackney as a breed is unusually free from 

 unsoundness. Since the Shire Horse Society of England 

 wisely decided, in 1885, that all horses at their annual 

 show should undergo veterinary examination conducted 

 by three qualified veterinarians, other societies have 

 followed the system, although with most of them only 

 one veterinarian acts. In regard to the Hackney, it may 

 be stated that the Hackney Horse Society for the past 

 seventeen years has subjected the entries to its show to 

 veterinary examination, and the percentage rejected has 

 been very small. Of course, when such a system is in 

 vogue, much carefulness on this point would be observed 

 by exhibitors ; consequently it is hardly a complete index 

 to the prevalence of unsoundness in the breed as a whole. 

 However, combined with general observation, the figures 

 bear out the point that unsoundness is not very prevalent. 

 In the years from 1896 to 1904, inclusive, 2108 of the 

 horses were examined, and 106 of these were rejected, 

 showing an average of not quite 5 per cent rejected. 



52. Uses of the Hackney. From what has been 

 written, it is clear that the special field for the Hackney 

 is the production of heavy-harness horses, for the breed 

 in itself has been specifically bred for that purpose. The 

 high knee-folding action and attractive appearance, either 

 standing or in motion, adapt it for the production of stylish 

 heavy-harness horses for city driving. Possessing these 

 qualities, with the substance and smoothness of type to 

 wear heavy leather becomingly, the Hackney as a breed 

 has superior claims. 



The degree to which a breed may be useful in producing 



