PREFA CE xvii 



Childers (the fastest racehorse of his day), Flying 

 Childers begat Blaze, and Blaze begat the original 

 Shales, from whom descended Danegelt and all the 

 other typical hackneys whose names are to be found 

 in the Hackney Society's Stud-Book. 



It was through Blaze that Norfolk achieved fame 

 more than a hundred years ago, for Blaze was the 

 sire of Shales, foaled in 1755 out of a Norfolk mare. 

 During the earlier years of the last century there 

 still remained in the eastern counties of England the 

 remnant of the trotting roadster stock for which 

 Norfolk, as recorded by Mr. H. H. Dixon ('The 

 Druid '}, had ' almost European fame.' 



The difference in make and shape between the 

 thoroughbred and the hackney is due solely to the 

 purpose to which either has been devoted for a long 

 period of years. 



None of the Continental Governments which 

 devote attention to breeding horses pin their faith 

 to one single type of horse, and depend upon that 

 to establish all types. This statement applies par- 

 ticularly to France, Germany, and Hungary, where 

 they have established distinct breeds for such pur- 

 poses as artillery and cavalry work and harness. 



They breed for business, not for pleasure ; their 

 aim is to produce the highest stamp of useful horse. 

 With this definite object they have for sixty years 

 and more been buying English mares, free from bias 

 in favour of one strain or another. Geldinsg; the 

 foreign breeders scarcely ever purchase from 



