THE HACKNEY. 



217 



all day in a 'half -bushel, " as the contemptuous 

 reference was to all Hackneys in the days of 

 their novitiate in this country. We need a bit 

 of speed in this country as well as lift. 



Though we all know what real Hackney con- 

 formation is there is still a considerable lack of 

 uniformity in the breed. The similarity of 

 action I count the most salient of its features. 

 The somewhat heavy neck and rather square 

 head are still to be met up with, but the selec- 

 tive operations of the best breeders are tending 

 toward refinement consistently and persist- 

 ently. 



While pure-bred Hackneys have not been 

 produced in great numbers in this country we 

 have had enough of them to indicate that the 

 British breeders have no monopoly on the pro- 

 duction of the best. True, the importation of 

 large numbers of the highest-class stallions and 

 mares is too recent to permit of their having 

 been relegated from the show yard to the stud 

 and produced colts that have matured, but it 

 will be strange indeed if with the material we 

 now have to work with we cannot at least hold 

 John Bull level at his own game. In passing I 

 want to say that I count the emasculation of old 

 Forest King nothing short of a national calam- 

 ity. 



When crossed with native mares the Hackney 

 stallion of the right type has made good. He 

 has transmitted his conformation and action in 



