HACKNEYS, CLEVELAND BAYS, ETC. 



63 



CHAPTEK Xin. 



HACKNEYS, CLEVELAND BAYS AND 

 YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 



Hackneys. — Though foniierly aesciihed as a ricl(^aiid- 

 diive hor.se, suitable both for the saddle and for liarness, this 

 description is no longer applicable co the Hackney of the pre- 

 sent day. Hackneys are a breed of harness horses, whose 

 principal characteristic is their high-ste})pino' and shoAvy trot- 

 ting action. The height of full-sized horses ranges from 15.1 

 to 15.3 hands; occasio'aally. Hackneys 16 hands hi^h are met 

 with, ^lany Hackneys are less than 15.1 hands in lieight ; the 

 correct description for such is '" Hackney Cob." The chief 

 colours of the breed are chestnut, bay, and brown, while 

 l)lack, blue roan, and other coloured Hackneys also occur. 

 Chestnut is by far the most common colour, and the colour 

 is usually associated with white markings on the legs and on 

 tlie face. 



Typical Hackneys are " cobby " and compact in build. 

 The neck is comparatively shoit, the breast is liroad, and the 

 back is short and broad, while the barrel is well rounded, tlie 

 ribs being well sprung. The hindirjuartei's are rounded in 

 contour and muscular : viewed from the rear, they are broad, 

 thick-set, and full. The legs aie clean; the pasterns are of 

 Hiedium lenutli, and the feet are of good shape. Breeders and 

 judges of Hackneys attach most importance to the trotting 

 action, in regard to which the following points must be noted : 

 The action sh.ould be regular and even, and, while being higli 

 or " extravagant," it must also be elastic and graceful. In 



