Hack and Harness. 225 



a convenient word to express what was too big for a pony, too small for a Yorkshireman 

 or Leicestershireman's idea of a horse, and more active, more slim of limb, than the " stocky, 

 weight-carrying cob." 



The famous Dumpling that carried Julia Mannering's lover over the Cumberland hills 

 behind the immortal Dandie Dinmont, was without doubt a galloway of the very best 

 sort. 



Old books on the British horse described a number of local breeds not thoroughbred, 

 which were supposed to be peculiar to various districts of England. The Irish alone still 

 often bear a national character. All these distinctions except Norfolk trotters have long since 

 disappeared under the perpetual use of thoroughbred sires. Nearly all who go into hors^- 

 breeding for profit endeavour to produce a big animal, because it is always easier to sell a 

 good big horse than a good little one. A good, big, well-bred horse may turn out a hunter ; 

 if not a hunter a barouche-horse ; and if not handsome enough for that, a trotting van-horse ; 

 and so on, descending in the scale. It is only gentlemen breeding for amusement, and trying 

 to perpetuate favourites, the produce of favourite mares, who seriously set about breeding cobs 

 or small horses of any kind. 



As a matter of course the size of horses to be found in any particular district is, to a 

 certain extent, afTected by the size of the county. In hilly regions, and counties where small 

 enclosures prevail, the average size of the horses used for riding as well as driving will be 

 regulated by the size of the mares in common farm use, and by the size of the hunters in use, 

 and will therefore be small ; while in counties where fields of fifty acres and upwards are 

 common, tall horses will be the rule. Putting hunting in flying counties out of the 

 question, and carriages used for fashionable purposes, there is no doubt that more general utility 

 will be found between the heights of 14 hands and 15 hands 2 inches than any other size 

 of horse. 



On the question of size — an important point — the following reliable statistics are taken 

 from the entries of ten horse shows held at the Agricultural Hall, London. The prize lists 

 were altered from year to year for seven years, so as to obtain as full entries as possible for 

 each class above 14 hands and under 15 hands 2 inches. The following is a summary of 

 the entries in various classes in the year 1872. As the expenses of exhibiting each horse, 

 including a £2 2s. entry, on an average rather exceed £\Q>, it may be presumed that the 

 majority of these horses are good of their size. In "the class not exceeding 14 hands 2 inches 

 high, to be exhibited in harness," twenty-six were described as good hacks. In the class 

 for " Park Cobs, High Steppers," there were twenty-one. Of these fourteen were described 

 as quiet in harness, and many more were on sale as broken to harness. Of class " Park Hacks 

 and Ladies' Horses, not exceeding 15 hands i inch," there were thirty-two, more than forty 

 entries being rejected for want of room. There were also twenty-one entries of park hacks 

 not exceeding 15 hands 2 inches. Of these two classes many were described as quiet in 

 harness, and several were also entered as hunters. In the two cob classes, one for saddle and 

 the other for single harness, the majority were well-bred little horses, but certainly not wliat 

 is conveyed by the idea of a cob ; that is to say, a hack to carry a heavy bishop or banker. 

 Many of the cob classes were described as hunters. These figures justify purchasers in looking 

 for the most generally useful horses, fit to ride, fit to hunt in a country where the fields are 

 not too big; fit to trot in harness, single or double, in a carriage weighing not more than four 

 or five hundredweight for each horse, without injury to their riding action, and in much heavier 

 carriages when not required for riding purposes amongst small horses and cobs. 

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