51 



In the earlier days of Mr. H. H. Dixon 

 ("The Druid"), when the Norfolk Hack- 

 neys were grown scarce, that authority 

 wrote {''Post and Paddock," 1856): "About 

 a quarter of a century since Norfolk had 

 an almost European fame for its strong- 

 made, short-legged hackneys, which could 

 walk five miles an hour and trot at the 

 rate of twenty. Fireaway, Marshland, 

 Shales, and The Norfolk Cob were loco- 

 motive giants in those days, and the latter 

 was the sire of Bond's Norfolk Phenomenon, 

 i5"2, who was sold to go into Yorkshire 

 in the year 1836, and afterwards went to 

 Scotland when he had seen his twentieth 

 summer, and astonished his canny admirers 

 by trotting two miles in si.x minutes. Those 

 now left are descended from these breeds, 

 but as they arrive at maturity they are sold 

 to go to France." 



The writer goes on to remark that " Four 

 or five very good hackney sires are still in 

 the county, and among them Baxter's red 

 roan. Performer, i5"3, foaled 1850, for which 

 500 guineas is said to have been refused. 

 The chestnut, Jackson's Prickwillow, i5"2, 

 and a son of his, Prickwillow, out of a very 

 noted mare belonging to Mr. Charles Cooke, 

 of Licham, which is said never to have been 



