56 



duction of coach-horses, for which demand 

 was growing up. It is significant that in 

 the numerous works on stock breeding and 

 agriculture in Britain, which appeared during 

 the period 1775- 1800, exceedingly little is 

 said concerninof the breeding- of horses for 

 the saddle. The saddle-horses of Yorkshire 

 and Norfolk are the principal breeds referred 

 to by the agricultural writers of that period. 



When railways became established and it 

 was recognised that the coaching era was 

 at its close, there prevailed a strong feeling 

 that harness horses would no longer be 

 required ; and this belief combined with the 

 depression in agriculture at the period be- 

 tween 1835 and 1845, led the farmers to 

 abandon horse-breedinsf to a oreat extent. 



ANCIENT WRITERS ON THE HACKNEY. 



In the works of old writers, and also in the 

 laws and royal proclamations, of the middle 

 ages, there is frequent mention of "trotting" 

 horses and geldings, which were, in fact, 

 hackneys, the word "trotting" being em- 

 ployed to distinguish the animals from 

 " ambling " horses. 



In the early days when long journeys 

 were made in the saddle, persons of rank 



