Ite2)ort on the Horses Exhihifed at Windsor. 575 
that you must have action. Most deferentially, too, would I 
submit that in the case of the hackney stallions it would be as 
well if the Hackney Society and the promoters of the principal 
shows were to come to some understanding as to the chief points 
to be regarded in judging the sires. Are they to be judged as 
sires for riding-horses, or as sires for harness-horses, or as the 
begetters of general-purpose horses ? The hackney breeder will 
probably say that neither view must be taken ; but that a 
hackney must be judged as a hackney, just as hunters, cows, 
bloodhounds, or fancy pigeons are judged. This is all very 
well as far as it goes ; but, as at Windsor, it occasionally leads to 
inconvenience : because, though in theory there may be but one 
type of hackney, there is no doubt that some are more like 
riding-horses than others, while others are more adapted for 
harness work. Nor must it be forgotten that, whatever the 
theory may be, the majority of men prefer to ride something 
by a blood-horse, when they put their hands in their pockets to 
buy for themselves ; and in what follows I trust the reason of 
this digression will become apparent. 
The show hack is almost the creation of the Hoi'se Show, and 
in the 15-stone Class we were face to face with some fine speci- 
mens, but which, nevertheless, were not all of them hacks in 
the eyes of everybody. Possibly the statement may stand that 
thei'e are but two sorts of hacks : one for doing long journeys — 
the old roadster, in fact — the other for park use. If that be 
so, let us see how far the show hack is adapted to fill either 
situation, and whether the manner of showing him is calculated 
to bring out his points. In the 15-stone Class at Windsor the 
First Prize went to Mr. John Robinson's " Lady Isabel," and 
the Second to Lord Londesborough's " Ophelia," who also had fine 
action. She was indeed the superior of " Lady Isabel " in most 
pai'ticulars, but was scarcely equal to the stipulated weight. 
Now, to which of the Classes — roadster or park hacks — do these 
two, not to mention Mr. Watei'house's " Princess " (formerly 
Mr. Robinson's), or Mr. Mark Pearson's " Lady Marton," belong ? 
The need for a roadster no longer exists, and, in accordance 
with the inexorable law of supply and demand, the old-fashioned 
roadster is difficult to find ; and, when found, might not perhaps 
gain many prizes in hack classes at shows — he would not step 
high enough. But were " Lady Isabel," " Ophelia," and the 
other winners roadsters ? Suppose any of them were ridden 
thirty miles in three hours, and ridden back next day at the 
same pace ; how long would their legs stand the work with such 
high action ? Then as to their park-hack qualifications. If 
they be park hacks, why in the name of fortune should they be 
