taken in the horse, for eight years before, in 1462, Lord Howard, another Norfolk trotter owner, paid an equivalent of $28 for a gray nag to send to the French king.

To encourage improvement in the native horse royal decrees were enacted, the first one dated as early as 1495, during the reign of Henry VII. These laws were intended to promote the breeding of horses fit for the army. Soon other laws were passed to promote horse breeding, the most notable being in 1540 during the reign of Henry VIII. This act was noteworthy, as it provided that all who were able should maintain

FIG. 79.-HACKNEY STALLION "ENFIELD NIPPER"

one or more horses. A few

years later followed the first English book on the horse. The book was designated "The Foure Chiefest Offices Belonging to Horsemanship," and was written by Ralph Blunderville, and appeared in 1558.

Development of the Hackney coach horse.-While much improvement had been accomplished in the road horses of Norfolk and Suffolk, the real development of the Hackney coach horse did not begin until the eighteenth century. During the early part of the century, mention is made of the use of stallions imported from Arabia, Barbary and Turkey and crossing them on the native mares of Norfolk. The Thoroughbred was also used in crossing which, in connection with the Oriental crosses, increased the speed and improved the quality, thus providing ex

cellent foundation material for the development of the modern Hackney coach horse.

Shales and descendants.-No single horse played so important a part in the development of the Hackney as Shales (699), variously referred to as the Original Shales, Shields and Schales. He was born in 1755, sired by Blaze (see chart, p. 120), and out of a Hackney mare. Shales sired Scot Shales (692), born in 1762 and Driver (187), born in 1765; the former said to have been famous as a breeder getting good stock out of common mares, though himself a poor racer, while the latter proved a great breeder, siring Jenkinson's Fireaway (201), born in 1780, who in turn sired West's Fireaway (203), born in 1800 and Wroot's Pretender (596), born in 1788. Fireaway (203) sired Burger's Fireaway (208), born in 1815, while Pretender (596) sired Stevens' Bellfounder (52), born in 1797. Fireaway (208) sired Ramsdell's Wildfire (864), born in 1827, and The Norfolk Cob (475), born in 1819, while Bellfounder (52) sired Jary's Bellfounder (55), born in 1816. Wildfire (864) sired Ramsdale's Phenomenon (573), born in 1835, while The Norfolk Cob (475) sired The Norfolk Phenomenon (522), born in 1824. Phenomenon (573) sired Performer (550), who in turn sired Beal's Sir Charles (768), born in 1843. Sir Charles (768) sired Bourda's Denmark (177), born in 1862, and Denmark (177) sired Danegelt (174), born in 1879. During recent years Denmark and Danegelt have been the most potent of the descendants of Shales. Other noted stallions are Lord Derby 2d, Bourda's Denmark, Triffitt's Fireaway, D'Oyley's Confidence, Duke of Connaught, Pasador and Sir Horace.

During the early development of the Hackney some of these Norfolk trotters showed remarkable speed (p. 115), especially when the distance traveled is considered, which, as has been stated, was of material benefit in the development of the Standardbred horse. Such records. as made by Driver, said to have trotted 17 miles in one

before this he had brought over the mare Stella by Confidence. Following this came the era of the horse show when extensive importations were made, chiefly into the New England states and Canada, with scattering ones to Ohio, Wisconsin and other Central states. The largest of these importations was made in 1890 by Seward Webb of Vermont, who imported 31 animals, four of which were stallions. Then came a lull

in the horse-importing business, but the first decade of the twentieth century witnessed a revival of the industry, and the following are the best known of the more recent importers: F. C. Stevens, Attica, New York; Ebon D. Jordan, Boston, Massachusetts; Robert Beith, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada; A. B. Hobert, Greeley, Iowa; J. H. Truman & Sons, Bush

nell, Illinois; Fred Pabst, FIG. 81.-HACKNEY STALLION "LORD Oconomowoc,

Wisconsin;

MARLBOROUGH"

Calkins and Angsbury, Byron, Michigan, and Seward Webb of Vermont.

Famous Hackney coach stallions.-While there have been many notable Hackney stallions in the United States perhaps the most famous of the present time are Fandango and Langton Performer, owned by F. C. Stevens; Shawhill Duke, owned by P. E. Hoge; Bagthorpe Sultan, owned by Henry Fairflax; Tiger Lillie, owned by R. C. Vanderbilt; Meanwood Majesty, owned by Fred Pabst; Aquinus, owned by D. J. Driscoll, and Land o' Burns, owned by C. H. Mackay.

Some of the noteworthy prices paid during recent years are: Forest King, $13,000, by W. H. Moor; Matchless of Loudesboro, $15,000, by W. S. Webb; Hildred,

$10,000, by E. T. Bedford; $20,000 for the four-in-hand Flashlight, Electric Light, Lord Burleigh and Lord Brooke; $10,000 by W. H. Moor for the bantam stallion Berkley Bantam; and $20,000 by Mrs. E. C. Brown for the bantam four-in-hand Master, Masterpiece, Masterkey and Masterman.

Description of the Hackney coach horse.-There is much variation in type, although that most sought represents a powerfully built horse with round ribs, muscular loin, plump quarters and short legs. Perhaps the Hackney is more blocky in form than any of the other coach

breeds, giving him an extremely smooth appearance with gracefully curved outlines.

The head is of medium size, rather full, but with cleancut features, and well carried; the eyes are large and clear and the ears medium size and specially alert. The neck is often rather full and of medium length. The shoulders are long, sloping and well muscled, favoring lifting power, which gives high knee action. The body is deep, the ribs round, and the back short and well muscled. The quarters are full and deep, with thighs well set and strongly muscled, thus favoring high hock action. There is much variation in height. In 1885 the Hackney Stud Book Society of England, at the request of the