Hackney Pony
The
Hackney pony was developed in the 19th century, primarily by one man,
Christopher Wilson of Westmorland. He used his stallion, St. George, folded
1866, who was a Norfolk Roadster and Yorkshire Trotter cross, and mated him with
Fell mares. He took the progeny and interbred the
best of them to produce a fixed type. The Hackney pony also probably contains
Welsh blood which would help to retain the pony characteristics of the breed.
The first ponies were known as Wilson ponies, and it was not until later that they became known as Hackney ponies. Wilson commonly kept ponies out all year, wintering them on the inhospitable fells, and providing them with little extra food or care. This practice helped develop the breed's extraordinary toughness and their powers of endurance. The Hackney pony does not have its own stud book, but shares that of the Hackney Horse. By the 1880s the breed was established and its outstanding trotting abilities, its class and exuberance, made the ponies a greet success.
The hackney pony must be under 14 hh and should exhibit true pony characteristics, not simply appearing as a scaled-down version of the Hackney horse. Generally, the hackney pony has an even more exaggerated action than that of the Hackney Horse, with the knees rising as high as possible and the hocks coming right under the body. The action should be spectacular, fluid and energetic, with the pony carrying its head and tail high with an arched neck to produce an effect of display and sportsmanship.
In appearance, the hackney pony should have a small, quality pony head with alert, pricked ears, and large intelligent eyes. The neck should be muscular and arched, carried proudly. They have good powerful shoulders and quarters, with a compact back and a light frame. The legs should be very strong with good joints, although the bone is often quite fine. Their feet should be exceptionally hard and it is common practice to allow the toes to grow longer than normal in order to accentuate the snappy action. The tail is always set and carried high. They are generally black, bay, chestnut, or brown and may have some white markings. Their height ranges from 12.2 hh to 14 hh.