“There is no creature in the universe that can hope to compete with a beautiful Hackney horse in terms of personality, bearing, gait and brilliance of action”.

The modern Hackney horse is the result of crossbreeding between high-quality English breeds that took place in the 18th century, mainly in the counties of Yorkshire, Norfolk and Cambridge. The Norfolk Roadster, a trotter, played a fundamental role in developing the characteristics of the Hackney, but no less important was the contribution of the English thoroughbred. The Hackney breed began in 1755, as evidenced by the official stud book, and since then 47 volumes documenting its genealogy have been published.

During the golden age of the carriage, at the beginning of the 20th century, English farmers would gather in taverns or pubs along the main roads to travel together to the most renowned markets, without worrying about the long distances. Confident in the endurance and stamina of their Hackneys, they would travel distances of 90 kilometres a day, which, although extraordinary, did not impress them. At that time, Hackney breeders challenged each other to bet considerable sums on the extraordinary speed, elegance and endurance of their best horses. Their exceptional endurance, elegant build and harmonious gait were well known and appreciated, so much so that Hackney stallions were used all over the world to improve the characteristics of less performing local breeds.

An extraordinary example of these qualities is that of a Hackney filly called ‘Narpareil’, which covered 160 km in just nine hours and 56 minutes during a race, reaching a speed of over 19 km/h in the first 38 km. What was even more impressive was that, at the end of this incredible journey, the filly calmly stopped in her stall and began to eat as if she had just finished a leisurely walk. A record that, although exceptional, demonstrated the incredible endurance of these horses.

In 1851, the Hackney was officially recognised by the Royal Society of Windsor. At the time, it was considered the “Rolls Royce” of carriage horses, so much so that every family of the upper nobility and bourgeoisie owned at least one pair of Hackney horses in their stables, intended for social outings in carriages. Today, the Hackney continues to be highly prized by enthusiasts of elegant carriages and is still used in parades and concours d’elegance. However, the breed is mainly bred and trained for “high gaits”, especially for shows in which it excels, offering an extraordinary performance. For this reason, the Hackney is often nicknamed “Show Girl” in Italy, a true symbol of elegance in trotting, worthy of a show dancer.