November 9, 2001, Newsletter Issue #62: Dressage Part II of IV and The Hackney Horse/Pony

Tip of the Week

Dressage has been referred to as "classical training" because it incorporates gymnastic exercises (which are a series of movements, patterns, and up/down transitions performed at precise moments) which have been studied and improved upon for centuries. When performed systematically and correctly, the exercises will cause the horse to be supple laterally, and to respond willingly and obediently and exactly while moving freely and energetically (called impulsion) with pure gaits and eventually, to the maximum level of its personal athletic ability.

Examples of these basic-level exercises include figures such as serpentines and circles, with movements being performed laterally (side passes, shoulders in, haunches in), and transitions from walk to trot, trot to halt, walk to canter, and all up/downward transitions. These exercises can be used to start any young horse and to retrain older horses, and can are often used by riders primarily interested in other equestrian sports, such as hunters, jumpers, eventing, western, saddleseat, or trail.

For the remainder of this article, go to the Title Bar on the Horse Tips Front Page and Click on "My Bio", this will provide you with a link to my home site; once at my home site you will find a left hand index tab, and there you will find **The Discipline of the Week Article 11/11/01**.

The Hackney Horse/Pony

History and Origin of the Breed

The Hackney is a dynamic, high-stepper with two branches -- the horse and the pony -- both bred specifically for their brilliant performance in harness.

The Hackney horse was developed in Great Britain in the early 18th Century from the Darley Arabian through his son, Flying Childerns, foaled in 1715, and grandson, Blaze, a renowned British Thoroughbred foaled in 1733.

The Thoroughbred blood was crossed with the British native Norfolk Trotters of East Anglia and eastern Yorkshire through a sire called Jary`s Bellfounder, a trotting horse which also is credited with passing on his bloodlines to the Standardbred. This created a fine, light horse with much style and spirit, which was favored as a carriage horse by English sportsmen and aristocrats.

For the remainder of this article, go to the Title Bar on the Horse Tips Front Page and Click on "My Bio", this will provide you with a link to my home site; once at my home site you will find a left hand index tab, and there you will find **The Breed of the Week Article 11/11/01**. Read on and enjoy!

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