Opinions on Hackney breed

[Suzie94]

Can I have some opinions on the Hackney breed for a riding horse please?
I tried a beautiful mare today but I know little about the breed! I know they have unique movement etc but temperament wise how are they?
thanks in advance!

 

[millikins]

No personal experience but an admirer. I asked someone who'd posted a video of a pair of driving hackneys if they were as hot as reputed to be, he said not if you choose working lines, not just show breeding. And there was a video on a FB Hackney page last week of a pure bred getting placed at BE, he did look strong going XC.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Rides a hackney x once and I have to say I liked it. Very nice riding pony

 

[olop]

My old mare was a hackney cross welsh cob, she was a fiesty madam to ride but had the sweetest temperament. She used to get really frustrated if she got crossed signals but she was absolutely brilliant when we clicked. I wouldn’t hesitate to get another and her trot was spectacular!

 

[blitznbobs]

Sometimes struggle to canter, just trot bigger and bigger but if you’ve tried and you like and you think it will do the job you want go for it

 

[stangs]

Love a Hackney. They're amiable, sensitive, and alert but not properly hot - though I'm told the ponies are hotter than the horses. I can't say I had too much of an issue getting them to canter, with the exception of one who'd originally been driven. The canters do tend to go 'up' rather than forward until they've had some work in them, but are comfortable to sit. Fabulous jump on them.

 

[Suzie94]

Thank you! Some nice opinions.
She was bred for it but has never actually driven before so her gates arnt quite as extravagant. She does hold her legs high but will go into canter easily.
ive just sold my Welsh D who was very high rate, fizzy and spooky. I really like this Hackney and enjoyed my ride on her but hoping they’re not of the same sort of temperament! I love a forward ride but would like to be safe now

 

[Goldenstar]

Not bred for their canter which might be a very skilled job to develop , can be very very hot .
I like them but I do like hot horses .
A rare horse now a days and one that’s finding it hard to find a niche in the modern world .

 

[rabatsa]

I had one here to sell a few years ago. He had been purchased as a driving horse but was unsuitable as terrified of carriages, we think that he had suffered an accident in harness as there had been lots of videos of him driving.

Easy to break in for riding and was sold to a local butcher for his daughter. He proved to have a huge jump and went affiliated with her.

 

[Cortez]

I've really liked the few I've ridden. Sensitive.

 

[Esmae]

Friend of mine had a hackney x some years ago. Bought it for peanuts because it had issues and got it going again and it turned into a brilliant jumping pony for her daughter. I seem to recall she sold it on for a lot of money when daughter outgrew it.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I'm biased against them because I disliked the only one I've known well. My friend had him & I never rode him myself but I hated going hacking with her because his quirks & phobias ended up in charge. Can't go up this road because there's a pig farm & Star is afraid of pigs; can't take that route because there are often bicycles, etc etc. I believe he jumped very well for her but she ended up dreading hacks & sold him. As you can see my experience is very limited. Maybe he'd had a bad start in life?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I've known 2 and they were really hot to ride one was relentless and was not enjoyable to hack just jogged and threw itself about the entire time.

 

[JackFrost]

I remember chatting to a breeder a few years ago. He said they were often sharp and reactive, and that this was probably one of the reasons that as a breed they didn't make the transition from driving in the olden days to a ridden breed. The Sec D's have hackney in their origins, don't know if it accounts for some of the Sec D sharpness.

 

[millikins]

Having said I had no experience, I forgot we had a hackney/welsh/cob some years ago, he was half hackney. He spooked at white things, road markings, sheep, his own flashy white forelegs on occasion. But he was an absolute poppet, very easy until he suffered a serious field injury and was pts.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Daughters retired mare is hackney welsh cross…fabulous riding mare..jumped..dressage cross country..did it all. A bit opinionated…she would decide when she took off to jump..no amount of exercises to change stride length helped..she took charge..and was brilliant. Athletic (still throws impressive shapes in field) and beautiful trot…crabbit old git in the stable but we love her and she loves her human my daughter.

 

[Ali27]

I had a 14.1 Hackney on loan when I was a teenager. He was an amazing jumper - would pop a 3ft course comfortably! Would even jump out of his field too!? He was brilliant in traffic and fab to hack anywhere? He was forward going but not “hot” whereas my 14.2 Irish cob x connie is very “hot” and spooky!

 

[chaps89]

Another one here with a Welsh cross Hackney (I share not own her) she’s like a diluted Welsh, it’s quite nice! Didn’t realise there was a few of them about, I wouldn’t mind finding another one day.
Sorry, not very much help to you OP!

 

[MissTyc]

I have a Hackney X . Gaits are interesting but VERY comfortable. She can just about hold herself together for a Prelim test, but would rather not. Fantastic jump as did her dam who was full Hackney. Very sensitive to ride. Can be sharp but can also have plod days.

 

[scruffyponies]

I have a welsh x hackney gelding. He got out and had a horrendous RTA when we had only had him a week. Any other horse would not still be here, and his reactions to what happened really showed his character.
First of all he got himself back to the house on 3 legs
He didn't once show teeth, heels or temper in 9 months whilst he was in the box, even when we had to do things which hurt him, like manipulating his badly injured shoulder to x-ray multiple times.
It may have taken years, but every day he gets up planning to be better. He is now in full work, despite this being deemed impossible.

Riding-wise, he seems to have more joint mobility than is normal. He has been described as 'like riding a cat', or 'every time a foot touches the ground, he changes direction'. He gives the appearance of being very hot, but isn't actually, and when something bad happens, he 100% trusts his people.

When I got him I was told he had been driven. I slapped a harness and cart on him and drove out... his steering was the giveaway that he hadn't, but he was safe, kept one ear on me and listened to every word.

My experience is that this is one tough, bright, happy horse that will do his very best for you.
Oh, and he will eat ANYTHING and look good on it.

 

[hottoddy]

My Hackney x tb

 

[Eggyemi04]

My purebred Hackney who does BE’s is very strong and spooky but is the most willing horse I’ve ever sat on and is no where near as spooky now he’s got a job. Has never had a penalty xc and easily makes the time even when others bred for the job can’t

 

[J&S]

My farrier in Hampshire used to have hackneys, he put is stallion to NF mares and the foals used to be sold before they hit the ground. My friend had a gelding and he was a cracker, they really carry themselves well. I had a Hackney x Welsh mare, she had been a BSJA pony but had been over jumped, we just hacked and did dressage, she was the sweetest thing ever.

 

[millikins]

My purebred Hackney who does BE’s is very strong and spooky but is the most willing horse I’ve ever sat on and is no where near as spooky now he’s got a job. Has never had a penalty xc and easily makes the time even when others bred for the job can’t

I think I've seen your videos on FB, unless there's two doing BE. He's fantastic but does look a bit keen, well done

 

[tda]

A friend locally has one, he's a bit special, quite spooky and can spin in the blink of an eye,and leaps about which she sits to really well!
she does a bit of dressage, and the hackey ridden show.

She also has a hackey pony filly, which is a totally different personalty

 

[J.Scott]

i love my Hackney horses. So clever and kind. Very quick to learn,so pick up good and bad habits very easily. Both mine cantered easily. As long as they are bought up kindly and slowly, as they mature very very late, they make great fun horses. And my part bred is awesome, best horse I ever had to date.
My black hackney mare was not sharp, but the part bred is a very sharp chestnut lady!