Willow Grove Kaleidoscope, 2019 purebred Hackney mare, 4 years old.

Critically Endangered Worldwide

The Hackney Horse

Modern Hackney Horses descend from Norfolk and Yorkshire trotters who, in turn, descend from English trotters mentioned in letters dated as early as 1465. A breed with this history and these qualities deserves preservation.

“About a quarter of a century since Norfolk had an almost European fame for it’s strong-made, short-legged hackneys, which could walk five miles an hour and trot at the rate of twenty. Fireaway, Marshland Shales, and the Norfolk Cob were locomotive giants in those days…”

Post and Paddock, 1856

The legendary Hackney Horse is the “grandfather” of all trotting breeds. Hardy, sound, courageous, with great endurance and flamboyant movement. They were exported all over Europe almost to extinction in their home country of England. Used mainly for fine harness driving and carriage driving, Hackneys are superlative athletes excelling at any sporting event.

Hackneys have made their name renowned in FEI combined driving seen consistently at the highest levels: remarkable considering the worldwide numbers of this breed have hovered above or below 3000 worldwide. Historically, Hackney horses and crossbreds have excelled at eventing, jumping, dressage, carriage driving, combined driving, coaching, and fine harness driving. A purebred Hackney and a Hackney crossed with a “heavy farm mare” both cleared over 8’ when puissance was all the rage. They show themselves just as capable in Western attire.

Willow Grove joined the preservation effort with the purchase of Chambord Kodiak (their current stallion) and Chambord’s Miss Friday in 2008. Both Kody and Friday were shown English, Western, Dressage, and Carriage driving. (Sadly, we lost Friday trying to deliver her first purebred foal.) We have since added purebred mare CMS Gypsy Queen by Dutch import Woodbridge Denver. Out of this mare, we have our first purebred mare Willow Grove Kaleidoscope born 2019.

We will be endeavoring to breed a select few Hackney horses for high performance situations to continue the preservation and promotion of this historically matchless breed.

The first set of photos below are of our purebred Hackneys.

The second set is of our crossbred Hackneys all sired by Chambord’s Kodiak.

CMS Gypsy Queen & Willow Grove Kaleidoscope

Critically Endangered Worldwide

The Highland Pony

The Highland Pony is inexorably linked to the farms and crofts of Scotland. Working closely for centuries with farmers doing any tasks needed: hauling, packing, plowing, riding…all were done on the hardy and adaptable heavy cob. With studbooks dating back to the 1800s, the Highland Pony remains largely unchanged over the centuries due to their unmatched strength, ruggedness, soundness and disposition.

Willow Grove has just begun our support of the breed through the purchase of Mackenzie Lane Bonny from Trinityglen Highlands in Nevada.
We will be developing our Highland program and promoting the breed with Bonny as she comes under saddle and into harness.