Sunday, November 23, 2014

Horses and History by Victoria Chatham

I admit it. I am mad about horses and have been since the age of five. I was lifted onto a hairy little beach pony and I just fell in love. In one way or another, horses have been part of my life ever since so it really is no surprise that they should find their way into my historical novels.

Prior to the advent of the automobile, the horse was the main form of transport. Then, as now, a horse was not a cheap item to buy so it was imperative that they are kept as well as possible and a good groom or coachman was a prized employee.

Many Regency romances have reference to ‘high steppers’ or ‘sweet goers’ and pairs or teams of four-in-hand are always ‘matched to a shade’. The horse that most fits this description is the Hackney horse, although the breeding of Hackneys in England wasn’t formalized until the founding of the Hackney Stud Book Society in 1883.


The name is derived from the French word ‘haquenee’ which describes a comfortable riding style of trot or amble. These types of riding horses were not suitable for warfare, however, and during his reign Henry VIII required that his wealthy subjects keep trotting stallions for breeding purposes.

Over the centuries the English counties of Norfolk and Yorkshire were well known for producing hardy, trotting horses well known for their speed. The infusion of Arabian and Thoroughbred blood added elegance and stamina and formed the foundation stock of the modern Hackney, a handsome, upstanding muscular horse with showy high, leg action. It can be any solid color, bay, black, brown or chestnut and frequently has white socks on its legs. Records show that a Hackney horse is capable of covering 20 miles in an hour or 50 miles in day. In the 1820’s the horse known as "Nonpareil," was driven 100 miles in 9 hours 56 minutes 57 seconds.

For a young, or not so young, Regency buck this would have been the Rolls Royce of his day. The young men of the era prided themselves on their riding and driving skills and knowledge of horseflesh and bets were often placed on how fast each could cover a particular route. It wasn’t difficult for me to incorporate many of these details into my novel, including having my heroine drive a four-in-hand. One reader doubted that a woman could do this, but I based my heroine’s skill on that of Mrs. Cynthia Haydon (1918-2012).


I had the privilege of seeing Mrs. Haydon drive a Hackney pony tandem, one being driven in front of the other rather than side-by-side as a pair, many years ago and very much admired her   expertise. Mr. Charles Leck and his wife Anne, of Independence, MN, knew her very well and he says of her, “Indeed, Cynthia was handling fours-in-hand at a very young age. Even as a girl, she was brutally strong. Yet, she was delicate on the mouths of these Hackneys and somehow in synch with their emotions and fears. Never have I known anyone who understands the Hackney Horse the way she did or communicate with them as she did”.

Having seen Hackney horses in action on many occasions I have been awed by their beauty. But, then I could say that about almost any horse I have ever met, from that first pony to the last trail horse I rode. Horses in and of themselves grace our lives in ways we do not always appreciate. Their gentleness belies their strength. Their understanding of us is often greater than ours is of them.

As long as there is a place for a horse in any of my novels, it will become as much a part of the fabric of that book as will the heroes and heroines.  

Find Victoria and her books at www.bookswelove.com/chatham.php

17 comments:

  1. I love to watch horses and have ridden, once in a parade on a palamino that was a treat. I've a friend who rescues horses and the last time I visited she had three. Good luck with your books

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    1. Your palomino sounds lovely. What an experience too, to ride in a parade. Bless your friend for rescuing horses. I helped out on a horse rescue ranch but gave it up because the really sad state of the some of the horses coming in.

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    2. She worked for a vet and they did some interesting procedures to heal the horses

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  2. Interesting post. I'm not a big fan of horses. One stepped on my foot when I was younger and as an adult a group talked me into going horse back riding. That was a mistake. They passed me one by one, including our guides and the horse turned around, took off and headed for the fence, apparently trying to knock me off. The guide caught up with us before that happened, and I couldn't get off quick enough. I walked back to wait for our group and she tied the horse up. He obviously wanted to go back to the barn and I swear he bared his teeth at me. I think they're beautiful animals as long as I keep my distance LOL

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    1. I can see that kind of experience could put any one off Roseanne. Glad you can still enjoy looking at them though, they surely are beautiful creatures.

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  3. Hi Victoria,
    Very interesting post. I had heard o Hackney cabs and presumed they were pulled by horses but I can't recall hearing the name Hackney horses.
    Regards
    Margaret

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    1. Mrs. Haydon and her husband Frank bred Hackney horses and ponies at their Hurstwood Hackney Horse Stud in Surrey. One of their horses went by the name of Hurstwood Superlative. The hackney carriage developed even before the breed of horse and the first documented cab in London was in
      1621. A good source book is Carriages At Eight by Frank Edward Huggett, 1979,Lutterworth Press

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  4. Anything with horses! I share your admiration and love for these critters, Victoria, although it's been years since I've ridden or been around 'em on a regular basis. The horse breed info is interesting. I too thought this was just a way of describing a carriage driven pair or carriage style, not an actual breed. I've made one thoroughly horse- crazy heroine through whom I could "live the equine dream." Great post!

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    1. Thanks Juliet. Your horse loving heroine was Caterina in Red Magic I think, a book I thoroughly enjoyed..

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  5. I loved your post, Victoria. As a child, I was in love with horses.

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    1. It seems to me that most girls fall in love with horses and ponies!

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  6. Wonderful post, Victoria. I fell in love with horses early in life and my first encounter was with the milkman's horse. I'm that long in the tooth that in those days the milk was delivered by a milkman with a sturdy shire horse pulling his cart. I had to give up riding when my back gave out on me, but horses take a special place in my heart.

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    1. Me too Tricia! Milkman, baker, greengrocer and the rag-and-bone man. I did one day eventing (at a very beginner level) so also understand the back situation.

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  7. Great post Victoria. Your love for horses shines through. Although I've only ridden a horse a few times I did grow up with one when I was very small. My Grandmother's garden backed onto an old bakery whose ovens were long since cold. Instead it was rented out to a 'rag and bone' man. Do you remember them? Well this rag and bone man had a cart, a german shepherd dog with a bent ear, and a lovely cart horse who lived in a stable behind the bakery. Whenever I visited Grandma my first job was to beg a carrot or an apple and take it down to Jim, the old horse. He was so gentle and always seemed pleased to see me. Sadly, one day he died from a heart attack while he was pulling the cart back to his stable. It was a sad day for everyone who knew him.

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    1. Those rag-and-bone men were the orginal recyclers! How sad that poor old Jim went that way but he was probably happy doing it so better than being left neglected in a field.

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