Hackney, circa 1721, (1) : a horse let out for
common hire (2) : a horse used in all kinds of work b : a horse worn out in
service c : a light easy saddle horse; especially : a three-gaited saddle horse
d : a ride on a horse. a hackney is a "rental horse" and, just as a hired
horse is likely to be tired and worn out, a hackneyed idea is similarly "tired
and worn out". hackney comes from the Old French haquenée, "an ambling
horse or mare, especially for ladies to ride on".
and my favorite definition of hack: One who
works hard at boring tasks.
Hacking in Europe: Hacking generally refers to
the casual riding of a horse at a normal pace (without cantering or galloping
for example). This makes it ideally suited to group outings as even the less
experienced riders can easily keep up with the rest of the group. Many of the
people who own a horse do so so that they can go hacking. Hacking can take place
in the countryside, on paths and bridleways, and on the roads.
