CLEARING out old boxes always brings forth a few surprises as I discovered when I found my battered old copy of the Observer's Book of Horses and Ponies, circa the 1960s, which cost me seven shillings and six pence.

Flicking through the well-thumbed tome, I noticed three pages were devoted to the Hackney horse so I decided to do some research.

Astonishingly, this paper trail led me to a link between a Worcester florist and what was the largest Hackney horse stud in Europe.

The Hurstwood Hackney Stud was based near East Grinstead in Sussex, another coincidence for me because I did my journalistic apprenticeship on the East Grinstead Observer.

Gradually, as the mists of time evaporated, I remembered that I had actually interviewed the owners of Hurstwood, Cynthia and Frank Haydon, who have long retired and live not far away from Worcester in Moreton-in-the-Marsh.

Now in their 80s, this indomitable pair set the equestrian scene ablaze during the latter part of the 20th Century as the world's most successful breeders, showers and exhibitors of the Hackney horse.

Year after year, Cynthia Haydon could be seen driving a champion horse and harness pony at shows such as the prestigious International and Royal Windsor.

Even now, more than 50 years later, when a horse is driven or exhibited and wins, it is frequently an animal that can trace its ancestry back to the Hurstwood Hackney Stud.

Both Frank and Cynthia were born and brought up in the Hackney tradition. Frank's father was a businessman who bred Hackneys as a hobby. Frank drove some of them and, when his father died in 1934, he sent several to Cynthia's father to produce for shows.

Her father was Robert Black, one of the great names in the Hackney world.

He owned the Maiden Erleigh Stud and training establishment near Reading in Berkshire. He showed Hackneys with considerable success for many years before and shortly after the Second World War.

Cynthia learnt to drive when she was a child and drove at shows for her father before she married Frank.

As far back as 1936 she had the opportunity of driving the late Bertram Mills' four-in-hand coach. This famous circus owner also taught her to drive tandem.

Cynthia visited all the big shows driving Mr W T Barton's four-in-hand team of black Hackneys and won every time.

At that time, Frank still ran a group of butcher's shops that he had built up over a number of years.

But he soon realised that the newly-married Mr and Mrs Haydon had the nucleus of a new business with their collection of some very good Hackneys.

The Haydons had suitable premises for the horses and they did not lack capital. Also, this was just after the Second World War, when there was a revival in the breed.

People began to contact the Haydons about the purchase, training and showing of Hackneys.

"We had more than 50 years breeding and showing Hackneys and had eighty to ninety of them at the stud," recalls Cynthia after I managed to catch up with her at her home.

"Frank and I married when were 21 and have been together for 65 years. We bred Hackneys for people from all over the world including the US, Italy, Spain, Australia, South America and Japan. I was always the gaffer and Frank the businessman," she laughed.

The Haydons taught yearlings to lunge and change direction by word of command. Later, they were put into long reins for flexing, mouthing and teaching them balance. This developed the muscles in their necks, forearms and quarters which helped to bring out their actions. When the stallions reached two, they learnt to wear a set of harness and were driven in long reins.

When they were three they experienced being put into harness and at four were put into full work in preparation for the summer shows.

My Worcester connection is Belinda James who owns a florist's business in St John's.

Belinda has been riding since she was a child and is passionate about the Hackney breed. She bought her first Hackney pony, Plaistow Padraig, last year. His dam is from the famous Semley stud and his sire, Hurstwood Frisby, is from the Hurstwood line.

"I met Cynthia Haydon last summer and she knew my pony very well," said Belinda. "I am very proud to have connections with her.

Plaistow Padraig is my first Hackney driving horse and I will be taking him to the Royal Windsor Horse Show later this summer where I shall drive him in a Viceroy spindle back gig."

Belinda's family has owned Newmans Florists, in St John's, for more than 70 years and Belinda remembers her grandfather Percy driving to the river to collect consignments of bananas.

"We have always had horses and my mother, Aloma, rode and drove so it's in my blood," said Belinda.

"The Hackney is a wonderful horse to own. It is elegant, high stepping, intelligent quick learners and highly spirited. They have beautiful temperaments.

"I had driving lessons eight years ago and am absolutely loving it."

The modern Hackney is a harness horse with a characteristic high stepping, long round striding, trotting action.

Its immediate ancestor is the Norfolk trotter which sprang from the blood of two horses - an Arab stallion and a Yorkshire stallion in about 1729.

The most famous of that breed was the Norfolk cob that is said to have trotted 24 miles in an hour.

The Hackney has Arab blood in its veins and almost every Hackney sire can trace its descent directly back to the Darley Arabian through his son, Flying Childers.

Another famous sire was Sampson, whose grandson, Messenger, was the foundation of the present American trotting horse.

During the 20th Century, with the advent of the railway, the Norfolk breed fell into disuse, to be revived again by the Hackney Horse Society in the animal that we know today.

The ultimate origins of the Hackney however go back far into English history. The trotting horse as distinguished from the ambler and the galloper mention as far back as 1303.

There was also at one time a strong infusion of Spanish Andalusian blood. The name itself derived from the Norman French word "haquenee".

Chief characteristics in addition to brilliant, fiery paces are: a small convex head; small muzzle; large eyes and small ears; longish thick set neck; powerful shoulders and low withers; compact body without great depth of chest; tail set and carried high; short legs and strong hocks well let down; well-shaped feet and a fine, silky coat.

If you are interested in the breed, there is a very active Hackney Horse Society which organises shopws throughout the summer.

Their website is www.hackney-horse.org.uk