About Norfolk Trotter Horses

Norfolk Trotters, also known as Norfolk Roasdsters, are an extinct horse breed once native to East Anglia and Norfolk, England. They were claimed to be ‘a large-sized trotting harness horse originating in and around Norfolk’.

In 1542, King Henry the eighth required the rich citizens to keep a specific number of trotting-horse stallions. Norfolk Trotters were well praised in Norfolk, and later became known as the Norfolk Trotter.

Norfolk Trotters became the standard travel horse in England. In the city of Yorkshire, the same breed was known as the Yorkshire Trotter. Norfolk trotters were also known as roadsters. It is common to see the term Norfolk / Yorkshire Roadster / Trotter in breed-history books; regardless of the name, all are the same breed of horse. They were used under saddle as one of the fastest means of travel in areas where there were no established roads. They were known for their ability to carry a heavy man for great distances at speeds up to 16-17 mph. Trotting races were very popular in the early part of the nineteenth century and Norfolk Trotters performed very well in them.

A Norfolk Trotter stallion, Bellfounder, was imported to the United States in 1822, and he proved to be a major influence in the founding of the Standard breed by becoming the damsire of Hambletonian 10. Norfolk Trotters are also strongly influenced today's modern Hackney horse.