SHETLAND. 



thither too .betake themselves the horsey por 

 tym of the Dutchman for twopfwe worth of equestrianism, 

 whv?h consist or 1 a gallop out for half & mile o* so and 

 back agaip. 



For the most part women and hoys are In charge of 

 the steeds, with every conceivable kind of halter, from 

 the decent leather to the old and apparently rotten rope ; 

 some with saddles and stirrups, some with saddles with- 

 out stirrups, some with an unambitious piece of coarse 

 cloth or straw mat. Here a great tall fellow goes up to a 

 very little pony, pays his twopence it is always prepaid 

 and prepares to mount. But how is he to get the 

 sabot, with a point like the prow of his own buss, into 

 the stirrups ? It evidently can't be done. Off go the 

 sabots a shake is all that is necessary and he gets into 

 the saddle. 



At first he grasps only the bridle, but as the pace 

 ^quickens and it soon does that, for he means to have his 

 twopenceworth you see his hand slip round to the back 

 part of the saddle and take a firm hold. This is all very 

 well, but the saddle itself is shaky, and the pony's back 

 short ; so he must have more leverage by grasping the 

 tail. There, now he's all right; but the motion is 

 neither graceful nor easy, and his hat flies off. This was 

 expected, for the woman or boy in charge follows behind 

 for the double purpose of increasing the pace by whip- 

 ping, and picking up anything that may be shaken loose. 



And now that he gets toward the end of his ride, heel, 

 &sidk>, and leeh are pressed into service. One hand is 



