96 THE HOESE 



They are better saddle-ponies, as a rule, than those bred in 

 the New Forest, which are more sought after with a view to 

 harness than the saddle, though good riding-ponies can be 

 and are raised every year in the Forest and neighbourhood. 



The New Forest pony is of a larger size than the Dart- 

 moor and Exmoor, and those up to 13 hands can live and 

 do well in the open. The Burley Association is doing 

 excellent work in untiring efforts to improve the breed, but 

 since stallions and mares run at large there is great difficulty 

 in controlling the choice of sires, since three hundred persons 

 enjoy the right of pasturage, and can turn out the animal 

 which pleases their fancy. Each bunch of mares, with its 

 reigning stallion, has its favourite haunts, and may be found 

 there morning and evening. The New Forest pony has 

 many crosses of outside blood, Arab, Welsh, Highland, 

 Exmoor, and the North Country galloway all being repre- 

 sented in its lineage, and with its admirable distinguishing 

 character for courage, docility, hardihood, and fine temper, 

 it makes an excellent harness animal, and is in much request 

 for this purpose. At the Burley Show there is a capital 

 opportunity for any one who is desirous of seeing them at 

 their best to note the standard these ponies are capable of 

 attaining. All through the heaths of Dorsetshire this same 

 type of pony is bred ; and especially in the Isle of Purbeck, 

 beyond Wareham, some excellent ponies may be seen, 

 earning their living where even sheep cannot thrive. 



The Burley and District New Forest Pony and Cattle 

 Society was formed in 1906, and is affiliated to the Polo 

 and Kiding Pony Society. It not only holds an annual 

 Show at Burley on August Bank Holiday, but has also 

 recently started a New Forest Stud Book, of which the first 

 volume has just been published, and contains the entries of 

 118 stallions and 356 mares. This should prove to be a 

 valuable scheme for improving the local breed of ponies, 

 and should have far-reaching consequences in the near 

 future. 



There is one little fellow that mention must be made of — 

 the tiny Sheltie so beloved by children, hardly larger than a 

 big dog. In the Shetland Isles the soil and climate make it 



