THE NEW FOREST PONY. 



455 



The New Forest Pony (Figs. 470 and 471) is 



an old English breed that has been much crossed. They 

 are hardy, clever and good-tempered, and are useful 

 either in saddle or harness. Lord Arthur Cecil, who has 

 done admirable work in improving this breed, writes 

 to me about it as follows : — " In 1890, I went to the New^ 

 Forest, and found that for many years few if any stallions 



Photo by] [0. REID, WiSHAW. 



Fig. 470. — New Forest pony stallion, the property of Lord Arthur Cecil. 



of the true old breed had been kept. There is no doubt 

 that owing to the laws of Henry VI IL, New Forest ponies 

 had been bred bigger than any of the other southern 

 native breeds, and the height attained was probably too 

 great for the land. It must, however, be borne in mind 

 that when these laws were enacted, the best land in the 

 Forest was open to commoners. Such land is now occu- 

 pied by plantations, and cattle and horses are excluded, 

 with the result that only the barest and most unproductive 



