468 BRITISH AND IRISH HORSES. 



principal object in breeding this very small class of ponies 

 is for work in the coal-mines, as a larger pony could not 

 move freely in the narrow passages and low-roofed seams. 

 The great relative strength of the Sheltie also makes him 

 peculiarly desirable for this purpose, and for good ponies 

 good prices can always be obtained in the mining districts 

 in the north of England. Shetland ponies live to a great 

 age, and retain their good looks in a wonderful way." 



Hebridean Ponies (Figs. 283, 480 and 481) vary a 

 good deal in height. Those of Barra usually stand from 

 II to 12 hands high ; but those of the larger islands, like 

 Skye ponies (Fig. 482), are often from 13 to 14 hands 

 high. They are strong, hardy, and good workers ; and 

 frequently resemble Iceland ponies, to which, in all 

 probability, they are nearly related. It is interesting to 

 note that in early days, Scotland and its islands were 

 connected with Iceland and Scandinavia. The pony 

 shown in Fig. 481, was a particularly good specimen of 

 his breed. 



The West Highland Pony (Fig. 483) is a Scottish 

 breed of great hardiness and strength. 



Irish Horses and Ponies. — The credit which 

 Ireland has long possessed, of being an admirable country 

 for breeding saddle horses, is, in a great measure, due to 

 the fact that a large part of its low-lying soil has been 

 formed from mountain limestone (p. 406). Although the 

 majority of the best hunters in England come from 

 Ireland, heavy cart-horse breeding is almost an unknown 

 quantity in the Emerald Isle, owing to the dearth of 

 luxuriant clay pastures (401 et seq.). In some parts of the 

 north of Ireland, the Hackney cross with hunters has 

 been tried, with fair results as regards the production of 

 harness horses. Fig. 484 shows an Irish-bred Hackney- 

 hunter mare which I took to Russia for sale, and which 



