Moorland Ponies. 41 



the restrictions which came into force this year prohibiting the 

 employment underground of ponies below the age of four 

 years, are likely seriously to interfere with the trade. Ireland 

 is becoming a customer, for the farmers of that country are 

 finding out the superiority of these ponies over their native 

 donkeys. America, too, is also a buyer of Dartmoor ponies, 

 and if more pains were taken to register them, so as to get 

 them in at a reduced duty, a very good market would be 

 opened up for them. They have much better riding shoulders 

 than many other pony breeds, and in a team race at Huckaby, 

 on Dartmoor, this year, four Dartmoor ponies ran right awaj' 

 from four New Forest ponies, though the latter were much 

 larger. One difficulty in the distribution of the ponies bred 

 on Dartmoor is the heavy railway rate usually payable. The 

 companies give a reasonable rate for ponies in crates, but pony 

 and crate may not exceed 3 cwt. ; anything over is charged as 

 a horse, and the cost of transit of a single pony will then soon 

 add up to more than its value. Unfortunately, the best market 

 for single ponies happens to be the North of England. Again, 

 ponies loaded in cattle trucks having, probably, a considerably 

 lower value than a truck load of cattle, are required to pay a 

 rate which exceeds that charged for cattle by about one third. 



The principal fairs for the disposal of Dartmoor ponies are 

 Princetown, first Wednesday in September ; South Brent, last 

 Tuesday in September ; Chagford, Monday before the second 

 Wednesday in October ; Okehampton, Thursday before the 

 second Wednesday in October ; Tavistock Goose Fair, second 

 Wednesday in October. Some of the best-known breeders are 

 H.R.H. the Prince of Wales ; Mr. J. R. T. Kingwell, South 

 Brent ; Mr. R. Coaker, Sherbaton, Princetown ; Mr. Coaker, 

 Runnage, Princetown ; Mr. T. Palmer, Newingion, Tavistock ; 

 Mr. H. Redacliffe, Petertavy, Tavistock ; Mr. H. Reep, 

 Petertavy, Tavistock ; Mr. E. Powell, Lydford ; Mr. W. 

 Kennard, Lydford ; Mr. Mortimer, Fernworthy, Chagford. 



The price of suckers has been low for some years, but the 

 demand showed considerable improvement at the last fairs. 

 Average prices would be : — 



Suckers that have been done exceptionally well may make 

 up to four pounds, whilst, on the other hand, the price may 

 rundown to thirty shillings, and even less. 



The present outlook for this breed is distinctly good, and 

 much is hoped from the Government scheme under which 

 grants will be made for the ])rovi8ion of the best sires, and 



