THE PONT BREEDS OF HORSES 



169 



about 16,000 of these ponies, and as the stud-book has been 

 open for about thirty-four years, this number includes 

 those that have died in that time. The Shetland pony 

 may be considered to be comparatively rare. 



198. Description of the Shetland pony. The limit 

 of height established by the Shetland Pony Stud-book 

 Society is ten hands two inches. Ponies over this height 

 cannot be registered, 

 although in America 

 the Shetland Pony 

 Club has increased 

 the height to eleven 

 hands two inches. 

 The average height 

 of the pure Shetland 

 may be said to be nine 

 to ten hands. The 

 size is more or less a 

 result of the feed, and 

 when food is supplied 



in abundance there is a gradual increase in size in succes- 

 sive generations. This increase is less apparent in highly 

 bred ponies. The weight of mature Shetlands should ap- 

 proximate 325 to 375 pounds, for ponies of average height. 

 The best specimens are compact in build, having deep 

 body, heavy muscular quarters, short legs, short, broad 

 back, deep, full chest, good bone, short, muscular neck, 

 small head and ears, prominent eyes and a very docile 

 disposition. In color, they are commonly brown, 

 black and bay. There are other colors, such as dun, 

 chestnut, gray and a few with white markings. Pie- 

 balds are not considered desirable, although there is a 

 demand for broken colors in America (Fig. 24). 



FIG. 24. Shetland stallion. 



