THE HORSE 225 



being strong in body and legs. The hair is quite long, being 

 necessarily so in the cold climate of the Shetland Islands. It 

 ranges in height from thirty-six to forty-four inches. Shetland 

 ponies bred in the United States and well cared for grow 

 larger than in their native country. They are of all colors. 

 They are used in mines in England, but in America are used 

 almost entirely for children's pets. They are very gentle and 

 can be safely handled by any child who does not abuse them. 



2. Other Ponies. — The Welsh pony comes from Wales. 

 Some are large enough to pass for horses. These ponies are 

 quite well known and are very popular, as are also the 

 Hackney ponies. These are really only small-sized Hackney 

 horses. In America we have the Indian ponies, mustangs, 

 and bronchos, which are different names for practically the 

 same animal. The mustang and broncho are the names used 

 in the South and West, while the others are more common in 

 the northern states of the West. These ponies are descendants 

 of horses brought to America by the early Spaniards. When 

 properly treated they are very useful in their native regions. 

 The Polo pony is simply a small horse, active and strong 

 enough to be used for polo-playing. 



The Mule. — The donkey is a distinct breed just as the 

 horse is. It is native to Asia. A mule is a cross between a 

 horse and a donkey. The breeding and raising of mules is 

 extensively carried on in the United States. Missouri, 

 Texas, Tennessee, and Kentucky are the leading states in 

 mule-raising. St. Louis is the largest mule market in the 

 world. It is interesting to know that George Washington was 

 prominent as a breeder of mules and that Henry Clay introduced 

 mule-breeding into Kentucky. 



Mules differ very much in type according to the use for 



